The 2025 MLB Draft is just three weeks away, meaning it's time for an updated mock draft. These picks are based on what the media believes is going to happen, as well as personal opinion based on recent draft history. With the College World Series coming to a close, draft boards are being finalized, but there is still a lot that can change between now and July 13th. You can find our mid-season mock draft here.
1. Washington Nationals - Kade Anderson, LHP, LSU
Rather than the first overall pick separating himself as the favorite throughout the season, the competition for first overall has only gotten tighter. I stuck with Jamie Arnold for most of 2025, but Anderson has recently inched past Arnold for me. There is still certainly a number of different options the Nationals can go with this pick, but Anderson seems to be the safest bet at this point.
2. Los Angeles Angels - Jamie Arnold, LHP, FSU
There isn't much that suggests the Angels will shy away from their recent draft strategy of taking a fast moving college prospect and advancing them to the big leagues rather quick. The strategy may be looked down upon, but in hindsight has produced Zach Neto and Nolan Schanuel - both of which have become productive ballplayers. Arnold would seemingly be the pick here unless they were sold on either Liam Doyle, Kyson Witherspoon, or Aiva Arquette if they wanted to stick with a bat.
3. Seattle Mariners - Eli Willits, SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton HS (OK)
Unless the teams picking within the top five are really set on selecting from the college class, I don't see a lot of reason why Willits should fall outside of the top five. In my opinion, he's comfortably the best high school prospect in this class. He's ten months younger than Ethan Holliday and nearly a year and a half younger than both Billy Carlson and Seth Hernandez. With a plus hit tool from both sides of the plate and tools to stick at shortstop, it's hard to see a team like the Mariners, who have highly valued this same type of player, passing on Willits.
4. Colorado Rockies - Ethan Holliday, SS/3B, Stillwater HS (OK)
I've beat the drum of Ethan Holliday landing in Colorado for most of the year now, and it still looks like it's very much so in play. Like Willits, it's tough to see him falling outside of the top five, so this may in fact be the floor for him considering he has had perhaps the most first overall consideration. There seems to be growing belief that Holliday can stick at shortstop for the time being despite his size, and some of the questions concerning his hit tool were answered this spring, so I feel a lot better about a team within the top five nailing this pick.
5. St. Louis Cardinals - Liam Doyle, LHP, Tennessee
Considering the Cardinals have pulled a lot of their pitching depth from the college class in recent years, I would imagine their draft board is filled with the high end names that make up this year's crop of college arms. With that being said, Liam Doyle is the top available arm in this scenario unless they like something else they've seen in either Kyson Witherspoon or Tyler Bremner. It's hard not to dream on his deadly fastball and splitter combination as well as his improved control throughout the season.
6. Pittsburgh Pirates - Billy Carlson, SS, Corona HS (CA)
This is another pick that has just felt right for most of the season. Carlson should be available here, and if Willits is off the board, he makes a whole lot of sense for the Pirates. It's a very similar story to Konnor Griffin who they selected ninth overall last year - elite athleticism with the ability to play a premium position at a high level. However, there are some questions concerning his feel to hit, but the early returns on Griffin have got to leave the Pirates feeling good about running back the same strategy with Carlson.
7. Miami Marlins - Jojo Parker, SS, Purvis HS (MS)
The term "riser" is probably used a little too much when it comes to discussing the draft, but Jojo Parker has in fact been the top riser in this class. Following last season, Parker was a Mississippi State commit with a chance at ending up in college this fall, but has now inserted himself in the upper tier of prep bats. He has one of the best hit tools among both prep and college prospects along with solid power he's growing into. He's not a slam dunk shortstop like Carlson or Willits, but he's good enough defensively that you can feel comfortable about betting on the bat within the first ten picks. Under the Marlins new regime, Parker is a player they should be high on.
8. Toronto Blue Jays - Kyson Witherspoon, RHP, Oklahoma
The Blue Jays could walk away with the steal of the draft if they take Witherspoon here. While Seth Hernandez has more upside, Witherspoon is the best right handed pitcher in this class. He has one of the wider and well-polished arsenals in the class, and looks like one of the best athletes on the mound too. Between Witherspoon and the three lefties taken before him, this group of college arms has very little separation. It wouldn't surprise me to look back on this draft in ten years with Witherspoon being the best pitcher to come from it.
9. Cincinnati Reds - Steele Hall, SS, Hewitt-Trussville HS (AL)
It's tough to forecast what the Reds may do this July since they have been linked to both prep and college bats and pitchers. However, they have gotten some early returns on a few prep shortstops they selected early on in recent draft. If there's any year to pull from that group in the first round, it's this one. Hall fits what the Reds have valued with their recent selections from the prep class - super athletic with plenty of projection along with excellent feel for the shortstop position.
10. Chicago White Sox - Aiva Arquette, SS, Oregon State
Tenth overall has to be the absolute floor for Aiva Arquette in this year's draft. So fortunately for the White Sox in this scenario, the top college bat in the class falls in their lap. There's not as much upside in Arquette as there was in recent draft's top college bat, but you should be able to count on him becoming a solid everyday ballplayer. His defensive home is still a question simply because of his size, but the bat will certainly play no matter where he ends up.
11. Oakland Athletics - Ike Irish, OF, Auburn
The Athletics have done well with their previous college bats they selected in the first round, and they are once again in position to grab another top college bat this year. Aiva Arquette is the best college bat in the class when you take his defense into account, but if we're going off of the offensive profile alone, Irish has a case as the best bat. He's expected to officially move off of catcher to a corner outfield spot at the next level, so his offensive game should improve even further.
12. Texas Rangers - Seth Hernandez, RHP, Corona HS (CA)
This is a bit of an extreme scenario for Hernandez, but I do think there is a world in which he falls outside of the top ten. He has been regarded as the top high school pitcher since Jackson Jobe in 2021, but that doesn't change the fact that the high school pitching demographic is the most volatile. Plenty of teams, including the eleven drafting before the Rangers, have some sort of draft strategy, and very rarely do those strategies include high school pitchers with their first pick. Unless the Padres or Braves were drafting within the top ten, this is a possibility, but this would still be the absolute floor for Hernandez.
13. San Francisco Giants - Wehiwa Aloy, SS, Arkansas
It's tough to forecast what the Giants might do this July with Buster Posey at the helm for the first time. The best available player in this scenario is Wehiwa Aloy who has inserted himself into the upper tier of college bats throughout the spring. He answered a lot of questions scouts had about the glove and he looks to be a long-term shortstop while the bat made some important strides as well. Aloy went from being a potential competitive balance round pick to now seemingly being a lock to fall within the top 15.
14. Tampa Bay Rays - Kayson Cunningham, SS/2B, Johnson HS (TX)
Given the amount of prep talent - specifically at shortstop - expected to be available here at the Rays pick, it's hard to see them passing on one. Cunningham is easily one of the better athletes in the class with plus speed as well as an advanced feel to hit. It's a similar profile to Theo Gillen, who the Rays selected 18th overall last year and moved from shortstop to the outfield. A similar move is likely on the horizon for Cunningham, but he still stands out as a high-floor player due to his athleticism and smooth stroke from the left side.
15. Boston Red Sox - Daniel Pierce, SS, Mill Creek HS (GA)
In a similar fashion to the Rays, I would expect the Red Sox to take advantage of the depth of the prep shortstops given their recent success with prep bats. Daniel Pierce is arguably the top player from that group available in this scenario which lands him with the Red Sox. Pierce has above-average tools across the board and could blossom into a true five-tool player at the next level if he reaches his ceiling.
16. Minnesota Twins - Gavin Fien, 3B, Great Oaks HS (CA)
The Twins went heavy with college bats early on last year, and while their track record shows they might stick with a bat, I can see them betting on a higher ceiling here with Gavin Fien. They took Walker Jenkins fifth overall out of the prep ranks in 2023 a little earlier than he was projected, and the Twins didn't have to go over the slot value because of it. They could do the same thing here with Fien here who seems likely to land somewhere in the twenties. Fien is one of the more underrated prep prospects considering he's already making the transition from shortstop to third base, but the bat is among the best on the prep side.
17. Chicago Cubs - Gavin Kilen, 2B/SS. Tennessee
The strength of the class at this point in the first round shifts towards the college bats. The Cubs have hit on each of their last two first rounders with Cam Smith and Matt Shaw, so it might be tough for them to pass up on the talent that will be available here. With both Smith and Shaw, the Cubs were more so betting on the bat than the whole package. That would be the play here with Kilen as there is some defensive upside, but he's almost certainly a second baseman at the next level. He has one of the better hit tools and left handed swings in the class which I would imagine puts him pretty high on the Cubs board.
18. Arizona Diamondbacks - Brendan Summerhill, OF, Arizona
The Diamondbacks certainly love their outfield depth after they selected two outfielders in the first round last year. Not to mention, their franchise cornerstone was an outfielder that came from the prep ranks in 2019. Summerhill should be on the board here and fits exactly what Arizona has looked for recently. Aside from the power, he has above-average tools across the board while the hit tool has flashed elite. He's going to have the chance to stick at center field at the next level too, so this looks like it could be a high-floor play for the snakes.
19. Baltimore Orioles - Marek Houston, SS, Wake Forest
I've stuck with pitching for the Orioles in recent mock drafts, but the more I look at it, I don't think there is any pitchers good enough to warrant a selection from the Orioles here. They really love their first round bats as you would have to go back to 2018 to find the last time they took a pitcher in the first round. They also have two more first round picks in the compensation round, so they could get Houston here at a discount to save for those picks. Houston is the best defensive shortstop in the college class and has a hit tool that made some serious improvements this spring.
20. Milwaukee Brewers - Slater De Brun, OF, Summit HS (OR)
In each of the last two years, the Brewers had two first round picks, both of which they were able to sign below slot value. They are in the same situation this year, and very well could deploy the same strategy. Slater De Brun is likely to be a first round comp pick, so the Brewers could land him at a discount. He's a little young for the class, something the Brewers liked in Braylon Payne, their first pick last year, so this could be a likely scenario. De Brun also has a case to be the top prep outfielder in this class.
21. Houston Astros - Jace Laviolette, OF, Texas A&M
Laviolette's first round free fall finally ends here with the Astros. They lean heavily on college bats with their first round picks and have also found some success in taking multi-tool outfielders. And yes, I do believe Laviolette has multiple tools. Despite his size, he moves very well and might have the chance to stick in center field at the next level. If not, he'll at least be a solid right fielder with a strong arm. The hit tool has been concerning, but the power in his bat from the left side can't fall much further than this.
22. Atlanta Braves - Tyler Bremner, RHP, UC Santa Barbara
We know the Braves love pitchers in the first round, and while they have actually pulled more from the prep side as of late, I think the college arms at this point in the draft are a safer bet. Following Seth Hernandez, the prep arms become a little murky while there is still some separation with the college arms. Bremner is the top available college arm in this scenario. The Braves have also liked pitchers with legit polish rather than just the loud tools, so Bremner fits right in here with his plus fastball-changeup combination and above-average command.
23. Kansas City Royals - Devin Taylor, OF, Indiana
Devin Taylor might actually be the closest thing to Jac Caglianone this class has to offer. He has plus power from the left side with an improved hit tool and little defensive versatility. The power is not as high-end as Caglianone's but he certainly mashes with the best of them. Given the success the Royals have had with Caglianone, I can see them returning to the well here. On top of that, the slot value of the 23rd pick this year is nearly $4 million less than what they signed Caglianone for with the sixth overall pick last year. This could be a solid value play for Kansas City.
24. Detroit Tigers - Sean Gamble, 2B/OF, IMG Academy (FL)
Between Max Clark, Kevin McGonigle, and Bryce Rainer briefly before his season-ending injury, the Tigers have found some gold in multi-tool left handed hitting prep bats. Sean Gamble fits exactly what the Tigers have brought out of those three guys. He's a well-rounded athlete with an above-average hit tool and the ability to play an above-average second base and center field. Gamble has one of the higher floors in the prep class, and I expect the Tigers to be all over him this July.
25. San Diego Padres - Landon Harmon, RHP, East Union HS (MS)
You can always count on the Padres taking a prep prospect with their first round pick, but this year gets a little tricky for them. They have the third lowest bonus pool in the draft, so they will likely have to draft a player they are confident will sign under slot value. Fortunately, they have shown some success with this strategy in the past. Harmon is a likely second rounder with first round upside. He has one of the best fastballs in the prep class along with feel for both a slider and changeup that he commands well.
26. Philadelphia Phillies - Nick Becker, SS, Don Bosco Prep HS (NJ)
The Phillies are another team that have leaned heavily on the prep class with their first round picks, and there is still a hefty amount of talent on the prep side that will be available to them. Becker is arguably the top prep prospect on the board here and he fits the mold of what the Phillies have looked for in their recent first rounders. He's an above-average defender that should stick at shortstop for the time being, along with plus run times and a hit over power approach. There's a lot of projection in his 6'4" frame as well, so there's plenty of untapped power to dream on with Becker.
27. Cleveland Guardians - Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP, Sunset HS (OR)
It's hard to see Schoolcraft falling into the comp round, so it makes sense he ends up in the Guardians pitching lab at the tail end of the first round in this scenario. He's a two-way player but the expectation is that he will put hitting away completely to focus on pitching. If he's entirely focused on what he can do on the mound, he could potentially be the best prep pitcher to come from this class. He's very similar to Noah Schultz, the top prospect in the White Sox farm system. He stands in at 6'8" and throws from a deceptive arm slot, running his fastball up to 97 mph.
38 (CB-A). New York Mets - Cam Cannarella, OF, Clemson
With the Mets having the second lowest bonus pool, only behind the Yankees, the best available college prospect that they can get at a discount is likely the play here. Assuming Cannarella doesn't land with a team between picks 28 and 37, he might be the best fit for the Mets in this situation. He also fits the mold of what the Mets have looked for recently with their early picks. He's an athletic, toolsy outfielder with an extreme hit over power approach who will likely earn most of his value through his elite defense in center field.
39 (CB-A). New York Yankees - AJ Russell, RHP, Tennessee
The Yankees are in the same situation as the Mets with the lowest amount of bonus pool money. With that being said, I expect them to do the same thing they did with their first round pick last year - take a college arm they can sign well under slot value. AJ Russell has some of the best tools on the mound in the college class, but has never gotten the love he has deserved because of the lack of track record at the college level due to injury. The Yankees farm system has become a pitching factory, and Russell would be a fun arm to throw in there.
40 (CB-A). Los Angeles Dodgers - Lucas Franco, SS, Cinco Ranch HS (TX)
Although the Dodgers have the final first pick, they are playing with roughly $4 million more than the Mets and Dodgers in the comp round, and will also be drafting back to back which may make things interesting. They'll probably still look to draft and sign a prep prospect under slot value, something they've done with their last three first round picks. Lucas Franco is the type of player the Dodgers typically like and can fit right in here. He's a well-rounded shortstop with plenty of projection and is also on the younger side for the class.