2025 MLB Draft Mock Draft 1.0
My first mock draft
With the combine on field workouts having been completed, now is as good a time as any to start with the mock drafts. This will cover the first 43 picks of the draft.
1.Nationals - Ethan Holliday, SS, Oklahoma HS
This pick is hardly a lock to happen, but the way things stand right now it feels like Holliday is the leader in the clubhouse to be selected at the top of the draft over Kade Anderson and Seth Hernandez.
2.Angels - Kade Anderson, LHP, LSU
I feel pretty comfortable with the Angels grabbing a college pitcher here, even if they are also looking at shortstops. That leaves it down to an Anderson versus Jamie Arnold pick, with Liam Doyle also in that mix. Anderson’s pitching this season with a mostly strong tournament run gives him the edge.
3.Mariners - Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State
There just isn’t the perfect fit for Seattle right here with this pick. The high upside toolsy prep bats aren’t getting a ton of traction with them at this pick leading to an Arnold versus Aiva Arquette decision. As much as Seattle might prefer a bat, taking the best available player wins out for them. I do think that if Arnold went #2 that Seattle would jump on the chance to take Anderson here. It is also possible they decide to go with a cost savings pick here in order to be able to load up with their upside prep picks later.
4.Rockies - Seth Hernandez, RHP, California HS
The biggest lock of the first round is that the Rockies would take Holliday if he was sitting there at this pick - but he is not. That leaves this decision down to the highest upside player(Hernandez), the top college pitcher (Doyle), and college and prep shortstops (Arquette and Eli Willits).
5.Cardinals - Eli Willits, SS, Oklahoma HS
The Cards wanted one of Arnold or Anderson to drop, leaving them to take the best bat remaining in Willits over Arquette.
6.Pirates - Liam Doyle, LHP, Tennessee
The Pirates are left to decide among Doyle and Kyson Witherspoon and the top remaining bat in Arquette, and they decide to grab the best available player in Doyle. If he was still available I think they would jump at the chance to take Hernandez.
7.Marlins - Aiva Arquette, SS, Oregon State
Arquette’s slide ends here with the Marlins grabbing the best player and bat remaining in the draft, taking him over Witherspoon.
8.Blue Jays - JoJo Parker, SS, Mississippi HS
The Jays are looking hard at shortstops with Parker and Billy Carlson being at the top of that list, leaving them to decide between that pair and Witherspoon.
9.Reds - Kyson Witherspoon, RHP, Oklahoma
The Reds are happy to grab the last remaining player from the top tier of prospects in the draft in Witherspoon, happy to add another premium pitcher to their system.
10.White Sox - Billy Carlson, SS, California HS
The Sox are looking at prep shortstops and college bats at this point, with the prep shortstops being the stronger position remaining. I think they might prefer Parker, who is gone, leaving them with Carlson. The other option that would make a strong case for them is Gavin Kilen, if they went with the college bat.
11.A’s - Ike Irish, C, Auburn
The A’s are a team who is very likely to grab a college bat, but which one is the question. I think Irish wins out over Brendan Summerhill - the better pure hitter, because he is a college catcher and that is one player type that rises on draft day.
12.Rangers - Kayson Cunningham, SS, Texas HS
Texas feels like they are looking hard at the prep shortstop group, the strength of this draft in this range. Cunningham, Gavin Fien, Steele Hall, and Daniel Pierce would all be in consideration if the draft plays out like this, and Cunningham is the best of the bunch.
13.Giants - Marek Houston, SS, Wake Forest
The Giants are left to decide between the safe college shortstop who is a lock to remain at the position in Houston, and the deep crop of prep shortstops. It feels like right now they may be leaning more towards Houston.
14.Rays - Daniel Pierce, SS, Georgia HS
The Rays are left to decide between one of the group of prep shortstops and college arms like Tyler Bremner and fast rising Gage Wood. They grab Pierce as the best available shortstop, since Fien is more of a third baseman.
15.Red Sox - Gage Wood, RHP, Arkansas
Boston needs pitching in the worst way, which leaves them staring at Bremner and Wood. Wood had been rising in a big way already, and after the game he just pitched in Omaha it’s hard to predict if he will even be available at this point since things are moving fast for him right now on a Cade Horton-like helium rise.
16.Twins - Brendan Summerhill, OF, Arizona
The Twins are looking hard at the college bats and Summerhill is the most connected to them right now, with the best hit tool. Summerhill beats out Kilen, Jace LaViolette, and Wehiwa Aloy for this selection.
17.Cubs - Wehiwa Aloy, SS, Arkansas
If the draft plays out like this I feel like this choice comes down to Aloy versus Kilen as hitters and Bremner as the best remaining pitcher.
18.Diamondbacks - Steele Hall, SS, Alabama HS
This pick comes down to the last of the top tier of shortstops likely to remain at the position and college bats, though this also feels like a potential shot for Slater de Brun to come off the board a little early.
19.Orioles - Jace LaViolette, OF, Texas A&M
This pick just makes too much sense. Baltimore takes the high risk/high reward slugger who may be a three-true outcome hitter as a team not afraid of the big strikeouts as well as having two of the higher comp round selections.
20.Brewers - Gavin Kilen, 2B, Tennessee
The Brewers need bats and are a team not afraid of taking productive college bats, making Kilen a pick over teammate Andrew Fischer. If he was still available they would be a real candidate to end the slide for LaViolette.
21.Astros - Tyler Bremner, RHP, UC Santa Barbara
Bremner just makes too much sense here for the Astros as the last of the top college pitchers available. I believe they really liked Wood, but I have a hard time seeing him drop this far after his performance in Omaha.
22.Braves - Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP, Oregon HS
This is a tough pick because I firmly believe the Braves were looking at Bremner, Wood, and the shortstops, and all of them just came off the board. The cold weather, two-way star with a big arm beats out Riley Quick, Josh Hammond, and potentially an underslot pick.
23.Royals - Josh Hammond, 3B, North Carolina HS
With Brian Bridges running the draft it is safe to assume they wanted Schoolcraft, but will pivot to the two-way prep star in Hammond over Fien, de Brun, and Sean Gamble.
24.Tigers - Xavier Neyens, 3B, Washington HS
The Tigers grab the biggest prep bat still remaining in Neyens over Fien, Gamble, and de Brun.
25.Padres - Slater de Brun, OF, Oregon HS
The Padres love high upside prep players, perhaps more than any other team. They take the speedy centerfielder over Fien and Gamble.
26.Phillies - Luke Stevenson, C, North Carolina
The Phillies have their choice of college catchers in Stevenson and Bodine, and go with the guy with more starter upside in Stevenson.
27.Guardians - Devin Taylor, OF, Indiana
Cleveland has a choice of a number of college bats and just can’t ignore one of the best hitters in the draft over Fischer, Conrad, and Bodine.
Supplemental picks
28.Royals - Quentin Young, 3B/OF, California HS
29.Diamondbacks - Ethan Conrad, OF, Wake Forest
30.Orioles - Gavin Fien, 3B, California HS
31.Orioles - Tate Southisene, SS, Nevada HS
32.Brewers - Caden Bodine, C, Coastal Carolina
33.Red Sox - Riley Quick, RHP, Alabama
34.Tigers - Cam Cannarella, OF, Clemson
35.Mariners - Jack Bauer, LHP, Illinois HS
36.Twins - Max Belyeu, OF, Texas
37.Rays - Zach Root, LHP, Arkansas
38.Mets - Mason Neville, OF, Oregon
39.Yankees - Sean Gamble, 2B/OF, Florida HS
40.Dodgers - Matthew Fisher, RHP, Indiana HS
41.Dodgers - Brandon Compton, OF, Arizona State
42.Rays - Andrew Fischer, 1B, Tennessee
43.Marlins - Charles Davalon, OF, Arkansas