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Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
MLB Draft 2025: Nationals and Angels deliver Day 1's biggest surprises as Orioles bring in a haul of talent
ATLANTA — The first three rounds of the 2025 MLB Draft took place Sunday in Atlanta. Although there were no draftees in attendance — a disappointing, if intriguing, circumstance to monitor for the event moving forward — this year's draft still provided plenty of excitement and surprising moments that will help shape the league for years to come. Here are the four biggest takeaways from Day 1 of the 2025 MLB Draft: Advertisement 1. Nationals, Angels immediately swerved from expectations Even before the Nationals fired general manager Mike Rizzo a week before they drafted the No. 1 overall pick, it was extremely difficult to parse which direction they would go. Rizzo's dismissal clouded the mystery further, but the common expectation within the industry was that Washington was weighing Oklahoma high school shortstop Ethan Holliday and LSU ace left-hander Kade Anderson as the two leading candidates. Well, it turns out that Washington's new front office, led by interim GM Mike DeBartolo, was keeping the cards awfully close to the vest, as the Nationals instead opted for Eli Willits, the other star prep shortstop from Oklahoma. As one of the few outlets to rank Willits as the best player in this year's class, I fully support the Nationals' decision to defy expectations, especially knowing that Willits' signing bonus is likely to be a fair bit less than those required to sign Holliday and Anderson, both Scott Boras clients. Washington seemingly put those savings to good use with its next two picks, taking South Carolina slugger Ethan Petry at pick No. 49 and Mississippi high school righty Landon Harmon (who was strongly in the mix to make my top 50) at No. 80. On the whole, this draft — the Willits decision in particular — could come to define the next era of Nationals baseball. Then, just as the industry was processing the ramifications of Willits going first, the Angels one-upped Washington with a stunner of their own, taking UC Santa Barbara right-hander Tyler Bremner with the second overall pick. That made Bremner the first pitcher off the board in a class that included three elite college lefties (Anderson, Tennessee's Liam Doyle and Florida State's Jamie Arnold) whom much of the industry expected would hear their names called before Bremner. Advertisement It's no secret that the Angels love to draft college players who can zoom through the minors (or skip them entirely) to help the big-league club in Anaheim ASAP, but even the most optimistic projection for Bremner feels below what the college southpaws could've offered. How Bremner develops in Anaheim relative to the higher-ceiling arms taken after him — let alone the high-upside hitters such as Holliday, whom some could argue would've made more sense for the team drafting No. 2 — will be the ultimate litmus test for this aggressive maneuver by the Angels. And by the way: Don't be surprised if two of the Angels' other Day 1 picks — two hard-throwing, right-handed, college relievers in Chase Shores from LSU at No. 47 and Nate Snead from Tennessee at No. 105 — are in the big leagues by the end of the season. 2. The Orioles drafted 7 players — that's a lot! Teams have different numbers of picks to work with on Day 1 of the MLB Draft. Clubs that forfeited picks for signing big-money free agents made as few as two selections on Sunday (Mets, Giants, Astros, Yankees), while others made a handful of selections thanks to some combination of competitive balance round picks and compensatory picks for free-agent departures or unsigned draftees from last year. Advertisement No team had more picks Sunday than the Orioles, who added a whopping seventh Day 1 selection in last week's trade that sent reliever Bryan Baker to the Rays in exchange for the 37th pick (competitive balance picks are eligible to be traded). This made Baltimore one of the main characters for the evening, with ample anticipation for how they would use such an absurd overflow of high-value picks. More specifically, many wondered if Baltimore would finally spend some draft capital on a pitcher or two after going so overwhelmingly hitter-heavy at the top of the draft in recent years under GM Mike Elias. For the first four picks, it was business as usual for Baltimore: more bats. Auburn's Ike Irish was one of the more surprising fallers of the first round, as arguably the most polished college hitter in the class, and the Orioles happily scooped him up at No. 19. Then with back-to-back picks at 30 and 31, Baltimore snagged two more high-profile collegians in switch-hitting Coastal Carolina catcher Caden Bodine, the best backstop in the class, and Golden Spikes Award winner Wehiwa Aloy, the star shortstop from Arkansas. The hitter haul continued with the recently acquired pick No. 37, as the Orioles flexed their humongous bonus pool to land one of the top left-handed prep bats available in Slater De Brun, whom I ranked 26th. Then, at long last, there was a pivot to a pitcher — two, actually! At No. 58, the Orioles selected 6-foot-8 lefty Joseph Dzierwa from Michigan State, one of the more underrated college pitchers in the class who was in strong consideration for a spot on the Top 50. Right-hander JT Quinn, a right-hander from Georgia who has much bigger stuff than Dzierwa but is likely a reliever at the next level, followed at No. 69. Baltimore rounded out its epic Day 1 with RJ Austin, an outfielder from Vanderbilt who posted underwhelming stats in his three years in Nashville but whose athleticism has long intrigued big-league clubs. 3. The Dodgers brought in an interesting Day 1 haul The defending World Series champions had an intriguing allotment of picks Sunday, with a quartet of selections that didn't begin until No. 40 because the Dodgers' sky-high payroll resulted in their first-round pick being dropped 10 spots (as was the case for the Mets and Yankees). The Dodgers also had the 41st pick, acquired from the Reds in the trade for Gavin Lux last year. Advertisement Multiple mock drafts entering draft day had the Dodgers connected to high school infielder Quentin Young with one of their first two picks, but Young ended up going 54th to Minnesota. Beyond Young, L.A. is more traditionally tied to high school players near the top of the draft than collegians, but the Dodgers went in a different direction this year, as all four of their Day 1 picks were spent on college players, including the first two from the same school. Left-hander Zach Root (No. 40) was a notch below the elite tier of college lefties at the top of the class, but he had a lot of proponents in the industry after his sterling spring for the Razorbacks. And outfielder Charles Davalan (No. 41) also starred in Fayetteville this year and adds another advanced lefty stick to a farm system already loaded with them. Cam Leiter (No. 65) was the lone arm selected by L.A., and I'm sorry to report to those tired of hearing about injured Dodgers pitchers that he has a sketchy track record of durability: He missed the entire spring season with Florida State due to shoulder trouble but demonstrated serious stuff as a sophomore last year, earning him early-round consideration regardless. Lastly, I loved the Dodgers' final pick of the night, outfielder Landyn Vidourek from Cincinnati, who was a late riser in the draft process thanks to a breakout junior season and premium athleticism. It would hardly be surprising to see him turn out to be one of the steals of the draft under the Dodgers' developmental tutelage. 4. And a few thoughts on the non-Top 50 picks Forty-three of the first 50 selections Sunday were ranked in my Top 50. Here's the skinny on the seven who weren't, two of whom landed with the same team: Advertisement SS Jordan Yost, No. 24 to the Detroit Tigers A wiry high school shortstop from Florida, Yost is one of the more advanced defenders of any prep infielder, and his bat could break out in a big way if he can pack on some much-needed muscle in pro ball. SS Brady Ebel, No. 32 to the Milwaukee Brewers The son of Dodgers third-base coach Dino Ebel and another member of the loaded Corona High School squad that featured top-10 picks Seth Hernandez and Billy Carlson, Ebel was a divisive prospect among scouts, some of whom questioned how much offensive impact he projected to have in the pros. But given his big-league bloodlines and long track record of solid performance on the showcase circuit, it wasn't a huge surprise to see Ebel selected quite early. Advertisement C Michael Oliveto, No. 34 to the Detroit Tigers I highlighted Oliveto — a Yale (!) commit from a Long Island high school — after speaking to him at the MLB Draft Combine last month, and his early selection by Detroit is the latest chapter in what has been a remarkable journey from relative obscurity to Day 1 pick. 2B Mitch Voit, No. 38 to the New York Mets Voit previously played both ways at the University of Michigan but stopped pitching this spring. Then he broke out in a big way with the bat and shined at the MLB Draft Combine. He made a late push to be considered for my Top 50 and, evidently, impressed the Mets enough that they made him their first pick of the 2025 Draft. Advertisement SS Dax Kilby, No. 39 to the New York Yankees Kilby was the last cut from my Top 50; I opted for Ryan Mitchell (pick No. 55 to St. Louis) over Kilby as the last prep bat on the list. But Kilby was a standout at the Combine, particularly in the strength and conditioning assessments in which his athleticism shined. He clearly boasts more upside than Mitchell. The hit tool is a touch less certain, but his upside was well worth targeting for the Yankees. RHP Chase Shores, No. 47 to the Los Angeles Angels Shores is a gigantic right-hander who routinely touched triple-digits for national champion LSU this season, including on several occasions in the College World Series. He has proven very little as a starting pitcher but could be an impact reliever sooner rather than later — and I don't think it'll take long before the Angels give him a chance to become that in the big leagues. Advertisement RHP Angel Cervantes, No. 50 to the Pittsburgh Pirates Known more for his polish than his power, Cervantes is an advanced prep arm from California who pairs brilliantly with top pick Seth Hernandez atop Pittsburgh's Day 1 draft haul. Given how well Pittsburgh has developed arms recently, that duo should have Pirates fans very excited. Cervantes was in the mix along with Harmon (No. 80 to Washington) to be the next prep pitchers included in the Top 50, but it wasn't clear how early either would go. Now we know!
Washington Post
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
After franchise upheaval, Nats make Eli Willits the No. 1 pick
For the Washington Nationals, the MLB draft arrived Sunday just days after a midseason moment of institutional disruption, chaos and change. Mike Rizzo, the general manager who oversaw Washington's draft process for almost two decades, was dismissed a week earlier and replaced by interim GM Mike DeBartolo. In this environment, Washington's draft group, led by second-year scouting director Danny Haas, had to navigate a class that had little consensus over who would (or should) go No. 1.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
MLB mock draft 2025: Where are Ethan Holliday, Eli Willits projected to go?
Major League Baseball's draft finally arrives July 13 from Cobb County's Roxy Theater, and while it may not light up the Georgia skies like the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game to follow the next two nights, there's no shortage of intrigue. This much we know: Eight specific players are almost certain to go in the top 10 picks. Yet in what order and to which teams remains a game of dominos that will have to wait until the clock starts. Advertisement And 10 shortstops – from MLB legacies to high school stars to college All-Americas – will consume at least half of the top 20 picks, and while the game's premier position tends to be a draft premium, this class boasts dudes who will almost assuredly stick on that position – and play at a very high level. With that, USA TODAY Sports fires some darts one last time with a final mock draft before the pickin' party commences Sunday: REQUIRED READING: Ethan Holliday could be No. 1 in MLB Draft like his brother. Add it to their competition. This selection took on an entirely different level of intrigue when the Nationals blew out GM Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez just more than a week before the draft. They wisely left the remaining infrastructure intact, which should make their draft process flow smoothly, even as interim GM Mike DeBartolo is now the ranking voice in the room. We're sticking to our guns here, even if as many as four guys might lay claim to this spot. Ultimately, the Nationals side with a potential building block rather than a ready-made ace with little present value as the franchise faces a total facelift. Advertisement 2025 MOCK DRAFT EVOLUTION: First edition (May 6) || Second edition (June 10) What a finishing kick for Anderson, who pitched a three-hit shutout against Coastal Carolina in the championship round of the College World Series, which followed a three-hit, seven-inning effort to beat Arkansas. Good luck splitting hairs between Anderson, Jamie Arnold and Liam Doyle, but we'll side with Anderson's K rate (NCAA-best 180 in 110 innings) and devastating pitch mix (think Max Fried, only firmer) with a rapid promotion in the offing in Anaheim. 3. Seattle Mariners: Aiva Arquette, SS, Oregon State Perhaps the most impactful pick in the top five, as plucking one of the top college arms or prep right-hander Seth Hernandez here would be a moderate disruption and likely introduce some exotic names into the overall top 10. But let's stay consistent with this one as the Mariners opt for the physical presence and lineup punch that Arquette would bring up the middle. Advertisement 4. Colorado Rockies: Eli Willits, SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton (Okla.) HS What do you get the franchise that needs everything? They drafted Chase Dollander and got him to Coors Field quickly, and doing the same with deluxe lefty and fellow Tennessee product Liam Doyle would be highly tempting. Yet Willits, still just 17, represents the high-end building block the franchise lacks. More: Eli Willits opted to reclassify in high school. Now, he could be a top MLB Draft pick. In this scenario, the Cardinals have their choice of remaining elite college lefties and opt for Doyle's greater swing-and-miss upside over Florida State's Jamie Arnold, though they may prove us wrong come draft night. Advertisement 6. Pittsburgh Pirates: Seth Hernandez, RHP, Corona (Calif.) HS Hernandez represents the draft's other great wild card and a test case for how high clubs would be willing to draft a prep right-hander. We'll stop just shy of calling Hernandez's repertoire 'generational,' but his high-90s fastball and pro-caliber changeup give him a significant springboard to move quicker than your average high school arm. 7. Miami Marlins: Billy Carlson, SS, Corona (Calif.) HS Make it back-to-back Panthers here, with Carlson the last of the elite-elite prep shortstops off the board. Imagine a larger version of Masyn Winn, with a similar hose at shortstop and, at 6-1, potentially greater offensive upside. Advertisement 8. Toronto Blue Jays: Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State A real coup here for Toronto, getting a mature college arm with a big league-ready fastball-slider mix. Paired with last year's No. 1, Trey Yesavage, the Blue Jays have the potential to quickly backfill a rotation that could lose Chris Bassitt and Kevin Gausman to free agency in consecutive years. 9. Cincinnati Reds: Kyson Witherspoon, RHP, Oklahoma The Reds may stray out of their comfort zone and go bat here, but Witherspoon could unlock an even higher level developing in their pitching program as he'll bring a high-90s fastball and low-90s slider into pro ball. Advertisement The White Sox quandary: Take the best of the next tier of prep shortstops or whichever advanced high-end college prospect almost mathematically certain to fall to them? In this case, it's Irish, who popped 18 home runs with a .469 OBP for Auburn, and will likely have a permanent home in the outfield. 11. Athletics: Tyler Bremner, RHP, UC Santa Barbara A nice value for the Athletics, getting a consensus top-five guy before Bremner got off to a slow start for UCSB. But he finished strong and could reach the majors quick enough to try out that much-maligned mound in the A's temporary Yolo County digs. Advertisement 12. Texas Rangers: JoJo Parker, SS, Purvis (Miss.) HS The math makes it highly likely Texas lands a prep shortstop and Parker is still around, high enough to keep him away from a Mississippi State commitment. That's two years in a row a Mississippi prep shortstop goes in the top dozen picks, joining Konnor Griffin (No. 9, Pittsburgh). 13. San Francisco Giants: Daniel Pierce, SS, Mill Creek (Ga.) HS Let the run continue. Pierce is already 19, which may make some clubs shy away, but still has significant offensive upside and fits in what will be the first pick under the Buster Posey regime. 14. Tampa Bay Rays: Steele Hall, SS, Hewitt-Trussville (Ala.) HS We'll stick with Hall here, possessing the power upside and versatility the Rays value as the prep shortstop pool thins a bit. Advertisement 15. Boston Red Sox: Gavin Kilen, INF, Tennessee A Red Sox draftee out of high school, Kilen will do much better than the 13th round this time, with a strong offensive profile that saw him strike out just 27 times in 245 plate appearances, most of those against SEC pitching. 16. Minnesota Twins: Marek Houston, SS, Wake Forest The question is whether Houston's very sturdy defense and developing but incomplete offensive profile slots him higher than the prep stars slated to go before him. It's hard to see him dropping any further than the Twins. 17. Chicago Cubs: Wehiwa Aloy, SS, Arkansas We'll stubbornly keep Aloy ticketed to the Cubs, even as a strong postseason that ended in Omaha further buttressed his profile. He might have smoother actions around the bag than Arquette, even if his offensive punch grades out a notch below the fellow Hawaiian collegiate star. Advertisement 18. Arizona Diamondbacks: Kayson Cunningham, SS, Johnson (Texas) HS His offensive profile fits the Diamondbacks' ethos very nicely: Contact-based and, at 5-10, 180, a compact frame that has the potential to grow into decent power. 19. Baltimore Orioles: OF Ethan Conrad, Wake Forest The Orioles control three of the next 13 picks and can get creative with their bonus pool, certainly. We stick with Conrad and the classic O's college hitter profile here. 20. Milwaukee Brewers: Andrew Fischer, INF, Tennessee Bat first, figure out the position later. Fischer slammed 25 homers with a 1.205 OPS in an exuberant platform season, and is versatile enough defensively to move around some if the power doesn't support a first base profile. Advertisement 21. Houston Astros: Jace Laviolette, OF, Texas A&M He's going to be a great value somewhere, probably, as Laviolette faded from top three talk after a season slowed by contact issues, slumps and health. Wouldn't be surprising if someone jumped on him sooner thanks to his elite raw power. 22. Atlanta Braves: Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP, Sunset (Ore.) HS Quite a talent to land here, as the 6-8 prep lefty with a fastball that reached 97 mph gives them a daunting 1-2 punch with Cam Caminiti, currently thriving in low A one year after going 24h overall. 23. Kansas City Royals: Gavin Fien, INF, Great Oak (Calif.) HS The prep version of Laviolette, in that someone may jump on him sooner based on equity already banked as opposed to an uneven platform year. Advertisement 24. Detroit Tigers: Xavier Neyens, INF, Mt. Vernon (Wash.) HS Big frame and potential big power in a nimble and athletic 6-4 package. In terms of offense, one of the top prep lefty bats available. 25. San Diego Padres: Sean Gamble, INF/OF, IMG (Fla.) Academy Versatile and projectable, Gamble – at 6-foot-1, 190 – leveled up from Iowa to IMG Academy and is a potential impact player in the middle of the diamond. 26. Philadelphia Phillies: Slater de Brun, OF, Summit (Ore.) HS The run of late-round high school players takes a few Philly targets off the board but they can still fulfill their prep preference with de Brun, a potential center fielder of the future whose speed will likely always trump his power. Advertisement 27. Cleveland Guardians: Caden Bodine, C, Coastal Carolina The Guardians opt for Contact King, as Bodine finished the season with an absurd 24 strikeouts in 313 plate appearances while churning out a .915 OPS. As the Chanticleers reeled off 26 consecutive wins to reach the College World Series finals, Bodine's stock rose along with it. 28. Kansas City Royals*: Luke Stevenson, C, North Carolina Paired with Fien, this should be a bonus pool-friendly pick as the Royals opt for the steady Stevenson, two years after making prep catcher Blake Mitchell the eighth overall pick. 29. Arizona Diamondbacks**: Brendan Summerhill, OF, Arizona Would be a coup getting Summerhill this late, as he can man all three outfield positions and put up a .343/.459/.556 line to lead Arizona to the College World Series. Advertisement 30. Baltimore Orioles**: Alex Lodise, SS, Florida State The Dick Howser Trophy winner and ACC player of the year, Lodise is a solid defender who hit 19 home runs and should develop above-average pro power and likely stick at shortstop. *- Prospect promotion incentive pick**- Free agent compensation pick Note: The Mets, Yankees and Dodgers each received a 10-pick penalty on their first picks for exceeding the second surcharge threshold of the competitive balance tax and their first picks will be 38th, 39th and 40th overall, respectively. The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: MLB mock draft 2025: Projections for Ethan Holliday, Eli Willits
Al Arabiya
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
Fired nationals gm mike rizzo wants to buy a 'thank you' round for fans before home run derby
Fired Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo wants to buy a round for fans at two sports bars in Washington before next week's All-Star Home Run Derby. Rizzo posted on social media Friday an extended thank you to fans which included an offer to buy a Round on Riz over a couple of hours before Monday's Home Run Derby in Atlanta. Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez were fired Sunday with the last-place Nationals headed for a sixth consecutive losing season since winning their first World Series in 2019. The moves came with the Nats holding the No. 1 pick in this weekend's amateur draft. Mike DeBartolo was named interim GM. Rizzo had been general manager since 2009 and added the title of president of baseball operations four years later. 'From the bottom of my heart I want to thank each and every fan who has supported my goal to lead this franchise to greatness with integrity, honesty, and professionalism,' Rizzo wrote. 'D.C. has become our home in every sense of the word, and I could not imagine a better place to have done it all together than the nation's capital.'
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Holding No. 1 pick, Nationals' front-office upheaval injects even more uncertainty into MLB draft
LSU starting pitcher Kade Anderson (32) throws against Coastal Carolina in the first inning of Game 1 of the NCAA College World Series baseball finals in Omaha, Neb., Saturday, June 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz) The Washington Nationals are at a pivotal point in their rebuild to baseball relevance, owning the No. 1 overall pick in the Major League Baseball amateur draft that begins on Sunday night in Atlanta. There are multiple intriguing prospects they can choose from, including prep shorstop Ethan Holliday, the son of seven-time All-Star Matt Holliday and brother of Jackson Holliday, who was the No. 1 overall pick in 2022 and is now in the majors with the Baltimore Orioles. Advertisement In a related note, Washington earlier this week fired longtime general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez. Bold choice. The Nats' head-scratching move — more for the timing than the actual decision — injects another layer of uncertainty to a draft that might be one of the most unpredictable in recent memory. The first three rounds of the 20-round draft will take place on Sunday with the rest of the selections on Monday. Washington promoted Mike DeBartolo to interim GM and he'll handle the draft. He was previously the team's assistant general manager and has been with the franchise since 2012. Advertisement DeBartolo said he'll lean on the evaluations of the team's scouting department, but also has his own opinions about the process and will be the decision maker. Money will also be a factor, as teams have to work within their bonus pool, which is calculated by multiple factors. The Orioles are at the high end this year with more than $19 million to spend. The Yankees — who don't pick until No. 39 — are at the bottom with roughly $5.3 million. 'They've been working hard for this moment, almost even before the last draft ended,' DeBartolo said. "So, I'll bring my own voice to that process, and I'll work collaboratively with them, and take what they have to say and ultimately be responsible for making the picks.' There is little consensus about who the Nats might select at No. 1 on Sunday, though some of the top prospects are a pair of college left-handed pitchers — LSU's Kade Anderson and Tennessee's Liam Doyle — along with Oregon State shortstop Aiva Arquette and prep shortstops Holliday and Eli Willits. Advertisement 'There are several really talented players that are going to be in the mix for us,' DeBartolo said. 'We have to decide how to strategize with our bonus pool money and what the player bonus pool demands are and run through all those scenarios over the coming days." After the Nationals, the Los Angeles Angels have the No. 2 selection. The Seattle Mariners, Colorado Rockies and St. Louis Cardinals round out the top five. Left-handed college pitchers lead the pack Several of the top prospects in this year's draft are left-handed college pitchers, including Anderson, Doyle and Florida State's Jamie Arnold. Advertisement Anderson helped LSU win the College World Series title last month, throwing a complete-game shutout in Game 1 of the championship series to cement his status as one of the draft's top prospects. He finished with a 12-1 record and a 3.18 ERA with 180 strikeouts in 119 innings. Anderson had Tommy John elbow surgery in high school, but has obviously come back strong. Doyle rocketed up MLB mock drafts with a terrific season for the Vols, finishing with a 10-4 record, 3.20 ERA and 162 strikeouts in 95 2/3 innings. Arnold was a breakout star for Florida State in 2024 before regressing a bit last season, but he still finished with an 8-2 record, 2.98 ERA and 119 strikeouts. 'Obviously, college left-handers are kind of a premium right now," Mariners vice president of amateur scouting Scott Hunter said. 'There's a few of those at the high end of the draft.' Advertisement Corona stars Corona High School — about 45 miles from Los Angeles — could have three players drafted in the first round. The prep powerhouse is led by right-handed pitcher Seth Hernandez, who is regarded as a potential top five pick. Shortstop Billy Carlson is also expected to be selected early in the first round. Third baseman Brady Ebel isn't quite as highly-regarded — he's the No. 64 prospect according to — but there's potential that he could still sneak into the opening round. A fourth Corona player, Ethin Bingaman, is a two-way player committed to Auburn but could be drafted in the top five rounds. ___ AP Sports Writer Andrew Destin, along with AP freelancer David Solomon, contributed to this story. ___ AP MLB:
