The 2025 MLB Draft has reshaped baseball’s future

 

The Future is Now: Complete Guide to the 2025 MLB Draft

The 2025 MLB Draft has reshaped baseball’s future, with top prospects finding new homes amid surprising picks, strategic trades, and record-breaking bonuses. Held during All-Star Week in Atlanta, this year’s event blended high-stakes decisions with generational talent. Here’s everything you need to know.

⚾ Draft Date, Schedule & How to Watch

The draft unfolded over two days in Atlanta’s Coca-Cola Roxy theatre:

• Day 1 (July 13): Rounds 1–3, including Competitive Balance Rounds and compensation picks. Aired live on ESPN and MLB Network starting at 6 p.m. ET.

• Day 2 (July 14): Rounds 4–20, streamed exclusively on MLB.com from 11:30 a.m. ET.
  Coverage included Draft Room access, player interviews, and real-time analysis, making it accessible for fans worldwide.

🏆 First-Round Draft Order: Surprises and Penalties

The order blended lottery results, penalties, and incentive picks:

1. Washington Nationals (Lottery winner)

2. Los Angeles Angels

3. Seattle Mariners

4. Colorado Rockies

5. St. Louis Cardinals

6. Pittsburgh Pirates

7. Miami Marlins

8. Toronto Blue Jays

9. Cincinnati Reds

10. Chicago White Sox 

Key twists:

• The Dodgers, Mets, and Yankees dropped 10 spots in Round 1 for exceeding the Competitive Balance Tax threshold.

• The Royals earned a Prospect Promotion Incentive pick (after Round 1) after Bobby Witt Jr. placed top-3 in AL MVP voting.

• Compensation picks were awarded to teams losing star free agents (e.g., Diamondbacks for Christian Walker, Orioles for Corbin Burnes).

🌟 Top Prospects: Stars of Tomorrow

The 2025 class featured elite talent, headlined by two Oklahoma prep shortstops and dominant college arms:

Table: Top 10 Prospects (MLB Pipeline Rankings)

Rank	Player	Position	School/Team
1	Ethan Holliday	SS/3B	Stillwater HS (OK)
2	Kade Anderson	LHP	LSU
3	Seth Hernandez	RHP	Corona HS (CA)
4	Jamie Arnold	LHP	Florida State
5	Eli Willits	SS	Fort Cobb-Broxton HS (OK)
6	Aiva Arquette	SS	Oregon State
7	Billy Carlson	SS	Corona HS (CA)
8	Liam Doyle	LHP	Tennessee
9	JoJo Parker	SS	Purvis HS (MS)
10	Kyson Witherspoon	RHP	Oklahoma

Notable standouts:

• Ethan Holliday: Son of Matt Holliday, brother of Jackson (2022’s No. 1 pick). Projects as a power-hitting third baseman, drawing comparisons to Matt Chapman.

• Kade Anderson: LSU ace and College World Series MVP. Polished lefty with a 92–94 mph fastball and five-pitch arsenal; dubbed "Max Fried 2.0".

• Seth Hernandez: Top prep arm in a decade, with a 100-mph fastball and "plus-plus" changeup.

🔮 Mock Draft vs. Reality: Shock Picks Unfold

Pre-draft projections were upended by strategic savings plays:

• Nationals’ surprise: Despite mocks favoring Anderson or Holliday, Washington chose Eli Willits (No. 5 on MLB Pipeline) at No. 1. The 17-year-old shortstop—son of ex-Angel Reggie Willits—is the youngest top pick since Ken Griffey Jr. (1987). Analysts speculate this enables "splashy" later-round deals.

• Angels’ curveball: Expected to target college arms, L.A. stunned with Tyler Bremner (No. 18) at No. 2. The UC Santa Barbara righty offers savings after a strong finish to 2025.

• Steals of the night:

  • Ethan Holliday fell to the Rockies at No. 4—a poetic fit given Matt Holliday’s franchise legacy.

  • Jamie Arnold (No. 4 prospect) slipped to the Pirates at No. 6.

💰 Teams With the Most Firepower: Picks & Bonus Pools

Five clubs dominated Day 1 with extra selections:

1. Baltimore Orioles: 6 picks (including two compensation selections) and a record $19.14M bonus pool.

2. Kansas City Royals: 5 picks (including Prospect Promotion Incentive pick).

3. Tampa Bay Rays: 5 picks, plus Competitive Balance Round A acquisition from Oakland.

Table: Top 5 Bonus Pools

Team	Bonus Pool	Key Picks
Orioles	$19,144,500	Nos. 19, 32, 34, 58, 65, 71
Mariners	$17,074,400	Nos. 3, 42, 68
Angels	$16,656,400	Nos. 2, 47, 72
Nationals	$16,597,800	Nos. 1, 49, 80
Rockies	$15,723,400	Nos. 4, 38, 74

🔭 What’s Next: Impact and Timelines

• Signing deadline: July 28 at 5 p.m. ET. Teams must agree with high school/college draftees by then.

• Fast risers: College stars like Kade Anderson (Mariners) and Aiva Arquette (Marlins) could reach the majors by 2026.

• Strategy wins: The Angels and Nationals leveraged underslot deals to target high-ceiling players later.

💎 Conclusion

The 2025 MLB Draft emphasized flexibility, with teams balancing risk and reward in a class lacking a "slam-dunk No. 1". From Eli Willits’ historic selection to Ethan Holliday’s Rockies legacy arc, this draft sets the stage for baseball’s next decade. As these prospects develop, their impact will echo the Astros’ Cam Smith or Pirates’ Paul Skenes—proving that the draft remains MLB’s ultimate catalyst for change.

(For full draft results and analysis, visit MLB.com or ESPN).