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2025 MLB Draft

2025 MLB Mock Draft 1.0: Nats Stunner With The No. 1 Pick

2025 MLB Mock Draft 1.0: Nats Stunner With The No. 1 Pick

The Washington Nationals own the No. 1 pick. There are two "can't-miss" prospects. Would the Nats pass them up?

Feb 10, 2025 by Joe Harrington
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The Washington Nationals landed the No. 1 pick in the 2025 MLB Draft and have a decision to make this July. 

The top two prospects, prep star Ethan Holliday and Texas A&M star Jace LaViolette, could represent where the Nationals believe they are in their long rebuild that started with trading Trea Turner and Max Scherzer in 2021. 

It seems Washington is close to turning the corner. 

The Nats went 71-91 in 2024, so the signs the rebuild is over may not be apparent, but they saw CJ Abrams make the All-Star team, Dylan Crews and James Wood debut and watched MacKenzie Gore take a positive step in his development. 

Crews was the No. 2 pick in 2023, and Wood was one of top prospects in baseball last season. Once again, though, the MLB Draft lacks a clear star pitcher for whom teams will be clamoring at No. 1, which probably is what the Nationals want to take.

The last two times the team had the No. 1 pick, the Nationals took future hall of famer Bryce Harper and once perennial All-Star Stephen Strasburg. Harper left before the Nats were able to win the World Series, but Strasburg was key in that series. 

Outside of the No. 1 pick, the Los Angeles Angels appear to have the same easy decision the Nats had in 2023: There were two consensus top picks, the Pirates took Paul Skenes, and the Nats wasted no time taking Crews. 

The MLB Draft Lottery gave us some surprises, in that both teams with the best chances to win the No. 1 pick (the Rockies and the Marlins) fell out of the top three spots. The Marlins were the biggest losers (without counting the White Sox) after dropping to No. 7. 

The 2025 draft is a bit different than the loaded classes from 2023 and 2024 in that it's filled with talented high school prospects. 

With the emergence of NIL in college athletics, it could be one of the most difficult years for pro teams to sign some of the top prep players, but it still would be hard imaging any player taken in the first two rounds not to sign with their MLB club. 

But it might make those prep players more expensive, which could impact who teams take. 

And with that, here's our first best-guess on what those decisions will be with FloBaseball (and FloCollege)'s first 2025 MLB Mock Draft before the Division I college baseball season begins Feb. 14. 

1. Washington Nationals: Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State Baseball

Wait, what?

Yes. In a draft where there are seemingly two consensus top prospects, one being a college slugger who gives Aaron Judge vibes (Jace LaViolette), and another who looks like a bigger, stronger version of his older, phenom brother (Ethan Holliday, brother of Jackson) who debuted at 19 in 2024, I think neither really fit what the Nationals want and could be more affordable.

They want pitching to go with the young hitters - James Wood, Dylan Crews and CJ Abrams. 

MacKenzie Gore looked good, while Travis Sykora is the No. 2 prospect in the organization and is ranked No. 59 overall in Baseball America's 2025 prospect rankings. 

Arnold could be the best pitcher in the draft after what he did in 2024. He certainly can pitch himself to the No. 1 spot like Paul Skenes did in 2023. He doesn’t have the fastball Skenes has, but he has thrown as high as 97 mph. He also has solid off-speed pitches with a slider, curveball and changeup. Arnold's slider could be the best pitch of any prospect in the class. 

He’s the No. 3 prospect at FloBaseball and was moved to No. 3 by Baseball America in January, moving past Tyler Bremner of UC Santa Barbara. 

Carrying a 2.98 ERA in 105 2/3 innings, Arnold was terrific in 2024 and clearly just behind Chase Burns as the best pitcher in the ACC. At 6-foot-1, 192 pounds, Arnold isn’t the towering figure, but he does get compared to Chris Sale, which is funny, because Sale is 6-foot-6. 

The Cincinnati Reds passed on several higher-rated draft prospects to take the best pitcher, Burns, at No. 2 in 2024. That’s what they needed more of. 

I feel the Nationals will do the same. 

Some thought taking Burns meant saving signing bonus money, but he wound up signing a huge deal. Passing on Holliday and LaViolette could, in fact, mean the Nationals are planning to spend money on later picks over slot value. 

Last year, the Nationals took another infielder who could become a center fielder in the first round, Seaver King. 

The year before that, Crews, an outfielder. 

In 2022, it was Elijah Green, an outfielder. 

In fact, the last first-round pitcher the team has taken was in 2020. It was Cade Cavalli of Oklahoma State, and he hasn’t debuted yet. 

This seems like the wildcard the Nats could do, but it might not even be Arnold. There are three pitchers vying to be the first off the board, including Bremner and high school prospect Seth Hernandez, both RHPs. 

2. Los Angeles Angels: Ethan Holliday, SS/3B, Stillwater, Oklahoma

Nearly every mock draft has the Nationals taking Holliday No. 1, and with good reason, including the folks at Baseball America and MLB Pipeline. 

In this scenario, Holliday falling to No. 2 would be the first good thing to happen to the Angels since Shohei Ohtani decided to sign with them in 2017. 

Holliday actually is the No. 2 prospects in his class according to FloBaseball’s composite rankings and Baseball America, but he might have the most upside of any prospect since his brother. 

Unlike Jackson, Ethan Holliday profiles more like his father, former batting champ and All-Star Matt Holliday (brother of Oklahoma State baseball coach Josh Holliday). 

He’s 6-foot-4, 195 pounds. While there is a trend of long, lanky shortstops these days, it certainly feels Ethan Holliday is projected to be a slugging corner outfielder. 

For the Angels, the direction of the club looks cloudy. They don’t spend like they used to, and they certainly don’t operate like the Dodgers. But the club still has the hope of having healthy seasons from future MLB Hall of Famer Mike Trout and former All-Star Anthony Rendon. 

They signed Jorge Soler and Yusei Kikuchi and former Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks. 

Top prospect Caden Dana made his debut in 2024 and started three games with terrible results, but he’s on the roster. If Trout looks like Mike Trout and the Angels are still losing, could they trade him? 

Regardless of whether the franchise decides to enter the full rebuild mode, Holliday is the pick here at No. 2. 

Last year’s first round pick is second baseman Christian Moore of Tennessee, who could be among the first players of the 2024 draft to debut. 

If the Angels believe they can be competitive by 2026, then perhaps it is LaViolette here, but they need a lot. 

Last year, MLB Pipeline ranked the Angels as the No. 29 farm system in baseball at midseason. Baseball America has them starting 2025 at No. 30. 

3. Seattle Mariners: Jace LaViolette, OF, Texas A&M Baseball

If there’s a dream scenario of this draft, it’s the Mariners, a team that has no business picking third, given the championship expectations and talent on the roster, getting arguably the best prospect in the draft in the 6-foot-6, 230-pound center fielder from Texas A&M. 

LaViolette hit .305/449/.726 with 16 doubles and 29 home runs for the Aggies and nearly single handedly dragged the lineup to the cusp of a national championship after Braden Montgomery suffered an injury in the super-regional round.

Maybe he moves to right field, but he has the athletic ability to stick at center field. This could be the easiest pick in the draft. 

If the draft goes as most experts think, Arnold and Bremner will be available and could entice the Mariners to move one of their current rotation members for more offensive help knowing that a pitcher is in the pipeline for the 2026, or 2027 season, at the very latest. 

Of all the draft prospects, LaViolette is the one I would pick as the quickest to the majors based on exit velocity and his ability to hit to all sides of the field. 

He struck out 81 times and 156 times in two seasons, and that swing-and-miss number is why teams didn’t aggressively go after him in 2022 as a high school player. But he did set a record with 64 walks in 68 games with the Aggies. 

Seattle adding another outfielder to its system would be good, as well. The team didn’t replace Teoscar Hernández until the deadline deal for Randy Arozarena, who struggled mightily after the trade. Julio Rodriguez had a down year for someone with MVP talent. 

4. Colorado Rockies: Seth Hernandez, RHP, Corona (California)

Some feel Hernandez is the best pitcher in the draft with a 98 mph fastball, while measuring 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds. 

He is the best pitcher in his high school class, and he’s committed to Vanderbilt. 

The Rockies taking him here is based on the team taking long-term upside, instead of taking a player who could debut as early as 2026.

The Rockies were one of the worst teams in baseball in 2024 and have one of the better farm systems in the game at the moment, according to MLB pipeline and Baseball America. 

Charlie Condon and Chase Dollander both are top-25 prospects. Dollander ended 2024 as the No. 4-ranked prospect in the game at Baseball America. He enters 2025 at No. 8. 

Still, I think the Rockies take Hernandez here and continue to build for 2026 and 2027. 

The Rockies took Brody Brecht, who had top-10 buzz at one point out of Iowa, last season in the Competitive Balance round. 

It’s still pitching in Denver, but if Hernandez reaches his lofty potential, as do the two other pitchers, that could be a rotation to be reckoned with by 2028 or 2029. 

But it also could be if they take another pitcher.

5. St. Louis Cardinals: Tyler Bremner, RHP, UC Santa Barbara Baseball

Bremner may be the best pitcher in the class. He touches 98 mph and throws strong off-speed pitches with a changeup and a slider. 

He will make his case as college baseball’s top pitcher after going 11-1 with a 2.54 ERA in 88 2/3 Innings as a sophomore for the Gauchos. 

Bremner could pitch his way to the No. 1 spot this season. 

The Cardinals are trying to rebuild. They are struggling to find takers for a future hall of famer in Nolan Arenado, and they already moved on from another future HOFer in Paul Goldschmidt. 

They are listening to offers on all players with big salaries, according to MLB insiders, and the expectation is that the Cardinals don’t plan to be very competitive in 2025. But I expect that to change for 2026, because it’s St. Louis. 

6. Pittsburgh Pirates: Xavier Neyens, 3B, Mount Vernon (Washington)

The Pirates could take Cam Cannarella here if they want a player who could move through the system quicker. And perhaps they should. 

The quintessential small-market team in all of sports has a ticking clock on a championship window it did nothing to enhance last year when the team was competitive for two months before cratering. 

This team is seemingly refusing to spend money on free agents this offseason. 

While they have spent money on extensions the last few years, this team has the talent to win the National League Central. But the Pirates have major holes at first base, shortstop and possibly second base, unless Nick Gonzales and Jared Triolo take steps. 

Much of the team’s expectations will depend on Oneil Cruz, who is transitioning to outfield and continuing to improve as a hitter. 

Brian Reynolds, the best everyday Pirate, is either in left field or right, but this team doesn’t have a reliable option on both corners.

So yeah, taking Cannarella really makes sense. 

But the Pirates were in the same position last year and took the best high school player available in Konnor Griffin.

Xavier Neyens could be the best high school player available at No. 6. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound prospect is committed to Oregon State and could be the best power hitter in the class. 

The Pirates have a terrific farm system, and Bubba Chandler and Braxton Ashcraft could join the rotation in 2024 to give the Pirates the best young rotation in baseball. It’s why trading Mitch Keller, the 2023 All-Star, for another MLB hitter, seems like a smart move.

Few believe this team is going to be able extend superstar Paul Skenes a contract that matches some of the other big ones baseball has seen in the last decade. He’s not a free agent until 2030, and he’s not eligible for arbitration until 2027. So, the Pirates should maximize 2025, 2026 and 2027.

No. 7 Miami Marlins: Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP/ 1B, Portland, Oregon

The Pirates and Marlins being back-to-back in the draft could be a gift for the Blue Jays and Reds, who own the No. 8 and No. 9 picks and clearly are trying to win now. 

The Pirates could take a college prospect who could move through the system quickly. But the Marlins are in a full rebuild, hence why they moved on from a talented manager, Skip Schumaker, and traded Jesus Luzardo.

If you can name an everyday player on the Marlins' 40-man active roster entering Spring Training, congrats, you are a baseball sicko. 

Pitcher Sandy Alcantara looks like he’ll be ready for Spring Training. He was one of the best pitchers in baseball before Tommy John surgery in 2023. If he returns to form, he’ll be one of the most sought after players in the league at the trade deadline. 

The Marlins had the No. 15-ranked farm system at midseason, according to MLB Pipeline. Baseball America isn't as high on the system. 

I expect them to add Kruz Schoolcraft here because he could wind up being the best player in the draft when he does make the majors. He’s 6-foot-8, 225 pounds with a fastball, slider and changeup. He also has two-way potential with potentially big time power. 

He likely could have been among the options at No. 1 in 2026, but he reclassified to 2025 and still could be the No. 1 pick, that's the type of upside he has. 

He’ll be 18 at the time of the draft. If there’s a prep prospect to buy a lotto ticket on, it could be Schoolcraft, and there’s a chance he won’t even be here at this spot. 

No. 8. Toronto Blue Jays Cam Cannarella, OF, Clemson Baseball

Cannarella was ranked higher than LaViolette this time a year ago among top prospects in 2025. And it’s not like he had a bad season in 2024. 

He hit .337/.417/.561 with 16 doubles and 11 home runs. He has great speed and is a terrific defender at center field. 

Cannarella is the No. 9 prospect at FloBaseball. He could move through the system quickly and be ready by 2026. 

He'll also be tested early, as Clemson opens the season Feb. 14 at Globe Life Field at the Shriners Children's College Showdown. Cannarella will face Oklahoma State, Arizona and Ole Miss that weekend.

The Blue Jays want to extend stars Vlad Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette. They keep pursuing some of the best free agents in baseball, and they do play in one of baseball’s largest markets. 

Whether the Blue Jays get Guerrero and Bichette signed long-term remains to be seen, but they certainly seem like they are willing to spend like some of the other large-market teams. 

So, I see no reason to think the Blue Jays won’t try to think more short-term in this draft with a top-10 pick. They took college pitcher Trey Yesavage last year at No. 20. 

No. 9 Cincinnati Reds: Devin Taylor, Indiana Baseball

This is the most obvious pick for the Cincinnati Reds for a number of reasons. 

Two of the three greatest players to ever play for the Reds were from Cincinnati: Pete Rose (Western Hills High School) and Barry Larkin (Moeller High School). The Reds also love to sign players from the city in free agency (like Brent Suter). 

Taylor went to LaSalle High School in Cincinnati. At Indiana, he made All-Big Ten in back-to-back years. Baseball America has him as the No. 8 prospect. He’s No. 13 at FloBaseball. 

The Reds need more outfield prospects. None of the top 10 prospects are outfielders. 

The Reds also had one of the worst offensive outfields in baseball in 2024, and the offseason addition of Austin Hays isn't a long-term solution. 

The Reds haven't had a reliable outfield since sending Jessie Winker and Nick Castellanos to the All-Star Game in 2021, but even that team had a hole in center field. 

Taylor wouldn’t solve the outfield problem this year, or likely not even in 2026, but it’s a sign the Reds need to take a hard look at outfield prospects. 

Taylor hit .357/.449/.660 with 11 doubles and 20 home runs in 2024. He is considered one of the top hitters in college baseball and projects to be a corner outfielder at the next level. 

Taylor opens the season in Surprise, Arizona, at the College Baseball Classic. 

The Hoosiers, one of the preseason favorites in the Big Ten, will face UNLV, Xavier and Oregon State the first weekend of the season. 

No. 10 Chicago White Sox: Kayson Cunningham, SS/3B, San Antonio, Texas

Cunningham or Billy Carlson make sense for the White Sox, who are rebuilding after a historically bad season in 2024. 

The White Sox couldn’t receive the No. 1 pick because of draft rules, but they still have a chance to take a high-upside prep prospect to help continue to build a farm system that could get even deeper if, and when, the team trades Luis Robert before Opening Day. 

Cunningham is 5-foot-9, 170 pounds, but is one of the best hitters in his high school class. He was the USA Baseball 18U MVP in 2024.

No. 11 Athletics: Billy Carlson, SS/ RHP, Corona, California

The first pick of the Athletics since moving from Oakland is the possible two-way player from California with high upside, both as an upper-90s throwing RHP and a slick fielding shortstop. 

The 6-foot-1, 165-pound Carlson could sneak into the top 10, depending what the Reds do. 

No. 12 Texas Rangers: Ike Irish, C, Auburn Baseball

The best name in the draft also is widely regarded as the best catcher in the draft, and college catchers are popular choices. 

The Rangers can let the left-handed hitting Auburn Tiger learn to call games, as 2025 is the first season he’s expected to play catcher full-time. 

He’s certainly here because of his bat after hitting .347/.432/.564 with just an 8.1% K-rate. 

With Gold Glove winner and 2023 All-Star Jonah Heim under team control until 2027, the Rangers can take it slow with Irish. The wildcard could be the Reds, who certainly could take Irish at No. 9. 

Auburn will have an early-season test at the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series to end February. The Tigers and Irish will face two OSUs - Ohio State and Oregon State - along with Baylor.  

No. 13 San Francisco Giants: Eli Willits, SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton, Oklahoma

Son of former Angels outfielder Reggie Willits (who also is an assistant coach for Oklahoma Baseball), Eli reclassified to the 2025 class and will be just 17 on the day of the draft. 

The 6-foot-1, 165-pound switch-hitting prospect is one of the best prep hitters.

No. 14 Tampa Bay Rays: Aiva Arquette, IF, Oregon State Baseball

One of the best transfers in the country after starring for Washington last year, Arquette takes over for 2024 No. 1 pick Travis Bazzana at second base, though he has played more shortstop. 

Arquette hit .325/.384/.574 last year for the Huskies. 

He’s certainly not your typical middle infielder, at least not 2B, as he’s 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds.

Arquette and Oregon State open the season on FloBaseball at the College Baseball Classic in Surprise, Arizona. To end the month, they head to the College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field for three games against Baylor, Auburn and Ohio State. 

No. 15 Boston Red Sox: Max Belyeu, OF, Texas Baseball

MLB Pipeline is higher on the reigning Big 12 Player of the Year, listing him as the No. 14 prospect in the draft. Baseball America, not so much, having him at No. 41 to start off 2025. 

It’s why he’s at No. 24 in the FloBaseball composite rankings. 

MLB has him going 12th overall in mock drafts, while BA has him outside the first round (somewhere).

But Belyeu has the potential to be this year’s Charlie Condon in terms of eye-popping numbers and climbing into the top pick discussion. 

He hit .329/.423..667 with 15 doubles and 18 home runs last season. He projects to be a corner outfielder in the majors. He was the 2024 Big 12 Player of the Year. 

Texas begins the season in Arlington, as new coach Jim Schlossnagle and Belyeu take on Louisville, Ole Miss and former Big 12 rival Oklahoma State.

No. 16 Minnesota Twins: Sean Gamble, SS/OF, IMG Academy

The Twins could be moving to a rebuild soon, as the general manager continues to say they aren’t cutting payroll, but rumors continue to swirl around high-priced players on the roster, such as Pablo Lopez, Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton. 

Taking a high-upside player in Gamble, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound SS/OF with speed and raw power, makes sense. 

They could take a number of college players who could move through the system quicker, but if a rebuild is coming, this is the pick. 

No. 17 Chicago Cubs: Matt Scott, RHP, Stanford Baseball

The numbers are pretty rough for Matt Scott, who in two years, carried a 5.10 ERA and a 5.96 ERA for Stanford. But he struck out 103 batters as a sophomore and throws 98 while standing 6-foot-7, 247 pounds. 

It's similar to Max Belyeu, but in reverse. 

MLB Pipeline clearly loves production and looks at the results, pushing Scott to No. 46 on their prospect rankings, while BA looks at the numbers and mechanics and has him at No. 24. He landed at No. 29 at FloBaseball. 

For the Cubs, the pick is based on always looking to improve pitching. 

Despite being the most popular team in the third-largest market, billionaire owner Tom Ricketts recently said the Cubs can’t operate like the Dodgers or Mets. 

The Cubs have tried to sign many of the top free agents, but they failed. You have to spend money to have a top rotation, or you have keep drafting and developing pitchers. 

No. 18 Arizona Diamondbacks: Brady Ebel, SS, Corona. Calif. 

There is a reason Corona High School is the nation’s No. 1 high school baseball team. 

Brady Ebel is the third player we have going in the top 16 from the program. 

Some consider Ebel the best hitter in the high school class. He's 6-foot-3, 190 pounds and the son of Dodgers third base coach Dino. 

A unanimous top-25 prospect who ranked No. 16 at FloBaseball, Ebel is a player who has room to grow, both physically and developmentally. 

No. 19 Baltimore Orioles: Cameron Appenzeller , LHP, Chatham, Ill. 

The 6-foot-5, 180-pound lefty is one of the few first-round projected pitchers left at this point. Baltimore’s farm system is stacked with everyday talent, but not so much on the pitching.

No. 20. Milwaukee Brewers: Nick Dumesnil, OF, California Baptist Baseball

Dumesnil slips in our mock draft and falls into the hands of the Brewers. 

Baseball America has him going four spots higher, but he falls to No. 38 in MLB’s mock draft. 

Dumesnil led the Cape Cod League in doubles and steals and slashed .311/.378/.489. He hit 19 home runs in the college season and already is considered the greatest everyday player in Cal Baptist history. 

No. 21 Houston Astros: Brendan Summerhill, OF, Arizona Baseball

The Astros traded Kyler Tucker and Ryan Pressly to the Cubs in two different deals, but they also tried to trade for Nolan Arenado, and they signed Christian Walker, so a rebuild doesn’t look like it’s quite happening. 

But with the No. 30-ranked farm system in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline, and No. 29, according to Baseball America, ace Framber Valdez was in trade rumors, too. 

If the Astros intend to try to keep the Altuve era going, upgrades to the outfield via the system is one way to do it, and Summerhill is a 6-foot-3, 205-pound outfielder who hit .324/.399/.550 for the Wildcats. 

The Wildcats open the season at the Shriners Children's College Showdown. They face Ole Miss, Clemson and Louisville. 

No. 22 Atlanta Braves: Caden Bodine, C, East Carolina Baseball

Sean Murphy being the catcher in Atlanta allows Bodine to take his time developing. He is one of the best-hitting catchers in the draft and also has a strong arm. 

No. 23 Kansas City Royals: Nolan Schubart, OF, Oklahoma State

Schubart has a 28% strikeout rate at OSU, but he also has dazzling power with 40 home runs the past two seasons with massive exit velocity. He's the preseason Big 12 Player of the Year for a reason. 

The Cowboys play Clemson in a mega showdown at the Shriners Children's Baseball Showdown on Opening Day and face Louisville and Texas later that weekend. 

No. 24 Detroit Tigers: Trent Caraway, 3B, OSU

When he played for Oregon State in 2024, he crushed the ball to tune of .339/.431/.516, but he played just 18 games due to injury. 

The 6-foot-2, 205-pound third baseman could be the steal of the first round at No. 23. 

No. 25 San Diego Padres, Marek Houston, SS, Wake Forest Baseball

Houston hit .326/.434/.516 for Wake Forest in 2024 with 25 extra base hits and is a plus defender. 

The Padres love taking high school players in the first round, so watch for Brock Sell, Lucas Franco and Landon Harmon here, as well. 

Wake Forest will stream on FloBaseball and FloCollege on March 25 when traveling to Elon. 

No. 26 Philadelphia Phillies: Luke Stevenson, C, North Carolina Baseball

Stevenson hit .284/.420/.535 for the Tar Heels in 2024, and he could grow at the plate with a terrific swing. But he’s also one of the best defensive catchers in the draft. He could vault into the top 10 if he has a big offensive year. 

Stevenson also is soaring up the prospect lists since the start of the year. Baseball America has him at No. 11. 

No. 27 Cleveland Guardians: Ethan Petry, OF/1B, South Carolina Baseball

In two seasons, Petry has hit .341/.471/.686 with 44 home runs. 

The Cape Cod League MVP hit 11 more this past summer, and he's another player who could climb high in this draft. 

The Mets, Yankees and Dodgers first-round draft picks are pushed back 10 spots due to exceeding the competitive balance tax in 2024 by more than $40 million. So, this pick technically ends the first round. 

No. 28: Kansas City Royals: Henry Godbout, IF, Virginia Baseball

Awarded a PPI pick for Bobby Witt Jr. finishing third in MVP voting, the Royals take Godbout here. He hit .372/.472/.645 with nine home runs in 2024. He’ll be a bat-first prospect but good value for the Royals at No. 28. 

No. 29 Arizona Diamondbacks: Wehiwa Aloy, SS, Arkansas Baseball

Awarded this pick after the Astros signed Christian Walker, some have Aloy going 10 spots higher. Others say outside of the first round. 

A big freshman season in the WAC prompted him to transfer to one of the best programs in college baseball, Arkansas, and he found the SEC much more difficult. But he regained his prospect chops with a strong Cape Cod season. 

Aloy once again will return to the College Baseball Showdown when the Razorbacks head to the second weekend to face Kansas State, TCU and Michigan. 

No. 30 Baltimore Orioles: Kyson Witherspoon, RHP, Oklahoma Baseball

There are some high school player options here, but Witherspoon is among the best college pitchers in the country entering the season with a fastball that has touched 99 mph and a solid slider. 

Trust Baltimore to develop him at the right pace. 

No. 31 Baltimore Orioles: Landon Harmon, RHP, Blue Springs, Mississippi

This pick was awarded to the Orioles after Anthony Santander signed with the Toronto Blue Jays. 

Harmon is 6-foot-5, 190 pounds and has reached 98 mph on his fastball. 

No. 32 Milwaukee Brewers: Brock Sell, OF/ 1B, Tokay, Calif. 

This is the compensation pick for Willy Adames, and the Brewers take a solid prep hitter and terrific athlete at 6-foot-1, 170 pounds. 

No. 33 Milwaukee Brewers: Lucas Franco, SS, Katy, Texas

With three picks in the top 33, the Brewers, who already had four players in Baseball America’s Top 100 prospects, can add to their already stout farm system. 

The Brewers ended the year with a middle-of-the-pack farm system ranking (No. 17) and that system will take even more hits if the Brewers graduate Jacob Misiorowski and Jeferson Quero this season (Quero is on the 40-man). 

Last year was supposed to be the end of this dominant run for the Brewers, with Craig Counsell leaving for Chicago and the Corbin Burnes trade, but the Brewers were even better in 2024. 

But with Willy Adames gone and Devin Williams traded, the Brewers could be moving more pieces all season. 

Freddy Peralta, Joel Payamps and Brandon Woodruff (if healthy) could be the most sought after players on the trade market, along with everyday players like Rhys Hoskins and William Contreras. 

This is why we think the Brewers will take another high school prospect here in Lucas Franco. He’s 6-foot-3, 170 pounds and may be a future third basemen, but he is an advanced hitter for his age. 

With three picks this high, it wouldn't be surprising if Milwaukee takes more of a risk in the first round with a lower-slot value pick, so more could be spend on the No. 32 and No. 33 picks. 

No. 34 Detroit Tigers: Trey Phelps, OF/3B, Georgia Baseball

We get into a weird point in the draft during the comp picks and balance round picks, as teams who believe they drafted under slot previously are more likely to over spend on more expensive prep players. 

The Tigers double up on college bats in this draft and take the 6-foot-3, 210-pound Phelps, who hit .353/.441/.699 in 42 games for the Bulldogs. 

No. 35 Seattle Mariners: Gavin Fien, 3B, Great Oak, California

Seattle was the biggest winner of the draft, landing third, considering the Mariners have World Series expectations. 

This seems like a spot, after lucking into LaViolette at No. 3, they take a prep player in Fien, who some have going about 20 spots earlier. 

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound corner outfielder and infielder was one Team USA’s best hitters on the 18U national team, where he hit .400 with three doubles and two triples. 

No. 36: Minnesota Twins: Ethan Conrad, OF, Wake Forest Baseball

At 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, he transferred to Wake Forest this past season after hitting .389/.467/.704 with 18 doubles, 13 triples, nine home runs and 52 RBIs for Marist. 

He led college baseball in triples. Then, he continued to hit in Cape Cod. 

Conrad could play himself into the top 10 of this draft. 

No. 37 Tampa Bay Rays: Cam Leiter, RHP, Florida State Baseball

Leiter is, of course, from the Leiter family. His uncles are Al and Mark, who were mainstays in the MLB forever. 

His cousins are Mark Jr. and Jack, who was the top pick for the Rangers a few years ago. So, the pedigree is there. 

At 6-foot-5, 195 pounds, he touches 99 on his fastball. He had 56 strikeouts in just 35 innings. He is a four-pitch pitcher but did battle through injuries.

No. 38 New York Mets: Angel Cervantes, RHP, Warren, California

A 6-foot-2, 190-pound righty is the first pick of the Mets, who were punished for going over the luxury tax, along with the Yankees and Dodgers. 

A UCLA commit, he’ll be just 17 at the draft and already throws 94 on his fastball. 

No. 39: New York Yankees: Quentin Young, 3B/OF, Oaks Christian, California

An LSU commit and 6-foot-5, 215 pounds, Young reclassified to the 2025 class. He is the nephew of Delmon and Dmitri Young and could develop into a feared power hitter. 

No. 39: Los Angeles Dodgers: Henry Ford, 1B, Virginia Baseball

Ford, 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, hit .336/.409/.597 with 17 home runs and 31 total extra base hits in 2024. Don’t be surprised if he’s not here for this pick. 

No. 40 Los Angeles Dodgers: Tate Southisene, SS/OF, Basic, Nevada 

This pick was the Reds’ until they traded for infielder Gavin Lux. 

The comp picks are the only draft picks that can be traded, and I assume that during the next round of CBA talks, they’ll want to make more picks available. 

Two were traded this year. 

The Corbin Burnes trade a year ago involved a pick. 

How much would a top-10 pick in the MLB Draft fetch? Would teams like the Dodgers trade players and offer to pay down more salary in trades if a top-10 pick was stake?

Fun conversation. 

The Dodgers take Southisene, a USC commit, here. He’s the brother of Ty Southisene, who the Cubs drafted a year ago. He is the No. 43-ranked prospect at FloBaseball. 

No. 41 Tampa Bay Rays: Gavin Kilen, IF, Tennessee Baseball

Another traded pick, this time by the Athletics in the Jeffrey Springs trade. 

The 5-foot-11, 185-pound second baseman hit 330/.361/.591 with 35 extra base hits for the national champions last season. 

No. 42 Miami Marlins: Dean Moss, OF, IMG Academy 

The final pick before the second round, the Marlins take another high school prospect in the 6-foot-, 175 pound outfielder. 

Moss is committed to LSU, so the Marlins may have to pay a lot to keep this pick. 

What Teams Are Playing In the 2025 College Baseball Showdown?

Here are the teams: 

  • University of Arizona
  • Auburn University
  • Baylor University
  • Clemson University
  • Ohio State University
  • Kansas State University
  • Oklahoma State University
  • Oregon State University
  • University of Louisville
  • University of Texas
  • University of Michigan
  • University of Arkansas
  • Ole Miss
  • LSU
  • TCU

Complete 2025 College Baseball Showdown Schedule

All Times Eastern

Friday, Feb. 14

Saturday, Feb. 15

Sunday, Feb. 16

Friday, Feb. 21

Saturday, Feb. 22

Sunday, Feb. 23

Wednesday, Feb. 26

Friday, Feb. 28

Saturday, March 1

Sunday, March 2

How To Stream The 2025 College Baseball Showdown?

The first weekend of competition at the Shriners Children's College Showdown is Feb. 14-16 at Globe Life Field. It is streaming on FloCollege and the FloSports app. 

Replays, highlights and breaking news from the event will be on both platforms. 

How To Watch The 2025 College Baseball Showdown Weekend 2

The second weekend, Feb. 21-23, at Globe Life Field is called the College Baseball Series. It is streaming on FloCollege and the FloSports app. 

Replays, highlights and breaking news from the event will be on both platforms. 

How To Watch The 2025 College Baseball Showdown Weekend 3

The second weekend, Feb. 28-Mar. 2, at Globe Life Field is called the College Baseball Series. It is streaming on FloCollege and the FloSports app. 

Replays, highlights and breaking news from the event will be on both platforms. 

FloBaseball Archived Footage

Video footage from the event will be archived and stored in a video library for FloBaseball subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscription.

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