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USA Today
13-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Who are top high school prospects of MLB draft? Ethan Holliday leads talented group
The 2025 MLB Draft is loaded with high school talent — a common occurrence for the league, of course. Five of the top 10-ranked prospects by MLB Pipeline come from the high school ranks, including its No. 1-ranked player. Ethan Holliday, a left-handed hitting infielder, is the younger brother of former No. 1 overall pick Jackson Holliday and son of seven-time All-Star Matt Holliday. REQUIRED READING: Nationals turned the MLB draft into a high-stakes job interview Unlike other major pro sports like the NFL and NBA, high schoolers can get drafted without attending college. Junior college players are also eligible to be drafted at any time, although four-year college attendees are only eligible after three years of first enrolling or turning 21 years old, whichever comes first. High school players are typically viewed as boom-or-bust prospects, given the amount of development they usually need before reaching the big leagues. Here's a look at the top-rated high school prospects of the 2025 MLB Draft: Top high school prospects of MLB draft INF Ethan Holliday, Stillwater High School (Okla.) Holliday, a 6-foot-4 left-handed hitter, is built much more like his dad, Matt Holliday, rather than older brother Jackson Holliday, who plays second base for the Baltimore Orioles. Holliday currently plays shortstop for Stillwater High School in Oklahoma, where Jackson also attended. Holliday currently projects as more of a third baseman rather than a shortstop due to his frame, which is expected to fill out even more as he reaches professional baseball. The Oklahoma State commit is the No. 1-rated player in MLB Pipeline's rankings, as he holds a 50-grade hit tool and 65-grade power tool, with his power profile being his main selling point as a prospect. His ceiling is quite high, and could potentially even be higher than his brother, who went No. 1 overall in 2022. SS Eli Willits, Fort Cobb-Broxton (Okla.) Eli Willits, another high school product from Oklahoma, actually faced off earlier in the high school season against Holliday as perhaps the two best high school prospects in the 2025 cycle. Willits is the son of former MLB outfielder Reggie Willits, who's also the assistant head coach at Oklahoma. Willits' older brother, Jaxon Willits, is the starting shortstop for the Sooners. Willits has the advantage of being one of the youngest players in the draft, as he's still just 17 years old due to reclassifying from the 2026 cycle. The switch hitter projects to be a plus defender at shortstop, with the chance at developing into more power throughout his minor-league career. The Oklahoma commit also possesses good speed, being clocked at a 6.7 60-yard dash last summer at Perfect Game National. Willits is almost assuredly a lock to go inside the top 10 picks. RHP Seth Hernandez, Corona High School (Calif.) Flamethrowing right-handed pitcher Seth Hernandez, fresh off being named the National Gatorade Player of the Year, is one of two Corona High School products. The Corona, California, native has a projectable frame, as he's listed at 6-foot-4, 190 pounds. He also already has a big fastball, which can reach 97-98 miles per hour and grades as a 70-grade pitch, according to MLB Pipeline. Hernandez was nothing short of dominant in high school this season, striking out 178 batters in 109 1/3 innings with a 0.51 ERA. The Vanderbilt commit is expected to be one of the top arms selected in 2025, despite needing plenty of polishing early in his career. SS Billy Carlson, Corona High School (Calif.) Hernandez's teammate, Billy Carlson, is another high-end prospect from Corona High School. The Tennessee commit was once seen as a potential two-way player until his tools at shortstop advanced to elite prospect status. Carlson has a 70-grade glove and 65-grade arm at a premium position, as he projects as a future gold-glove caliber defender. Carlson also gets it done with his bat, although it's the area in his game that can develop the most. How his bat develops will likely decide his future. SS JoJo Parker, Purvis High School (Miss.) The Gatorade Player of the Year in Mississippi, shortstop JoJo Parker from Purvis High School is also the twin brother of another top 150 player in 2025, Jacob Parker. JoJo Parker is more advanced than his brother at this point, though, as he's a near lock to be drafted in the first half of the first round. The 6-foot-2 left-handed hitter makes good swing decisions and has enough power to get up to 25 home runs a season, according to MLB Pipeline. He has a 60-grade hit tool and 55-grade power. It's unclear if the Mississippi State commit can stick at shortstop at the next level, with a 50-field grade and 55-arm grade. A move to third or second base could be in his future, likely requiring him to really hit to be an impactful big leaguer one day. SS Steele Hall, Hewitt-Trussville (Ala.) Another shortstop, Steele Hall from Hewitt Trussville High School in Alabama might just be the fastest player in the entire class. The 6-foot Tennessee commit doesn't project to have a ton of power in the future, but possesses 70-grade speed that will help keep him on the field. He also has the tools to be an impact defender at shortstop, with 60-grade fielding and a 55-grade arm. Hall also has the benefit of still being 17 years old, as he doesn't turn 18 until July 24. If Hall is able to find more pop as he develops in the minor leagues, he has a chance to be a high-end prospect very soon.
USA Today
15-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Stillwater's Ethan Holliday named 2025 Gatorade Oklahoma Baseball Player of the Year
Stillwater High School's Ethan Holliday is the 2025 Gatorade Oklahoma Baseball Player of the Year, the company announced Tuesday. The top-ranked prospect for the upcoming MLB draft according to Holliday helped Stillwater reach the Class 6A state tournament and finished his senior season with a .611 batting average, 19 home runs and 64 RBIs. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound shortstop also had a 1.295 slugging percentage and scored 57 runs as Stillwater finished with a 25-8 record. Holliday, the son of former big leaguer Matt Holliday, is signed with Oklahoma State. He is the younger brother of Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday, who won the Gatorade award in 2022 before getting selected first overall in the draft. Expert MLB daily picks: Unique MLB betting insights only at USA TODAY Nick Sardis covers high school sports for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Nick? He can be reached at nsardis@ or on Twitter at @nicksardis . Sign up for The Varsity Club newsletter to access more high school coverage. Support Nick's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at .
Epoch Times
26-05-2025
- General
- Epoch Times
Oklahoma High School Holds Signing Ceremonies Not for Athletes, But for Military Recruits
Signing day ceremonies are always a big deal across the football-crazy Sooner State. In the Stillwater High School gym adorned with an Under Armour sports apparel backdrop, several graduating seniors recruited to take their skills to the next level recently affirmed their commitments for the next four years. But the familiar favorites—Oklahoma State, University of Oklahoma, Texas A&M, LSU—were absent from the April 23 events. No coaches from any collegiate sport were there. Instead, military recruiters took center stage with the proud, patriotic teenagers and their parents. Seven honorees committed to the Oklahoma Army National Guard, and one enlisted in the Navy. Each one explained his or her choice to the audience and talked about future goals. For decades, Stillwater High School held ceremonies to recognize college commitments for student athletes. But this was the first time military enlistees were honored with similar pageantry, said principal Walter Howell. Related Stories 5/3/2025 3/4/2025 'It was a cool thing,' he told The Epoch Times. 'It worked out really well. We're going to keep this going every year.' The event was Howell's idea. He first thought about it in 2020, when the graduation ceremony was postponed because of COVID-19. Five military enlistees had to report for basic training before the rescheduled date months after the last day of school, so the principal quickly organized a special commencement event for them. Similar military enlistee recognition events took place in other communities throughout Oklahoma and across the country in recent weeks ahead of high school graduations and Memorial Day. The recognition ceremonies are appreciated and appropriate, but America has a long way to go in complying with federal laws that require high schools to provide the same level of access to military recruiters as they do to higher education institutions, federal lawmakers and policy organizations report. A 2024 Rand Corporation research The research agency surveyed 1,107 public schools. It found that 51 percent of schools in 2023 did not provide lists of student names to military recruiters, even though they did so for colleges, and 32 percent of schools did not provide military recruiters any access to facilities to set up information booths, participate in career fairs, make classroom presentations, or display posters. Rand found that high schools in the southeast and Midwest were more recruiter-friendly, while access issues were more common in suburban and urban schools in the west and northeastern parts of the country. Some school administrators and guidance counselors accused recruiters of 'poaching students from colleges, targeting them to be front-liners, or preying on communities of lower socioeconomic status,' the report said. 'There was pushback initially in inviting military in due to social justice concerns,' the report said, quoting an administrator from one unidentified school saying 'Our population of students was vulnerable, and we didn't want to exploit students.' At another school, a parent complained after a recruiter visited a classroom, saying they 'don't want their child to be in that position again,' the report said. 'School representatives sometimes view the military as the last resort option and do not recognize military opportunities for educational benefits as sufficient pathway to developing a wide range of skills,' the report said. 'Some recruiters perceived that school counselors and other school personnel have greater incentives to send students to college and hence improve school rankings, and therefore limit recruiter access to schools to discourage students from pursuing military opportunities. ' In response, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) recently proposed the Service Enlistment and Recruitment of Valuable (SERVE) Engagement Act. The legislation promotes Junior ROTC programs, recognizes recruiter-friendly institutions as 'HERO Schools,' and creates a National Week of Military Recruitment. 'By increasing avenues to the benefits and pathways of a career in the military, we can unlock even more opportunities and brighter futures for our next generation,' Ernst, a combat veteran with 23 years of military service, said in an April 30 'The call to service is loud and clear, and through the SERVE Act, our nation can bolster recruitment efforts and build the most lethal, efficient, and effective force in the world.' The U.S. military has struggled to meet recruitment goals in recent years, though in February, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth In addition, the Air Force Howell, the Stillwater High School principal, said the military is deeply personal to him. His father and grandfather fought in wars, along with many other distant family members. He was disappointed by Rand's findings but not surprised. He challenges guidance counselors across the nation to set aside any biases against the military and at least suggest enlistment in measure with college or the workforce. 'With military or going into the trades, sometimes kids were afraid to raise their hands,' Howell said. 'I think we've made a mistake in the past 30 years in public education because we have pushed college for all. Whether it's college, work, or the military, I want kids to be able to connect with something they believe in.'
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SPS district plans demolition for current high school
Parts of the current Stillwater High School are slated for demolition after the new high school is completed, Stillwater Public Schools said in a news release. The Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday to demolish the old high school after the district completed a feasibility study of the building. Assistant Superintendent of Operations Bo Gamble, speaking to the Board on behalf of a Long Range Facility Planning Executive Committee, presented a recommendation for demolition of the current SHS. Gamble said the decision is the best economically for the district, but demolition won't begin until after the new high school is operational, and the district plans on keeping some existing structures such as the Fieldhouse and the Performing Arts Center. 'Retiring district facilities is not without precedent in the district,' Gamble said in a statement. 'SPS has seen several high schools – Alcott School, Horace Mann, South High and North, and other facilities like Hamilton Field and the original Will Rogers, Westwood and Highland Park have either been demolished or sold to other organizations. Nevertheless, this was not an easy decision for the committee to make.' The planning committee met over a three-month period as they reviewed the study and considered options, finally determining it "would not be economically efficient to maintain or remodel that facility for other purposes." 'We know there's a lot of history there,' Gamble said. 'But the building is past its functional lifespan. While updates to the front help the existing structure look good and tie it in with newer structures like the Fieldhouse and Performing Arts Center, our students and staff know that the age of that facility is apparent to those inside, and repairs to the facility are becoming cost prohibitive. Repurposing the existing structure for any purpose would have come with a significant cost, and would not be economically viable.' The change will also allow the district to plan for future projects for extracurricular spaces. 'The current SHS, of course, has the longest legacy of housing our Pioneers, but now the time has come for a new facility to serve our students into the future,' Gamble said. The committee will discuss integrating ninth graders at the high school campus 'in accordance with the Board of Education's established grade reconfiguration plan." Gamble said the new high school's capacity would accommodate freshmen through seniors, and said initial discussions with Director of Secondary Education Ashley Moore and High School Principal Walter Howell about adding the ninth grade class to the high school configuration have already begun. The committee's recommendation will include 'a timeline for that change and the planned shifts in grade configuration at SJHS, SMS and the elementary schools,' the district said. The current grade configuration includes elementary: Pre-K-5; Stillwater Middle School: grades 6-7; Stillwater Junior High: grades 8-9; and SHS: grades 10-12. The district said the Board's 2021 approved grade configuration – with a start date to be determined – is as follows: – Elementary: Pre-K–4 – SMS: Grades 5–6 – SJHS: Grades 7–8 – SHS: Grades 9–12 'This is a transformative moment for our district,' Acting Superintendent Janet Vinson said. 'We're building an exceptional high school building that meets the needs of today's students and laying the groundwork for the campus we'll need in the future, while also creating a more connected, efficient and student-centered system across all grade levels.'
