2025 MLB Draft Top 30 Prospects
Credit: Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
So, it’s been a while, but I am back to go over the MLB draft! Last year, I covered my top 10 prospects, and this year I am aiming to cover my top 30. There is a lot of talent in this draft, and I am sure some of my opinions will be distinctly different from yours, but in the end we all must remember none of us truly know what outcome each player will have, and we are making our best assumptions with the data (In some cases very limited) that we have at our disposal.
First things first, I want to point out that this draft is not the 2024 draft. There simply are not the same elite players in the draft that there were last year. However, there is a lot of depth in this class, so I don’t want to ignore that either. Second, I want to say that there is no way I could have made these rankings and evaluated all these players without help and information from a ton of other people. I would like to give a special shout-out to the following people, please give them a follow on X: @KareemSSN, @LanceBroz, @Data_prospects, @JoeDoyleMiLB, @PeytonStats .
Without further ado, let's jump into my top 30 prospects!
30. Jace LaViolette OF, Texas A&M (FV 50)
A lot of people had LaViolette as their 1.1 heading into the season. The question becomes, what went wrong? Jace has an incredible set of tools that blend athleticism and size in a way that most players just can’t. However, swing-and-miss was a huge problem. I think there was a lot of hope that the hit tool would take a step forward this season, but it just never did. At this point, you hope for an arc resembling Spencer Jones, but I don’t think the athleticism and exit velos are at that level. He can still contribute in a meaningful way, but likely ends up in a corner. With his size, he still has some room to project and has already touched exit velocities north of 112 MPH. The big question going forward is, “Can he ever get his hit tool to reach a spot where he can handle major league pitching?”.
29. Patrick Forbes RHP, Louisville (FV 50)
Forbes has kind of confused me this season. He is a low release and flat approach angle guy, but the fastball that sits at 95 has only produced a 21% whiff rate. He sits 15 and 15 for the rise and run of his two-plane fastball, and we will see some regression in the MLB. His best pitch has been his sweeper, which is currently an 11 and -1 shape, getting a 44% whiff rate. The performance has not exactly matched expectations, but I think the interesting characteristics and release will have teams looking at Forbes in the late first.
28. Wehiwa Aloy SS, Arkansas (FV 50)
This is a fun profile! When Aloy hits the ball, he hits it hard! He had an average exit velo of 92 MPH and 90 percentile exit velo of 108.5 MPH. Both of those are near the top of the class, and he is a shortstop. He may have to move off to second base at some point, but I think the team that drafts him will give him a fair shot. So with these outlier numbers, why don’t I have him ranked higher? Well, there are a couple of reasons. He only had a 78.8% zone contact percentage this year, and at times, can make very poor swing decisions. Likewise, he struggled against breaking pitches. With how hard he hits the ball, he is a lock to over-perform on batted balls in play, but against major league pitchers, he will likely be exposed and not be able to tap into that power as much. Overall, there is still a lot of value in a middle infielder who has the chance to pop 20+ homers, and I think someone will take a shot on him in the late first round.
27. Brock Sell OF, Tokay (CA) (FV 50)
There’s a lot to like about Brock Sell. He has shown great speed and should be able to stick in centerfield long term due to said speed and an arm that has touched 90+ MPH off the mound. He also shows a great ability to contact the ball and hit the ball hard. There is room to project average power to go along with at least average to above-average other tools. He has played Centerfield, Shortstop, and even pitched in his high school career, but I see him ending up in center. Sell has a strong commitment to Stanford, so we may not see him enter the MLB this season, but there is a lot to like and some great tools here.
26. Alex Lodise SS, Florida State (FV 50)
Did you like Wehiwa Aloy? Well, you are going to LOVE Alex Lodise. With Lodise, you are getting an average exit velo of 93.5 MPH and a 90th percentile of 107.5 MPH. You are also getting a lot of swings and misses in the zone. What will set him up is his aggressiveness in the zone. He has an 82.2% zone swing rate, which should anchor his K rate. In professional baseball, you will likely see his aggressiveness lead to more strikeouts, but a lot of teams are going to be interested in a middle infielder who contacts the ball as hard as he does.
25. Brendan Summerhill OF, Arizona (FV 50)
I am sure I am going to be the person who is way too low on Summerhill, so I will try to explain why. I think he is severely limited by his power projection. I could point out the 4 homers in a shortened season for him, but I will mention some other statistics instead. Brendan has a 90th percentile exit velo of 102.6. On top of that, he has a hard pull percentage of 30.8%. I think this will make it extremely difficult for him to consistently tap into his game power. Now, let’s talk about what he does well. Brendan makes contact and has great numbers hitting in the zone. Likewise, he put up better 90th % exit velos last season at 104 mph and touched a max of 110. I think a lot of upside will rest on his ability to play centerfield. He is an above-average athlete and has the chance to do. I think he has the chance to sit in the 2–3 WAR type of player range that any team would love to have, and with his size, there is always room for more projection. As I write this, I almost want to talk myself into moving him up a little higher, but I will stop here for now.
24. Dean Curley 2B, Tennessee (FV 50)
I think there is a lot of upside with Dean Curley. There is some swing-and-miss, but the average and 90 percentile exit velos are the best in the class. There’s a chance he plays some short, but he is more likely a 2nd baseman in the majors. As a hitter, he has been able to do damage against velocity 93+ and maintain good contact against breaking balls as well. He is a player who could benefit by pulling the ball in the air more if he wants to tap into more of that power. He has a solid approach where he doesn’t leave the zone often, but that comes with taking a lot of strikes as well. In college, he had nearly as many walks as strikeouts, but that approach may lead to a jump in pro ball. I think Curley has a chance to be a steal in the mid to late first.
23. Gavin Kilen 2B, Tennessee (FV 50)
Another Tennessee player! We all came into the season thinking, what a good hitter Kilen was, then he decided to show everyone he can hit for power too! Kilen showed strong exit velos when compared to the rest of the class and did everything well. He likely does not have the arm to stick at short. Hitting-wise, he chooses good pitches to attack, although there can be some chance at times. He walked more than he struck out this year. All while putting up a 90th percentile of 105.1 while frequently pulling the ball in the air. He is someone who is not on the elite end of batted ball data, but should outperform his metrics and be a very good everyday second baseman in the MLB one day.
22. Kayson Cunningham 2B, SS/2B, Johnson (TX) (FV 50)
Cunningham has always been a round one prospect and really impressed me at the combine as well. When you look at him, two things stand out. Those being the speed and hit tool. Among high school players, Cunningham showed some of the best contact numbers in the class. Likewise, he is already showing average to fringe above-average bat speed. I think he would likely be a top 15 pick if he were a shortstop, but even at 2nd base, I think he should go in round 1. The big hope is that more power comes down the road, but for the time being, I don’t expect him to hit for a ton of pop.
21. Landon Harmon RHP, East Union (MS) (FV 50)
I am a big fastball guy, and Harmon might have the best fastball in the high school class. Sitting in the mid-90s and touching higher, it has a cut ride shape that induces a lot of swing-and-misses. At 6'5", there's a lot of room for projection, and it’s not impossible to think the fastball improves even more. The fastball gets elite spin over 2600 RPM, while the off-speed pitches are a work in progress. He currently throws a sweeper in the low to mid-80s and is working on a cutter in the upper 80s. He is also working on a change-up. There is a lot to develop here, like any high school pitcher, but the clay is incredible.
20. Daniel Pierce SS, Mill Creek (GA) (FV 50)
Pierce is an exciting defender with very good speed who profiles as a long-term shortstop. I see him as an average hitter who could reach above-average power. You mix that with great speed and defense, and you have a very valuable player late in the first round. He is a coach’s kid, and many teams will see him as someone that they can mold. I think it would be a fair argument to say he may have more room to grow into his body as he ages as well. I think this is a good upside pick with a safe defensive floor.
19. Ike Irish C/OF, Auburn (FV 50)
I think Irish is a corner outfielder, right? I am of the belief he will not stick at catcher, but I could be wrong. I hear a lot of people calling him one of the best college bats this season, so I am willing to bet he commits to a corner in hopes of reaching that offensive potential. Irish does a great job of contacting the ball, and he does a great job of hitting the ball hard. He has one of the highest average exit velos in the college class, sitting a 94.6 MPH, with a 90th percentile of 107.4 MPH. This shows there is a good chance of him being a plus hitter with plus power at the next level. I think the big knock will be if he is a corner outfielder, how will his athletic ability play? I think it will pull down his value, but that being said left left-handed power bats are something the league is always looking for. I think some high school bats could profile similarly to Jaden Fauske, but have a little more ability to adapt to a corner spot. Now, if Irish were to stay at catcher and excel there, that changes his outlook entirely.
18. Marek Houston SS, Wake Forest (FV 50)
Defensive wizard alert! Houston is that player who’s not the sexy pick, but will ultimately go on to be a great MLB player. He doesn’t put up elite exit velocities, but he has shown the ability to pull the ball in the air and maximize his opportunities, and I think that could push him to about average power. He also has a large frame and could possibly add a little bat speed as well, although I am not sure if that will be in line with his approach. Furthermore, he has a good approach, walking as many times as he struck out this past season, but could likely benefit from a little more aggressiveness in the zone. There’s little doubt that he will be one of the best defensive shortstops in the class. He also shows a good arm with solid speed. I’m not sure if he will be much of a base-stealing threat at the next level, but he should be able to nab some here and there.
17. Ryan Mitchell SS, Houston (TN) (FV 50)
Mitchell has a lot of great tools and would likely be rated higher if I were more confident that he was going to stick at short. Regardless, he should be a solid utility player with above-average athleticism. He has put up solid exit velos to go with a good approach, while also showing good contact rates. With his frame, I don’t think it is impossible to project more power in the future as well. I think I have him higher than some other people just on the thought that maybe shortstop will work out, but I think the room for projection is also there for him as well.
16. Kyson Witherspoon RHP, Oklahoma (FV 50)
I see a lot of people who are high on Witherspoon, and I like the stuff, but it also leaves me a little confused. The fastball sits 96 with 19 inches of IVB but only has a 23 % Whiff rate. That’s okay because his off-speed does a good job of getting swing-and-miss. He has performed well vs righties but has struggled at times vs lefties. I know MLB pipeline rates him as having multiple 60-grade pitches along with a 65-grade fastball, but I would say they are a little high on all of these pitches. Overall, I think he may be a pitch away from optimizing his arsenal, maybe an arm-side fastball?
15. Tyler Bremner RHP, UC Santa Barbara (FV 50)
Are you ready for some righty on righty change-up violence? That’s what Bremner is going to bring! Bremner throws 95 with solid ride at 18" of IVB and a change-up that comes with a solid 10 MPH differential. The change-up came with a 48% Whiff rate and will be his primary out pitch going forward. He has worked a slider and a curveball that may not be anything more than get-me-over pitches at the next level. His ceiling may depend on how well his change-up can perform against righties.
14. Steele Hall SS, Hewitt-Trussville (AL) (FV 55)
Steele Hall, what a name! What a tool set too! He may have more physical upside than any other player in this draft. Throughout the process, I was lower on Hall than most, keeping him near the bottom half of the first. I have now seen enough and talked to enough people to see that he should be rated higher. If you want the ultimate player to dream on, I think Hall is your pick. He has incredible speed and can profile almost anywhere on the diamond, but I expect him to stick at short. He has also competed very well despite being younger than a lot of his competition. His contact has been solid, and I think there is a lot of room to add power. Of any player in the draft, I would not be surprised to see Hall skyrocket up prospect rankings by this time next year.
13. Josh Hammond 3B, Wesleyan Christian (NC) (FV 55)
Josh Hammond could probably be a two-way player, but I expect him to stick to hitting and play at third base. Off the mound, he touches as high as 96 MPH, and that should translate very well to third. Likewise, he is a solid athlete who could be able to handle to hot corner. There is a lot of raw power that he should be able to tap into as he specializes where he plays. Some aspects remind me of Masyn Winn. He can be a free swinger, but the more time he works as only a hitter, the better I think his swing decisions will get. I think he has one of the highest offensive up-sides for high schoolers in the draft.
12. Ethan Holliday 3B, Stillwater (OK) (FV 55)
I don’t know what to make of Ethan Holliday. He may very well have the most power of any hitter in the class, but he has also shown a lot of swing-and-miss potential and a struggle with velocity. When it comes to prospects, I like having something to dream on. With Holliday, it’s easy to dream of a 40-homer corner infielder who leads the middle of the lineup for a team for a long time. I don’t think he is a shortstop at the next level, but Paul Dejong was an above-average shortstop for a while, so what do I know? I think he goes no further than 4 in the draft, and I would be willing to bet with the pedigree, he figures out any contact concerns we have. He won’t even be Luis Arráez, but I do think he will hit enough to get into his functional power.
11. Jaden Fauske OF, Nazareth Academy (IL) (FV 55)
I like Jaden Fauske more than most people, and I am not sorry. He obviously is not going to be a catcher in professional baseball. I think his future will be in a corner outfield spot. Likewise, I am unsure how much more there is to fill out because Fauske is already fairly well built. I think what I look at most with Fauske is the change for very usable in-game power. He does a good job launching the ball while also maintaining contact and hard hit rates. It’s a rare combo at a young age. He also shows good plate discipline and has a chance to be a middle-of-the-order bat. If I had to go out on a limb and get excited for a player most are not as high on, it would be Fauske.
10. Aiva Arquette SS, Oregon State (FV 55)
Here’s your big athletic shortstop who can hit, play defense, and slug as well. Wait, why do I have him at 10? I think Arquette is the safest college position player in the class by a pretty wide margin. He put up some of the best exit velos in the class and had an incredible season this year. As a major leaguer, I think you have someone who may not be the fastest player, but can play solid defense at short and put up 20+ homers and be a solid hitter.
9. Jojo Parker 2B, Purvis (MS) (FV 55)
Jojo Parker seems like one of the safest picks in the draft. He contacts the ball extremely well and projects to have about average power. That should lead to a very good player. Some of his athletic testing data may indicate he is more likely to be a second baseman than a shortstop. I saw exit velos of 105+ at the combine, and there may be room for a little more. I think with his ability to hit and his athleticism at second base, he could project to be an all-star. For teams looking for a higher hitting floor, I think Jojo is the safe pick.
8. Gavin Fien 3B, Great Oak (CA) (FV 55)
I’ve seen a lot smarter people than me say, “Don’t overthink his spring”. So I won’t. Fien didn’t have an earth-shattering season, but he was still very productive after being one of the best players on the circuit last year. At the combine, he showed off his athleticism and cannon arm, firing balls across the diamond with little effort. He will not be a shortstop, but he is still pretty highly athletic. He has already shown extremely high bat speeds over 76 MPH and plus raw power with room for more. He has already flashed exit velos 111+ MPH. He has also shown a good approach and ability to hit. I think if you had to pick a high school for a middle-of-the-order bat for years to come, you would pick Fien because the offensive upside is sky-high.
7. Eli Willits SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton (OK) (FV 55)
Eli Willits is going to be a really good player for a long time. He is a switch-hitter who will run well and play good defense, and hit at the next level. My biggest concern here is what kind of power he can hit for, and does that limit his potential? Even if it does, is that really a problem? I made a comparison to Tommy Edman and thought, “Is that someone that should be listed so highly in the draft?”. Then, after discussing it with others, I came to a conclusion. Tommy Edman is a great player. A 2–6 WAR player is never a guarantee, so a player like Willits is extremely appealing. Maybe even more appealing is the fact that he has room for projection at just 17. I think he has a very great floor, and if he is a fringe-average hitter, great. However, if he can move to an even slightly above-average hitter, we are talking about a future all-star.
6. Kade Anderson LHP, LSU (FV 55)
Kade Anderson had an incredible season this year, and all of his pitches seemed to work. The fastball had 19 inches of IVB and drew a 35% Whiff Rate. It averaged about 93 MPH, but I saw times later in the season where he was sitting more 94–96, so there are some gains to dream on there. I know there was some concern about a regression to the FB shape in the college world series, but he still performed well, and I think that was more of an outlier instance than the norm. The major league ball will have some effect, but I expect the fastball to still be plus. He throws a hard slider, a curveball, and a change-up as well. The curveball and change-up both performed extremely well and should give him a full arsenal heading into the minors. I think with his stuff, he will bully lower levels. I will be interested to see how it all performs against AA and higher, but I think at minimum, you get a number 3 starter with room for more with Anderson.
5. Jamie Arnold LHP, Florida State (FV 60)
Jamie Arnold is such a fun pitcher, and I promise I am not living my Cooper Hjerpe dreams out here. A lot of people came in this season loving the fastball because of the outlier release height and extension, and frankly, it still has a chance to be a plus pitch in my opinion. Unfortunately, it was hit around a little bit this year. That’s okay, though, because the main event is his sweeper. He had a 44% Whiff rate and was a monster pitch for him this year, even with the fastball results regressing. Overall, I think Arnold is a safe pitch and an easy 3rd starter, but what will set him apart? Two things come to mind: Fastball command and feel for the change-up. The change-up has insane specs with -5 IVB and good run away from right-handed hitters. Unfortunately, he couldn’t throw it for strikes. Really, he doesn’t even need to throw it for strikes, though, if he can learn to command it enough for a 2-strike put-away pitch, he will be devastating, and the fastball results will improve when hitters try to adjust.
4. Seth Hernandez RHP, Corona (CA) (FV 60)
Hernandez is one of the better high school arms I have seen in a while. He has a feel for spin and a large, projectable frame. The fastball is already touching triple digits and should be a plus. There has been some alteration in the shape, and I know a lot of people are really low on it, but I think he still has plenty of time to optimize it. In terms of off-speed, it’s always tough projecting a high schooler, but many scouts call his change-up a plus pitch, and he pairs that with a developing curve and slider. I think the glue is in place with a low delivery, great extension, and the ability to fill the zone with strikes. Even while he is refining his pitch shapes, I think he could excel in the lower minors right now with the fastball and change-up alone.
3. Gage Wood RHP, Arkansas (FV 60)
Watch Gage Wood become the best pitcher in this class. No, seriously, watch out. If I had a knock on Wood (Pause) it would be a lack of innings? The stuff is just so exciting though! The fastball is the best in the class, getting good extension from a low release while also getting 17 inches of IVB. It also averaged 96 MPH, which is also cool. Hitters Whiffed at a 45 % rate against it; it has been a true outlier pitch. Speaking of outlier pitches, let’s talk about his curveball. If you are not a curveball believer, I am sorry because his is disgusting. Posting a 38% Whiff rate, it was one of the best breakers in college. It will play against both righties and lefties at the next level, and comes in harder than most curveballs with its break. He has also worked on a change-up and a hard slider. The profile that comes to mind as a Cardinals fan is if Tekoah Roby had a better fastball. I think, like Roby, he will add a kick change and work on a harder slider he is comfortable with at the next level. His inability to throw the slider in the zone makes me think a change in grip will come.
2. Liam Doyle LHP, Tennessee (FV 60)
I am the guy who is way too high on Liam Doyle, and I will live with that because I see so much potential here. Doyle is likely maxed out physically, and that’s okay because I think any team would be happy to have a lefty with a 100 MPH fastball (I know he only averaged 96, let me have this) with 19 inches of IVB. What’s even more exciting is what he can become. The fastball has a 40% Whiff rate, which would be near the best in the class, but Gage Wood exists. Maybe more exciting would be his splitter, which comes in 86 with only 1 inch of IVB. Now, when I talk about off-speed, let's be very clear, I am speaking in small sample size because we all know Liam Doyle threw his fastball and threw it a lot. That being said, the splitter had a 40% Whiff rate itself. The cutter and sweeper also had Whiff rates over 30%. I think there could be some slight adjustments to the sweeper and cutter, but for the time being, he has done better in filling the one with those pitches. I think fastball shape after college is very difficult to change, but off-speed can be optimized by smart teams. I think if one of those teams gets Doyle with his already deadly fastball, they may be getting one of the best pitchers in the minor leagues.
1. Billy Carlson SS, Corona (CA) (FV 60)
Billy Carlson has been my number one pick throughout this process, and I think there’s so much to love. I’ll start with the concern. There is some concern that the swing will need a retool, and that’s okay because he is already performing so well that I only expect changes to boost his ability. Now let’s get into the good! He has a cannon arm; he pitched into the mid-90s in high school, and this arm will serve him well in the MLB. He also plays exceptional defense. This gives him a great floor to start from. Offensively, he has above-average bat speed with room in his profile to grow. Likewise, he has performed well against 90+ pitching and shown great bat-to-ball skills. I think if there is a slam dunk pick, Carlson is the way to go. That being said, I see him going near the 7–12 range of the draft.
