2025 MLB Draft: Best Value Picks
There were some steals in the 2025 MLB draft, but these picks stood out as the biggest values.
Chaos. That is the only way we are currently describing the 2025 MLB Draft. The unexpectedness of this draft was what we all thought would happen, but that still didn’t keep us from being shocked.
Every year, the MLB Draft is filled with high-profile names at the top of the board, but the real value often comes later, where teams uncover hidden gems and land major-league contributors outside the early rounds.
Here’s a look at some of the best value picks from this year’s draft class, players who could far outperform their draft position in the years to come.
Round 1
RHP Kyson Witherspoon, Oklahoma – Boston Red Sox
Pick: 15, Just Baseball Rank: 9
We thought coming into draft day that Kyson Witherspoon could potentially be a top 10 pick going potentially as high as No. 8 to the Toronto Blue Jays. Well, he fell right into the lap of one of the better systems that develops pitchers in the Boston Red Sox.
This is a match made in heaven. Witherspoon was one of my favorite arms all year and showcased why he was one of the best pitchers in the class throughout the year. It’s a four-pitch mix of basically four plus pitches.
A mid-90s fastball, a real fun cutter that he can dot in the zone, a slider, and a newly refined curveball that was getting him a ton of swing and miss in the SEC tournament. It is such a safe floor and high-upside arm. I’d be happy if I were the Boston Red Sox or a Red Sox fan.
SS Xavier Neyens, Mount Vernon HS (WA) – Houston Astros
Pick: 21, Just Baseball Rank: 12
We were much higher on Xavier Neyens than most, as it is a beautiful left-handed swing with a ton of pop from the left side. Early in the draft cycle, there were some talks that Neyens could be a 1-1 candidate.
The approach is really advanced, although he can be too passive at times and miss out on capitalizing on his pitch. That should be easy to improve upon as he matures.
It’s super quick hands, and he often finds the barrel with ease when he makes contact, leading to some loud exit velos for his age.
He’s got the ability to stick at the hot corner if needed in the future as well. This is a kid who still has some development left and projection as well and should be a fun project to watch grow.
SS Wehiwa Aloy, Arkansas – Baltimore Orioles
Pick: 31, Just Baseball Rank: 20
If you get the Golden Spikes Award winner at 31, you have to be pretty happy. I know, I know, Golden Spikes doesn’t often dictate draft status, but still. Aloy was one of the best bats in all of college baseball.
He has made some changes to his approach and has showcased tons of power to the pull-side. There are some hit tool concerns, as he has a reasonably high whiff rate, but his bat-to-ball skills have improved, giving you some hope that there could be the ability to keep refining and improving it.
He has all the tools to stick at shortstop but he’s a physical specimen, and that could move him to third base in the future. We mocked him at 17 to the Chicago Cubs, so the Orioles must be thrilled that he fell to them at 31.
Rounds CBA-3
OF Charles Davalan, Arkansas – Los Angeles Dodgers
Pick: 41, Just Baseball Rank: 31
Man, do I love Charles Davalan as a player, and do I love him even more in the Los Angeles Dodgers farm system.
Davalan is just a dude who flat-out rakes, plays his tail off, and is an absolute grinder. You saw it every single game in the college baseball playoffs. Davalan transferred to Arkansas from Florida Gulf Coast and exploded onto the scene.
He was a driving force at the top of the Razorbacks’ lineup and showcased pop to all parts of the field. It’s average power right now, but it is coupled with a plus hit tool. If any team can tap into some more power for Davalan, it’s probably the Dodgers’ hitting development team.
Just a fun bat to see in Los Angeles and he’ll likely make some loud noise early in his professional career.
OF Jaden Fauske, Nazareth Academy (IL) – Chicago White Sox
Pick: 44, Just Baseball Rank: 30
LOVE this pick by the Chicago White Sox. We projected Fauske as a possible first-rounder, and the White Sox snagged him in round two at pick 44 and have to be very happy.
This is after getting prep shortstop Billy Carlson with the 10th overall pick. An incredible 1-2 combo here. Fauske was 30th overall on our board, and he was one of the most advanced approaches at the plate for a prep player.
The barrel control is insanely good, and he does a great job of driving the ball to all fields. The power is not as prevalent as you’d like to see, but he could grow into some more. This is just a REAL fun profile and another solid boost to an already strong White Sox farm system.
RHP Anthony Eyanson, LSU – Boston Red Sox
Pick: 87, Just Baseball Rank: 34
The Boston Red Sox did it again, didn’t they?! They were able to snag one of the best pitchers in all of college baseball with the 87th pick of the MLB Draft. Eyanson is an animal on the mound, pitching with a ton of fire and passion.
He’s easily the type of guy you want taking the ball for you every fifth day. It’s a cutterish fastball that’s in the low-90s, but he can get it up to the mid-90s when needed. He’s got two excellent breaking balls in his slider and curveball.
The curveball is disgusting, with tons of depth, and he can easily get it over the strike zone. He was able to go from UC San Diego to pitching in the SEC with LSU with no problem. I have to imagine his adjustment to pro ball won’t take long either.
Rounds 4-10
RHP Miguel Sime, Jr., Poly Prep Country Day (NY) – Washington Nationals
Pick: 111, Just Baseball Rank: 75
The Washington Nationals took Eli Willits with the first overall pick which means they likely saved quite a bit of money. They didn’t hesitate to go out and put that money to good use. With the 111th pick, they took one of the most intriguing prep arms in Miguel Sime, Jr.
This is a kid who was throwing fastballs at 100 mph by the age of 17. The 6’4, 235 lbs Sime is a massive presence on the mound and he now consistently sits in the mid-to-upper 90s with that fastball, still getting 100+ time to time.
His best secondary is his changeup and he also has a curveball, but the command is a work in progress. There is a lot to build on here and will be a long-term development project, but the pieces are there to be something special.
OF Mason Neville, Oregon – Cincinnati Reds
Pick: 114, Just Baseball Rank: 29
A top 30 player falling to 114? Not quite sure what happened here, but I’m sure the Cincinnati Reds are ecstatic to land Oregon’s Mason Neville here.
Neville was a player who began his career at Arkansas and struggled to find his footing. Flash forward, he transfers to Oregon and breaks the school’s home run record. He feasts on heaters pull side and has a ton of bat speed.
The ability to get barrel to ball is up there as well. He does struggle with some swing and miss on secondaries, but that is something that could mature with time. If he can fine-tune that, he could be hitting long-balls at Great American Ball Park in no time.
SS Colin Yeaman, UC Irvine – Baltimore Orioles
Pick: 124, Just Baseball Rank: 67
Colin Yeaman feels like the one college player we never talked enough about. With their enormous bonus pool, the Orioles were able to snag Yeaman, who was a top 75 player, at pick 124. Incredible value.
Yeaman posted an OPS well above 1.000 this year and showcased why he was one of the better college bats in all of baseball. He crushes fastballs pull side and mashed 16 doubles and 13 home runs this year. As Tyler explains in his write-up, he struggles with secondary offerings but has seen some improvement.
A likely second baseman at the next level, he still possesses a ton of upside and fits the mold of raw power and high OBP that the Orioles tend to love.
RHP Briggs McKenzie, Corinth Holders HS (NC) – Atlanta Braves
Pick: 127, Just Baseball Rank: 88
Hailing from the great state of North Carolina, our own Tyler Jennings got to see Briggs McKenzie in person and came away very impressed.
It is your prototypical Braves arm, as he is a guy who sits in the low-90s with the fastball with a ton of carry, and he just lives in the strike zone with it. He’s got a solid braking ball that looks more like a sweeper that has a ton of horizontal break.
Pitchability and a strike thrower with room to grow is usually fits the Braves mold and you have to love an arm like McKenzie developing in their system.
SS Coy James, Davie County HS (NC) – Washington Nationals
Pick: 142, Just Baseball Rank: 55
The Nationals did it again. Coy James was a near top 50 player in this entire draft, and we even mocked him in the first round in one mock draft. The Nationals get a steal here with pick 142.
Both Tyler Jennings and Peyton Sower on our team LOVED James, as they both felt it was one of the more incredible offensive profiles out of all the preps. He’s a bit aggressive, but the barrel control and quick hands are to dream on.
He’s also grown into some more power and has looked good defensively at shortstop with great range. This is a real fun player heading to the Nationals’ organization and there are so many tools to dream on.
OF James Quinn-Irons, George Mason – Tampa Bay Rays
Pick: 147, Just Baseball Rank: 95
Tooled out outfielder?! James Quinn-Irons just screams Tampa Bay Rays. Quinn-Irons was one of the most underrated players in the 2025 MLB Draft, and a lot of that was likely because he was at George Mason.
Quinn-irons comes in at 6’5, 230 lbs and is a freak athlete in the outfield. It’s incredible speed, range, and routing running out there. At the plate, it is power over hit, but his exit velos have been REAL nice. Just the type of bat the Rays like to tinker with and get more out of the hit tool.
It’s a perfect fit. We had him as a top 100 player, and the Rays were able to snag him at 147. This is going to be a real fun development story to follow.
OF Korbyn Dickerson, Indiana – Seattle Mariners
Pick: 152, Just Baseball Rank: 54
Getting a near top 50 player at 152 is wild. Dickerson was one of the biggest riser on draft boards.
Similar to Mason Neville, Korbyn Dickerson is a guy who benefited from a change of scenery. Dickerson started his career in Cincinnati after being a highly-touted prep guy, but he just struggled in his first year.
He transferred to Indiana and absolutely exploded. He completely revamped his swing to calm down some of the moving parts, and it has led to him containing more of swing and miss. On top of that, he’s shown some serious put, even getting one at 117 mph exit velocity this year.
The defense is just as good, and he utilizes real good speed and route running in centerfield. We thought he was going to go in the top three rounds, but the Mariners landed a steal here late in the draft.
SS Daniel Dickinson, LSU – Milwaukee Brewers
Pick 185: Just Baseball Rank: 39
Another LSU guy going much lower than we thought. Daniel Dickinson was a top 40 prospect for us and the Brewers ended up landing him with pick 185.
Dickinson has been one of the best hitters in all of college baseball dating back to his days at Utah Valley. A guy who was barely recruited out of high school, he grew quickly and became one of the best prospects in the 2025 MLB Draft.
The contact skills for Dickinson are elite. He has quick hands and has a unique ability to drive the ball to all parts of the field. The power isn’t quite there and is just below average, but his contact skills make up for it.
Dickinson is also another guy who likely ends up at second base given his arm strength, but after his performance at LSU this past season, he’s showcased he was one of the safer floors in this whole draft.
RHP Matthew Fisher, Evansville Memorial HS (IN) – Philadelphia Phillies
Pick: 221, Just Baseball Rank: 42
Who doesn’t love getting a top 40 pick at pick 221?! The Phillies snagging Matthew Fisher here this late was obviously an overslot pay for saving some money prior.
Fisher was one of the biggest risers on the prep pitching scene this summer, and the Phillies landed him as a potential steal. With a strong, effortless delivery and a fastball that touches 94 with big carry, he has the kind of stuff that misses bats.
He mixes in a sweeping breaking ball, a firm cutter, and a changeup with late fade, giving him a well-rounded arsenal. His polish, pitch mix, and mound presence make him a great value pick for Philadelphia.
C Brooks Bryan, Troy – Kansas City Royals
Pick: 248, Just Baseball Rank: 155
The Royals went with a lot of money savers in the later rounds and I was curious why, but then they made some moves that made sense. The snagged Brooks Bryan out of Troy with the 248th pick, and he was a near top 150 player for us.
Before the start of the season, Bryan was a consensus top 50 college player after a strong showing with the USA Collegiate National Team. Unfortunately, he followed that with a mediocre spring but still flashed some tools that are hard not to love.
He showcases immense power from the left side, posting good exit velocities. The power really plays to the pull side. Defensively, he has all the tools to stick behind the dish. Some refinement to his hit tool could lead to a special player in the future.
Rounds 11-20
LHP Jared Spencer, Texas – Toronto Blue Jays
Pick: 322, Just Baseball Rank: 120
Man, do I love this pick by the Toronto Blue Jays. There are, of course, injury concerns with Jared Spencer, but he was one of the most dominant arms in college baseball before going down.
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 No. 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 and will still be in the recovery process, but this is likely a cheap senior sign for the Jays with a lot of potential to bank on in the future.
RHP River Hamilton, Woodvillage HS (OR) – Detroit Tigers
Pick: 339, Just Baseball Rank: 149
You had a feeling that the Detroit Tigers were going to pop some prep prospect late in the draft, and they did so with the 339th pick as they took RHP River Hamilton.
Hamilton was a strong value play for the Tigers, betting on projection and upside. The lanky right-hander has a fastball with elite carry and ride, already sitting low-90s with plenty of room to grow.
His athletic, loose delivery and developing offspeed pitches give him a high ceiling, especially if the command continues to sharpen. With Hamilton now committed to LSU, Detroit will have to be aggressive to sign him, but the potential payoff makes him a smart risk.
SS Tyson Moran, F.E. Madill (ON) – Kansas City Royals
Pick: 398, Just Baseball Rank: 123
The Royals went through an entire slew of money-saver picks before snagging Canadian shortstop Tyson Moran with the 398th pick. Moran was a guy who was in our top 125 and for good reason.
Moran played himself into being one of the top Canadian prospects after having a strong spring. The bat-to-ball skills are elite, and he has an excellent approach at the plate with a frame that has considerable projection remaining.
It was a prep-heavy class for the Royals, but they have to be happy to land Moran this late into the draft.
RHP Sam Horn, Missouri – Los Angeles Dodgers
Pick: 525, Just Baseball Rank: 108
It always feels like the Dodgers are going to Dodger! Insane that at pick 525 they get a near top 100 prospect in the draft in RHP Sam Horn.
Despite the injury history, Sam Horn was a savvy value pick by the Dodgers. He’s a big-time athlete with explosive stuff, including a fastball that’s touched 99 and a sweeping slider that flashes plus.
His extension numbers are elite, giving his pitches even more perceived velocity. If he can stay healthy, Horn has the upside of a high-octane arm who could move quickly in a pro system, making this a worthwhile gamble for Los Angeles.
Written by
Jared Perkins is a College Baseball and MLB Draft Director for Just Baseball. He's a Host and Co-Founder of The College Baseball Show.