Mark McGwire, Jeff Kent and 7 more baseball stars with sons in the 2025 MLB Draft

USA Today

13-07-2025

The MLB Draft kicks off this weekend, and if you feel like you're hearing some very familiar names while watching, well, there's a good reason for that: The 2025 class is absolutely LOADED with the sons of former MLB stars.
We're talking All-Stars, World Series champions and Hall of Famers. If you grew up watching Major League Baseball in the 1990s and early 2000s, you may want to roll your back out or do some warm-up stretches before reading this list. It is guaranteed to make you feel not just old, but ancient.
Don't say we didn't warn you!
Ethan Holliday, SS
Matt Holliday is sending another son to the big leagues.
After older brother Jackson Holliday went No. 1 overall to the Baltimore Orioles in 2022, Ethan is rated as the No. 1 prospect in the 2025 class. The shortstop has a ton of power hitting as a lefty and projects as a "slugging third baseman".
Cam Leiter, RHP
Yep, there's another Leiter coming to pro baseball. This one is the son of Kurt Leiter, making him the nephew of Al and Mark, as well as cousin to Jack and Mark Jr. Cam Leiter is the No. 144 ranked prospect out of Florida State where he flashed a fastball that topped out at 98 miles per hour.
Kaeden Kent, SS
It's Jeff Kent's son!
The 2000 NL MVP, five-time All-Star and perennial Silver Slugger was a household name during his 17 seasons in Major League Baseball. After playing college ball at Texas A&M, Kaeden will try to follow in his father's footsteps as best as he can.
Brady Counsell, SS
The son of current Chicago Cubs skipper Craig Counsell is looking to become the first player drafted from the University of Kansas since 2019 (Ryan Zeferjahn).
Max McGwire, 1B
Yep, that's Mark McGwire's son! In 52 games for the St. Louis Billikens last year, the first baseman slashed .235/.352/.397 with seven home runs. Then again, he's likely not getting the, uh, help his father had in his era.
Austin Pierzynski, C
Ozzie Guillen once said of A.J. Pierzynski, "If you play against him, you hate him. If you play with him, you hate him a little less." Now the former White Sox catcher's son is looking to make his own reputation in the big leagues.
Manny Ramirez Jr., OF
OK, feel old yet? Manny Ramirez's career is still fresh in the minds of baseball fans. The former Boston Red Sox icon was a 12-time All-Star, nine-time Silver Slugger and two-time Hank Aaron Award winner — not to mention his two World Series titles. Let's see what junior can do.
Jake Casey, OF
Sean Casey's kid played college ball at Kent State, just across the state of Ohio from where his dad was a three-time All-Star en route to becoming a member of the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame.
Carsten Sabathia, 1B
What a summer for the Sabathia family. Carsten will wait to hear his name called this weekend in the MLB Draft. C.C. will enter the Hall of Fame two weeks later. No pressure, kid.