2025 MLB Draft Superlatives: Best Classes, Best Values, and More
Before we fully immerse ourselves in next year's class, we must look back at the craziness that was the 2025 MLB Draft. We analyze which teams nailed their drafts, which picks had the best value, and a whole lot more.
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If there were any word of choice to use to describe this year’s MLB Draft, it’d be this: bedlam.
It was a wild first round with a ton of surprises, especially at the top of the draft with Eli Willits and Tyler Bremner being the top two selections. That didn’t stop in the ensuing rounds, as teams employed plenty of strategy to complete their respective puzzles in Atlanta.
Before we fully immerse ourselves in the 2026 cycle, we must look back at the craziness as a whole. Who nailed their drafts? Which picks were the best value? That’s what we’re here to dissect and analyze.
The whole draft crew got their input involved here. Please make sure to give them a follow on their respective accounts (linked below). Let’s dive right in.
- On the Clock | College Baseball and MLB Draft
- Tyler Jennings
- Jay Staph
- JD Cameron
- Conor Dorney
- Jared Perkins
- Peyton Sower
Favorite Drafts
Tyler: Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners, Milwaukee Brewers
Los Angeles Dodgers: Let’s be honest here, the Dodgers know how to develop prospects on both sides of the ball. Given the fits at the top of their draft, they (unsurprisingly) nailed it. They got two great value picks in back-to-back Razorbacks, plus once Cam Leiter returns from injury, he could thrive in their development. Nabbing Landyn Vidourek, Aidan West, Mason Ligenza, and Sam Horn (assuming he signs) just adds a cherry to the top. It was a really good draft for Gasparino and company.
Boston Red Sox: Another year, another college-heavy draft for the Red Sox. Getting Kyson Witherspoon and Marcus Phillips is great clay to mold, plus getting Anthony Eyanson in the third when he had comp round helium is excellent value. They did wind up with a smorgasbord of pitchers after that, though there’s some potential diamonds in the rough with Barrett Morgan and Patrick Galle. All in all, a nice group of players for Devin Pearson.
Seattle Mariners: I’ll start with this: getting Kade Anderson to fall into your lap at three is an amazing get. The best arm in the class in an organization that knows how to develop arms? Sign me up. They spent the majority of Day Two scooping up “data-centric” arms that fit their mold well, including Lucas Kelly, Jackson Steensma, and Dusty Revis. Sprinkle in some upside bats in Luke Stevenson, Nicky Becker, and Korbyn Dickerson, and you’ve got the recipe for my favorite draft class on the American League side.
Milwaukee Brewers: The draft strategy masters were at it again in 2025. Andrew Fischer fits their development perfectly, and considering his approach and feel to launch, he may be in the majors before too long. They picked up a plethora of arms to follow, including Frank Cairone and Jacob Morrison. It’s what they did in Rounds 11-13 that caught my attention, though. CJ Hughes, Cooper Underwood, and Gavin Lauridsen are a HAUL, especially if they all sign. Another fantastic job from the Brewers front office.
Jay: Cleveland Guardians, Chicago White Sox, Seattle Mariners, Baltimore Orioles, Athletics, Los Angeles Dodgers
Cleveland Guardians: While there are still plenty of questions around the talent the Cleveland Guardians selected in this year’s draft, they have the chance to run away with one of the best collegiate groups in the entire class. They walked away with Jace LaViolette, a player with electric power and immense upside if he figures out the hit tool concerns. In addition to him, Dean Curley, Nolan Schubart, Luke Hill, Nelson Keljo, Anthony Martinez, Ryan Prager, and more could all be very, very good down the line.
Chicago White Sox: The White Sox took an interesting approach to this year’s class, and it paid off massively. Not only do they walk away with Billy Carlson, an insanely talented player and the number eight player on our board with the number ten pick, but they also managed to add more prep talent later on. Jaden Fauske and Landon Hodge are both very good pickups, and they also did well on the collegiate side, grabbing Kyle Lodise, Gabe Davis, and other intriguing names.
Seattle Mariners: With the Mariners having the number-three pick in the draft, it was expected that they’d land one of the top players in the class. However, they ended up running away with the top player on our board, Kade Anderson, putting him around some amazing pitching development in the team’s system. They were also able to grab Luke Stevenson, a catcher with tremendous upside in the first round. The Mariners then followed that up by taking Korbyn Dickerson in the fifth round, a borderline first-round talent, making this one of the better-value picks in the class. Grant Jay, Nick Becker, and other interesting names were also in the same class.
Baltimore Orioles: With four first-round picks in this year’s draft, the Orioles were set up for success. They grabbed Ike Irish over slot with the first of these, an outfielder with one of the better hit tools in the class. Then, the O’s followed that up with a similar player in Caden Bodine, Golden Spikes Award winner Wehiwa Aloy, and prep standout Slater de Brun. They didn’t stop there, as they also grabbed some more valuable players in Joseph Dzierwa, JT Quinn, RJ Austin, Caden Hunter, and others later in the draft.
Athletics: The Athletics put together arguably one of the best early drafts of any team in the league during their first five selections. They took Jamie Arnold with the 11th overall pick, a pitcher who was ranked as the top player in the class preseason, and has incredible upside. They didn’t stop there, as they proceeded to scoop up Indiana outfielder Devin Taylor at pick 48, another projected first-rounder ahead of the season. Gavin Turley, their third rounder, has one of the more interesting power profiles in the class if he continues, and Zane Taylor was a very good arm during his last college season. Logan Suave, Daniel Bucciero, Bobby Boser, and others rounded out their interesting picks in the later rounds.
Los Angeles Dodgers: The Dodgers are routinely one of the best organizations for player development, as they regularly get the very most out of their prospects. They’ll put that to the test with their class this season, as they took a lot of very developable players under slot to open the draft. Left-hander Zachary Root, ranked 32nd on our board, has the potential to be one of the best left-handers taken in this year’s draft, and they got a steal with him at 42. Charles Davalan has one of the best contact profiles in the class, as his floor is extremely high, leading me to get very excited about his chances in their farm system. Cam Leiter looked like a first-round caliber arm if he wasn’t injured at FSU, and outfielder Landyn Vidourek was one of the biggest risers on boards before draft day. It’s a relatively high-floor draft class that, with the Dodgers’ development, could produce multiple top-100 prospect caliber players.
JD: Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays
Los Angeles Dodgers: I tried to shy away from locking in on teams who had the most picks and highest bonus pools here, for some variation. The Dodgers are a boring pick. After taking some higher certainty MLB guys in Zach Root and Charles Davalan, they leaned into more volatility and upside in the rest of their draft. In particular, Cam Leiter and Mason Ligenza are two ‘scary if the Dodgers get their hands on them’ type prospects, health permitting.
Milwaukee Brewers: I almost always love what the Brewers do. When the league ‘zigs’, they ‘zag’. Andrew Fischer is a high probability, solid impact MLB bat that should generate some savings. They stocked up on diverse arms in JD Thompson, Frank Cairone, and Jacob Morrison after that. I think they get great value with Daniel Dickinson in the 6th round, too. Finally, they took high school players with 8 out of their 10 picks between rounds 11-20. That’s a draft inefficiency they seem to exploit well. They’ll get enough to sign to grab more impactful talent than they would have by focusing solely on college players.
Tampa Bay Rays: Despite trading away a pick, I loved that the Rays did, particularly in the first five rounds. Daniel Pierce is maybe the most balanced prep shortstop profile on offer. Brendan Summerhill didn’t answer questions about his power and extra base impact this season (partially through injuries), but it’s great value at 42nd overall. Cooper Flemming, Dean Moss, and Taitn Gray are a trio of fun prep profiles that run the gamut from more stable for the demo (Moss) to more volatile (Gray). I’d put money on one or more of those guys working out well, given the Rays’ excellent all-around player development.
Conor: Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox
Baltimore Orioles: Following the trade of Bryan Baker to the Rays, the O’s entered the ‘25 Draft with seven top-100 selections and the biggest bonus pool of any team. They didn’t disappoint. Mixing in proven college talent (Ike Irish, Caden Bodine) with fun arms (JT Quinn, Hunter Allen) and a high upside prep (Slater de Brun), this class could be one for the ages.
Seattle Mariners: Back at last year’s Winter Meetings, the Mariners couldn’t believe their luck in landing the third overall pick, and they likely felt the same way on Sunday when LSU lefty Kade Anderson fell into their laps. Korbyn Dickerson had first-round buzz early in the spring and was scooped up in the fifth. Seattle’s penchant for developing arms should also pay off with Griffin Hugus, Mason Peters, Lucas Kelly, and Isaac Lyon. Prep shortstop Nick Becker is the cherry on top for what should be a very solid class when all is said and done.
Tampa Bay Rays: Yet another draft masterclass for the Rays’ scouting department. Despite an uneven spring, outfielder Brendan Summerhill could be one of the best college bats from this class. Taitn Gray is a solid athlete and switch-hitter who produces monstrous exit velocities with elite bat speed. Even if his future home is in right field, he could wind up as the gem of the class.
Los Angeles Dodgers: No team makes you feel better about their chances to “fix” a prospect than the Los Angeles Dodgers. Davion Hickson, Mason Estrada, and Logan Lunceford will likely all benefit from the renowned Dodgers’ pitching development factory. Charles Davalan offers excellent bat-to-ball skills, and Landyn Vidourek could turn into a valuable big league regular if he can cut down on the swing-and-miss.
Boston Red Sox: Kyson Witherspoon was one of my favorite college arms in the class, and Marcus Phillips could be electric if cleaned up from a mechanics standpoint. Henry Godbout has hit everywhere he’s gone with outstanding contact ability and sneaky pop that should play beautifully at Fenway Park. Overall, a solid class from Boston that should produce several big league arms.
Peyton: Kansas City Royals, Washington Nationals
Kansas City Royals: It seemed understood that Kansas City would take at least one college player with either the 23rd or 28th pick, but what a shock. Instead, they went with preps Sean Gamble and Josh Hammond as their first two selections, which makes for super fun possibilities. Hammond’s stock kept climbing leading up to draft day, as he hits the ball as hard as anybody in this given prep class. Gamble has a mix of all the tools and could end up being one of the most balanced profiles in Major League Baseball in the future when we look back at this class. The Royals also selected SEC relievers Aiden Jimenez and Matthew Hoskins with their later picks, both of whom possess plus fastballs as well as overall stuff.
Washington Nationals: What a statement the Nationals made following the recent departure of GM Mike Rizzo. Kicking things off with switch-hitting Eli Willits at No. 1 overall, they followed it up by landing high-upside prep talents Landon Harmon, Miguel Sime Jr., and Coy James in rounds 3-5. On the college side, I liked the selections of Wyatt Henseler and Jake Moroknek, both of whom came with a strong track record of performance. One other pick that caught my eye was Ben Moore, the weekend starter from Old Dominion. While his 2025 season was underperforming, he offers intriguing upside with a 6-foot-4 frame, a mid-90s sinker, and a mix that includes a splitter, cutter, and sweeper. Washington did what they needed to do this year, and it’s going to be awesome to track these guys over time.
Favorite Picks/Values
Tyler: Matthew Fisher (7th RD, PHI), James Quinn-Irons (5th RD, TB)
Fisher: Originally ranked within the compensation round in our Top 315 rankings, Fisher fell to the seventh round, where the Phillies scooped him up and will (presumably) pay a pretty penny to poach his services away from Indiana. Fisher’s movements on the bump and arm speed aren’t too dissimilar to Mick Abel, whom the Phillies are pretty familiar with. Not only do I like the pairing of team and player, but this is the best value pickup in the draft for me. He may thrive in this system.
Quinn-Irons: We had Quinn-Irons within our Top 100, mainly because the toolset was too rich to ignore. It’s massive power with an improved hit tool and legitimate defense at the “eight.” Not only did the Rays poach him much deeper in the draft than expected, but it’s a fun pairing of player and development program. There’s a non-zero chance that JQI rises very quickly in this system, assuming he keeps a clean bill of health.
Jay: Korbyn Dickerson (5th RD, SEA), Ty Harvey (5th RD, SD), Jared Jones (9th RD, PIT)
Dickerson: Ahead of the draft, Dickerson was trending towards being a late first-round selection after a standout season at Indiana. His offensive profile is one of the safest in the class, as his glove follows a similar trend. For the Mariners, picking up a player this good in the fifth round makes for one of the better selections in the draft.
Harvey: Although he was ranked 210th on our board, Ty Harvey was one of my favorite prep players in this entire class. He’s extremely physical and very gifted at the plate, with his swing being one of the more advanced swings on the prep side this year. The Padres took a chance on him in the fifth round, and I fully expect him to be one of the draft’s best picks once in their system.
Jones: Jared Jones found himself in a similar situation to Korbyn Dickerson, where he fell heavily despite an impressive career at LSU. Jones profiles as one of the best power bats in the class, with his overall offensive profile being dangerous. With the Pirates desperately needing a heavy hitter and long-term solution at first base, this is a perfect pairing.
JD: Korbyn Dickerson (5th RD, SEA), Daniel Dickinson (6th RD, MIL), Mason Neville (4th RD, CIN)
Dickerson: Dickerson was one of my under-ranked prospects in this draft and the only one of the five I chose as under-ranked to not get drafted higher than their consensus rank. Such is life. I know there are concerns around the hit tool and the ability to pick up spin here, but I like the profile a ton. It’s a chance to stick in centerfield, a good runner, and some of the better power in the class (117 mph MaxEV), albeit with some swing work to do.
Dickinson: I had Dickinson as a top-80 player. He didn’t have the best end to the season, but he was also playing through injury and he didn’t use that as a crutch for poor performance. While there’s limited defensive value, he does a little bit of everything well. At his best, it’s an above-average offensive profile.
Neville: I had Neville as a top-50 guy. There are concerns about the hit tool which I think are fair, but he also showed the type of improvement, cutting down his strikeout rate, that I think gives him a chance to hit just enough. It’s a power over hit profile that has a chance to stick in center field, at least in the medium term.
Conor: Taitn Gray (3rd RD, TB), Truitt Madonna (11th RD, SD), Slater de Brun (CB-A RD, BAL), Korbyn Dickerson (5th RD, SEA)
Gray: As mentioned above, Gray’s raw traits could lend themselves to a future home in right field and potentially 70-grade power down the line. As a switch-hitter and good athlete for his size, that’ll certainly play into Tampa Bay’s plans.
Madonna: Madonna was one of just three Washington preps selected in the ‘25 Draft and had helium late in the process. He opened eyes by slashing .279/.360/.512 in the Draft League and was a teammate at Area Codes of first-round selection Kruz Schoolcraft. It’s a pro-ready body with a good operation and pop at the plate, plus enough athleticism to stick at catcher. The Padres should have no issue signing away Madonna from his UCLA commitment.
de Brun: Slade Caldwell was the easy comp for de Brun on the scouting circuit in part due to recency bias, but I think he’s closer to Corbin Carroll than he is to the aforementioned Caldwell.
Dickerson: Dickerson was in line for a potential top-20 selection at one point during the spring but wound up falling to the fifth round. The swing-and-miss concerns are valid, but it’s easy to bet on a guy with this well-rounded profile and a good chance to stick in center field.
Jared: Mason Neville (4th RD, CIN), Coy James (5th RD, WAS), Jared Spencer (11th RD, TOR)
Neville: Mason Neville was one of my favorite prospects to watch this season during live looks, and he was Just Baseball’s #29 overall prospect for the draft. The Reds were able to snag him at 114. Tons of pull-side power and barrel control with a solid approach at the plate. A steal for the Reds, and that bat could play well in the Great American Ballpark.
James: Well, well, well. What a snag here by the Nationals. James was Just Baseball’s #55 overall prospect for the 2025 MLB Draft as he started to skyrocket up boards late. James is a twitchy athlete with a track record of production, and while the swing can get overly aggressive at times, there’s impact bat speed, defensive versatility, and real upside if he cuts down the swing and misses.
Spencer: This is probably too deep of a take, but I loved Jared Spencer before he went down with the injury. Tyler and I got to see him at the Shriners’ College Showdown as he went toe-to-toe with Patrick Forbes, and it was an electric factor. He was still ranked #120 on our board, and the Jays got him with pick 322. It’s a mid-90s sinker that’s gotten into the upper 90s with a bullet-like slider. He’s a bit older, but still a nice get if he comes back from this injury okay.
Peyton: Brooks Bryan (8th RD, KCR), Boston Smith (6th RD, WAS)
Bryan: Dating back to last July, Brooks Bryan was generating strong buzz and was considered one of the top collegiate catchers heading into 2025. While his season didn’t quite reach those expectations, he still put together a fine campaign. Ranked #155 on our final rankings, Bryan posted a .279 batting average with an OPS over .900, serving as a key offensive spark for the Troy Trojans and showcasing a plus arm behind the plate.
Smith: Boston Smith was one of my favorite under-the-radar prospects in this year’s draft. After transferring from Cincinnati following the 2022 season, he completely reshaped his trajectory at Wright State. He earned All-Horizon League Second Team honors as a shortstop in 2024 and was named the league’s Preseason Player of the Year in 2025. Smith put together an unreal 2025 campaign, batting .330 with an impressive .498 on-base percentage, over 35 extra-base hits, and 16 stolen bases—all while catching. That is tremendous value in the sixth round. The offensive instincts are real, and it’ll be fascinating to follow his progress in pro ball.
Favorite Fits
Tyler: Cooper Flemming (2nd RD, TB), Andrew Fischer (1st RD, MIL)
Flemming: The Rays know how to develop up-the-middle defenders with budding offensive tools. Just look at their recent successes with Carson Williams, Adrian Santana, and Émilien Pitre. It’s a profile that they look for. Flemming fits this bill to a tee. A long, projectable shortstop with a fun hit/power combination and defensive chops. I would expect Flemming to be the next in their lineage of successful infielders.
Fischer: Not only could Fischer be the quickest college bat to the majors, but it’s a profile that the Brewers love. His approach is sublime, drawing a copious amount of walks and lifting the ball to the pull side with authority. Yes, he might be positionless, much like Keston Hiura a few years back, but Fischer’s ability to pummel the baseball and drive fly balls over the fence is a valuable asset.
Jay: Charles Davalan (CB-A RD, LAD), Angel Cervantes (2nd RD, PIT)
Davalan: As mentioned above, Arkansas outfielder Charles Davalan has one of the highest floors in the entire draft. He’s got one of the best contact makeups in the entire class, while also still pounding the ball over 110 MPH off the bat. A hitter with this much upside landing with the Dodgers feels like a perfect fit, a dangerous one at that.
Cervantes: In terms of prep arms not named Seth Hernandez, there weren’t many players with as high a floor as Angel Cervantes. The UCLA commit has already been up to 96 MPH with good command on his fastball, throwing a very good changeup and curveball as well. He landed with the Pirates in the second round, and given their recent success developing pitching, this feels like the perfect fit.
JD: Frank Cairone (CB-B RD, MIL), Riley Quick (CB-A RD, MIN), Dean Moss (CB-B RD, TB)
Cairone: I love the fit of Cairone to Milwaukee. In general, the Brewers do a terrific job developing pitching talent. They often lean into prep arms from the Northeast and Midwest, and love good spin traits; this is a perfect match.
Quick: I liked Quick at the top of the second tier of excellent college arm talent in this draft. The Twins have done a great job developing mid and late round arms (Zebby Matthews, David Festa) into viable big league starters. They’re good at adding pitches and developing arsenals. If Quick stays healthy and throws enough strikes, he could quickly become one of the better starters in the low minors in 2026.
Moss: I liked Moss a bit more than most boards. It’s a good swing and bat speed. The Rays have been sneaky good at developing hitters for quite a while. I like the fit here.
Conor: Lucas Kelly (6th RD, SEA), Ryan Prager (9th RD, CLE), Brendan Summerhill (CB-A RD, TB)
Kelly: Kelly is the exact type of arm that Seattle typically turns into valuable, high-leverage relievers. It’s a low launch profile up to 99 MPH from the right side with a potential plus slider and relatively low mileage. Don’t be surprised if he’s in the majors before too long.
Prager: Seeing a pitcher who’s struggled as much as Prager landing in a pitching development environment like Cleveland brings me an immediate sigh of relief. I’ve long thought the former Aggie has unique traits that will play as a backend starter despite a lack of velo, and this could be the perfect organization to fulfill that projection.
Summerhill: Summerhill’s power seemingly disappeared without a clear explanation this spring, but there’s no denying the tools. If the Rays can push the right buttons, Summerhill should move quickly through the system.
Jared: James Quinn-Irons (5th RD, TB)
An outfielder with tools, tools, tools. That is what Quinn Irons brings to the table, and it just screams Tampa Bay Rays. The exit velos for Quinn-Irons are very nice, and he maxed at 115 MPH. The athleticism and speed will allow him to stick in CF. As Tyler has mentioned, it is a power-over-hit, but the hit tool has improved. That’s just the perfect type of guy for the Rays to take to the next level.
Peyton: Alex Lodise (2nd RD, ATL)
The Braves have had a position player depth problem in recent years, and they’re beginning to feel the effects of it, specifically up the middle. Adding recent Golden Spikes Finalist Alex Lodise is a step in the right direction. Lodise finished this past season in the 98th percentile in metrics like batting average, slugging, and barrel rate. He also showed an ability to elevate his performance against stronger competition. Meanwhile, Atlanta has received minimal offensive production from its shortstops over the last two seasons. I expect Lodise to move through the minor leagues faster than most, which should benefit both him and the Braves shortly.
Quickest Player to Majors?
Tyler – Gabe Craig: Hear me out, Craig has the makings of being Orion Kerkering 2.0. His sweeper is amongst the best in all of college baseball, he throws plenty of strikes, and the fastball itself isn’t too shabby. It screams quick-moving reliever.
Jay – Kade Anderson and Charles Davalan: I see both Kade Anderson and Charles Davalan as some of the most developed, advanced, and gifted players in this class, making it hard for me to pick one over the other. Anderson has already displayed a complete arsenal, attacking very good SEC lineups with it regularly. Davalan has one of the best contact profiles in the class while maintaining solid power, skills that don’t disappear once entering professional baseball. I expect them both to be quick risers.
JD – Chase Shores: Maybe this is a cop out, but it’s the Angels. They could put him in the MLB bullpen by the end of the season (even though I think that’d be a bad idea). He certainly has the prerequisite arm talent.
Conor – Nate Snead: An electric arm with high-leverage traits. Also, I threw a dart at the Angels draft board, and this is who it landed on.
Jared – Mason Morris: ELECTRIC FACTORY! I think that’s what I texted Tyler (yes, he did text me this – Tyler) when I saw Morris in the SEC Tournament. It’s a mid-90s fastball that has been up to 98 MPH with a ton of carry. The low-90s cutter and curveball generate a ton of swing and miss. He could be developed as a starter, but if he sticks as a reliever, he could be a real fast riser to the MLB.
Peyton – Andrew Fischer: I believe Fischer arguably attains the best batted ball data of any college hitter in this class. He crushes faster velocity, evidenced by a .538 ISO against fastballs in 2025. His development across stints at Duke, Ole Miss, and most recently Tennessee has been impressive. Expect him to climb quickly through Milwaukee’s farm system.
Which player taken beyond Round 15 signs with their team?
Tyler: William Cole Johnson
Jay: Dominic Cadiz
Conor: Luke Roupe
Peyton: Sam Robertson
Hottest Draft Takes
Tyler: I think Jack Wheeler to the Rangers ends up being a sneaky good pick in this draft. He flew under the radar on a public scale, and after looking at some film, it’s easy to see why he was taken where he was. He’s a beast of an athlete with immense projection.
JD: The Brewers have unearthed their own drafting inefficiency. While everyone else takes almost exclusively college players on day two, they took 8 HS players between rounds 11-20. They’ll get plenty to sign and plenty to be impactful prospects.
Conor: Each of the Athletics’ first four Draft selections will have reached the big leagues by the end of the 2026 season.
JD: The Texas Rangers had one of the more underrated and interesting classes. It should produce at least four players we look back on in a few seasons, wondering how that player wasn’t taken sooner (Fien, Russell, Owens, Abeldt). Also, Ty Harvey will be one of the better prep players in the entire class. Had some of the loudest offensive tools and one of the most developed swings by a prep hitter, yet had almost no buzz ahead of Draft Day.
Jared: The Kansas City Royals will finally learn how to develop hitters and turn Sean Gamble and Josh Hammond into legit big league starters.
Peyton: Harrison Bodendorf will have the most successful career of any pitcher the Cleveland Guardians selected in this draft class.