2025 MLB Draft Mock Draft

An IBWAA co-director puts forth a mock draft with the MLB draft one week away

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Pregame Pepper

Did you know…

. . . The first overall selection in the first MLB draft was Rick Monday, selected by the Athletics in 1965. Monday’s $100,000 bonus to sign was not topped for the first decade of the draft, until Danny Goodwin received $125,000 to sign with the Angels in 1975. It was Goodwin’s second time being selected first overall. He did not sign in 1971 with the White Sox. When he did not sign, Goodwin became the first of three No. 1 overall picks who did not sign with his drafting team.

. . . Including last season’s top overall pick Travis Bazzana of Cleveland, only four top overall selections have no MLB time. The first No. 1 selection to be selected to the Hall of Fame was Ken Griffey, Jr. in 2016. He’s since been joined by Chipper Jones (2018) and Joe Mauer (2024).

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Leading Off

2025 MLB Draft Mock Draft

By Benjamin Chase

The 2025 MLB Draft kicks off in Cumberland, Georgia, on Sunday, July 13. ESPN and MLB Network will broadcast the first round, beginning at 6 p.m. ET. Many places have produced mock drafts and draft rankings. This is a quick stab at an idea of how the first round could play out. To learn more about the players mentioned below, review MLB Pipeline’s top 250 draft prospect rankings.

Note: The New York Mets, New York Yankees, and Los Angeles Dodgers exceeded the highest level of the luxury tax.

MLB Mock Draft First Round, Compensatory, and Collective Bargaining Agreement Round A Selections.

1. Washington Nationals - Kade Anderson, LHP, Louisiana State

2. Los Angeles Angels - Liam Doyle, LHP, Tennessee

3. Seattle Mariners - Seth Hernandez, RHP, California HS

4. Colorado Rockies - Ethan Holiday, SS, Oklahoma HS

5. St. Louis Cardinals - Eli Willits, SS, Oklahoma HS

6. Pittsburgh Pirates - Billy Carlson, SS, California HS

7. Miami Marlins - JoJo Parker, SS, Mississippi HS

8. Toronto Blue Jays - Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State

9. Cincinnati Reds - Ike Irish, C/OF, Auburn

10. Chicago White Sox - Aiva Arquette, SS, Oregon State

11. Athletics - Tyler Bremner, RHP, UC-Santa Barbara

12. Texas Rangers - Daniel Pierce, SS, Georgia HS

13. San Francisco Giants - Xavier Neyens, 3B, Washington HS

14. Tampa Bay Rays - Steele Hall, SS, Alabama HS

15. Boston Red Sox - Jace LaViolette, OF, Texas A&M

16. Minnesota Twins - Brendan Summerhill, OF, Arizona

17. Chicago Cubs - Kyson Witherspoon, RHP, Oklahoma

18. Arizona Diamondbacks - Sean Gamble, 2B/OF, Florida HS

19. Baltimore Orioles - Luke Stevenson, C, North Carolina

20. Milwaukee Brewers - Gage Wood, RHP, Arkansas

21. Houston Astros - Andrew Fischer, 1B/3B, Tennessee

22. Atlanta Braves - Wehiwa Aloy, SS, Arkansas

23. Kansas City Royals - Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP, Oregon HS

24. Detroit Tigers - Marek Houston, SS, Wake Forest

25. San Diego Padres - Gavin Fien, 3B, California HS

26. Philadelphia Phillies - Gavin Kilen, 2B, Tennessee

27. Cleveland Guardians - Caden Bodine, C, Coastal Carolina

28. Kansas City Royals - Kayson Cunningham, SS, Texas HS

29. Arizona Diamondbacks - Ethan Conrad, OF, Wake Forest

30. Baltimore Orioles - Slater de Brun, OF, Oregon HS

31. Baltimore Orioles - Jack Bauer, LHP, Illinois HS

32. Milwaukee Brewers - Devin Taylor, OF, Indiana

33. Boston Red Sox - Marcus Phillips, RHP, Tennessee

34. Detroit Tigers - Josh Hammond, 3B, North Carolina HS

35. Seattle Mariners - Quentin Young, 3B/OF, California HS

36. Minnesota Twins - Taitn Gray, C/OF, Iowa HS

37. Tampa Bay Rays - Zack Root, LHP, Arkansas

38. New York Mets - Brandon Compton, OF, Arizona State

39. New York Yankees - Riley Quick, RHP, Alabama

40. Los Angeles Dodgers - Patrick Forbes, RHP, Louisville

41. Los Angeles Dodgers - Alec Blair, OF, California HS

42. Tampa Bay Rays - Tate Southisene, SS/OF, Nevada HS

43. Miami Marlins - Cameron Appenzeller, LHP, Illinois HS

As you can tell, the high school shortstop crop is very deep, so team preferences could lead to many players in the top end of that position group falling to the second day, where they potentially will not be affordable to sign. That’s also true of the college arm class, as there are a dozen arms that were in consideration in the final dozen picks.

Tune in and watch the next generation of MLB stars find their homes!

Benjamin Chase is one of the co-directors of the IBWAA. In his non-baseball work, he is the managing editor for a rural newspaper in South Dakota. He writes for his Medium site, Chasing Baseball Greatness, and podcasts with the Pallazzo Podcast network, focusing on prospects. He can be found on most social media networks under the handle biggentleben.

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Extra Innings

Today is the birthday of two Negro League icons, Satchel Paige and Ted Radcliffe. While nearly every baseball fan has heard of Paige, Radcliffe is more well-known among those who appreciate the history of the Negro Leagues. Radcliffe was well-known as “Double Duty” Radcliffe. Paige and Radcliffe were friends from their youth and remained so for years.

A SABR member did a video on Radcliffe: