2025 MLB Draft Review: Los Angeles Angels

Full list of draftees

The Angels had a clear draft strategy if a bit unusual. First, they gave fringe-top ten prospect Tyler Bremner the second largest under slot deal of the draft at pick #2, then spread the more than $2.5 million in savings around to nothing less than a hoard of high school pitchers, headlined by third rounder Johnny Slawinski. In fact, LA not only drafted but signed nine preps in total. The focus for those prep pitchers was athleticism, with many multi-sport stars and projection plays among them. Beyond the preps, it was a pitching-focused draft for the Angels as a whole, taking seven arms with their first eight picks and ultimately handing nine of their ten largest bonuses to pitchers. This will be a very interesting draft to look back on in a decade – if Tyler Bremner succeeds as an impact starting pitcher, then it's highway robbery that the Angels could shell out additional millions to prep pitchers. If he doesn't, but more than a couple of these prep picks hit, then it works out too. But there is a lot of pressure on both Bremner and the group prep arms.
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Note that the number before a player's name indicates their draft position. For example, "2-50" would indicate that a player was taken in the second round with the fiftieth overall pick.

1-2: RHP Tyler Bremner, UC Santa Barbara
Slot value: $10.25 million. Signing bonus: $7.69 million ($2.56 million below slot value).
My rank: #12. MLB Pipeline: #18. Baseball America: #11.
Tyler Bremner has seen his stock climb up and down on a roller coaster, culminating in one of the more surprising picks of this draft. A hot recruit out of Scripps Ranch High School in suburban San Diego, he made it to campus at UCSB and immediately jumped into a swingman role as a freshman. He took a huge step forward as a sophomore by going 11-1 with a 2.54 ERA, again as a swingman, and established himself as one of the top prospects in the 2025 draft class. Entering his junior year, Bremner and Florida State lefty Jamie Arnold (#11 pick, A's) were considered the top two college pitchers in the country, but Bremner pitched to more "good" than "great" results to start the season, falling towards the middle of the first round as roughly the fifth best college pitcher in the class. Through those first seven starts, he had a 4.24 ERA and just 37 strikeouts in 34 innings (26.2% K rate). However, he turned on the jets starting in April and over his final starts struck out 74 batters in 43.1 innings (43.8% K rate) with a 2.91 ERA, rocketing back closer to the top ten picks by July. Then, the Angels shocked the baseball world by taking him second overall, fully buying into his dynamite second half while taking a massive discount, paying him closer to the slot value of the #6 pick. So who is Tyler Bremner? He has a mid 90's fastball that touches 98 at peak, coming in with big riding life to shoot past bats at the top of the zone. He sharpened up his slider nicely during his time in Santa Barbara but it lacked consistency in 2025, fluctuating between a sweeper and a gyro look, and he didn't throw it as much as he did in 2024. The changeup is his bread and butter, coming in with massive off-the-table drop that hitters struggled mightily with. He could tell them that it's coming, and in fact he can drop his arm a little when he throws it sometimes, and they'll still never hit it. His low release point helps his pitches play up as well, though he doesn't get a ton of extension. The 6'2" righty has a loose, athletic delivery that he repeats well for above average command, pounding the strike zone consistently to pitch deep into games. With his build, delivery, and command, he is a high probability starting pitcher at the next level. What will determine his ultimate ceiling will be whether he can bring the slider along, as he currently projects as a #3 starter unless he can work it back into an above average or better pitch.

2-47: RHP Chase Shores, Louisiana State
Slot value: $2.08 million. Signing bonus: $2.08 million.
My rank: #57. MLB Pipeline: #77. Baseball America: #86.
In some ways, this pick is a little reminiscent of last year's second rounder, Chris Cortez, whom the Angels took 45th in 2025. Chase Shores, like Tyler Bremner, was a highly touted prep prospect who reached campus at LSU. He was electric as a freshman in 2023 and had some scouts pegging him as an early candidate to go first overall in 2025, but went down with Tommy John surgery after just seven appearances and missed the entire 2024 season as well. Returning healthy in 2025, he showed the same big stuff but struggled with command and consistency, losing his spot in the LSU rotation but keeping his stock from falling too far by pitching effectively out of the bullpen. Shores is a massive guy with massive arm strength. Listed at 6'8", 245 pounds, he strikes an imposing presence on the mound and backs it up by running his fastball as high as 102. It normally sits in the mid 90's as a starter and in the upper 90's as a reliever with run and sink that makes it difficult to square up. His slider remains inconsistent, but it flashes plus at its best hard, tight, two-plane snap. His changeup has also taken a step forward in Baton Rouge with nice fade off that running fastball, giving him a deadly three pitch mix when he has everything going right. The command, though, has been fringy at best and he has days where he simply can't get ahead in the count, though he didn't walk any batters over his final five appearances spanning 8.1 innings. Shores holds his velocity deep into starts and has more than enough of what it takes to start, but he'll have to get more consistent with both his secondary stuff and his command in order to get there. If it does all click and he stays healthy, the West Texas native has even more upside than Tyler Bremner, but carries a lot more risk.

3-79: LHP Johnny Slawinski, Johnson City HS [TX]
Slot value: $1.03 million. Signing bonus: $2.5 million ($1.47 million above slot value).
My rank: #61. MLB Pipeline: #68. Baseball America: #78.
Using a massive chunk of their savings from Tyler Bremner, the Angels grabbed high school lefty Johnny Slawinski for more than double his slot value, giving him a bonus roughly in line with the #39 pick here at pick #79 to pull him away from a Texas A&M commitment. While his stuff isn't quite as loud as some of the other names on this list yet, he is as projectable as they come with the ceiling of a frontline starter. The fastball sits low 90's and touches 95 at peak, playing up a bit with riding action. He is still working to tighten up his slider, which can get loopy, but his best ones have late dive that make it look like an above average breaker. He can work it into a truer 12-6 curveball that gets average grades, while his changeup has taken a step forward with nice fade. The 6'3" lefty is a superb athlete that has also excelled on the hardwood, the gridiron, and the track, which translates to a smooth, athletic delivery and nice extension down the mound. He has a ton of projection remaining and could add several ticks of velocity to his fastball while adding power to his whole arsenal, power that will be especially usable given his athleticism. Slawinski also does a great job of staying around the zone, so ultimately we are looking at a four pitch lefty with the athleticism, command, and durability to make it as an impact starter if he reaches his peak. There is a ways to go in that regard but he is already more advanced than the typical small town arm (he grew up in Hill Country about forty miles west of Austin) and has a pretty straightforward, if long, development path. The Angels hefty investment indicates a high degree of confidence he will make those strides and become at least a #2 or #3 starter.

3C-105: RHP Nate Snead, Tennessee
Slot value: $729,600. Signing bonus: $597,500 ($132,100 below slot value).
My rank: #155. MLB Pipeline: #148. Baseball America: #84.
Continuing a run on pitchers, the Angels went chasing velocity again with an under slot signing here as compensation for failing to sign 2024 #81 overall pick Ryan Prager (now with the Guardians). Nate Snead started off at Wichita State, where he immediately became one of the Shockers' most reliable relievers as a freshman, then transferred to Tennessee after one season. He has fulfilled the same role in Knoxville and now will do the same for Los Angeles. Snead throws hard, sitting in the mid to upper 90's with his fastball and touching 101 at peak, though its hard running and sinking action creates more ground balls than it misses bats. By taking just a little bit off, he can throw a hard mid 90's cutter that has proven very effective when located, or he can turn it over further into a true slider in the mid 80's. He offers a hard, short curveball as a change of pace offering and used it more often in 2025 when he didn't feel he could trust his slider, while his firm changeup gives him a fifth pitch but hasn't proven very effective yet. With long arm action and a low three quarters delivery, the 6'2" righty is able to pound the zone effectively but his control is far ahead of his command, meaning his misses are often over the heart of the plate. With that fastball being his only consistent offering, hitters can sit on it and he hasn't missed nearly as many bats as you would hope from a pitcher who throws as hard as he does. In fact, in two years in Knoxville, he has never run a strikeout rate above 19% (for reference, Tyler Bremner grabbed 35.8% in 2025 and Chase Shores got 24.6%). The Angels will need to help Snead bring his offspeed stuff along, perhaps by tightening up the arsenal and focusing on a couple of secondaries, if he wants to be successful missing pro bats. The arm talent is certainly there and you really can't teach 101. The Milwaukee-area native projects as a reliever unless the secondaries come along in a big way and he tightens his command.

4-109: 3B Jake Munroe, Louisville
Slot value: $701,300. Signing bonus: $597,500 ($103,800 below slot value).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: #256.
For their first position player, the Angels took a slight discount on Jake Munroe with hopes he can work quickly through the minors and make an impact on their big league lineup. He spent two years at John A. Logan JC in Illinois, then transferred to Louisville where he just kept on hitting. Munroe uses a tight, lightning quick right handed swing to ambush fastballs and breaking balls alike, showing no growing pains jumping from Midwest JuCo pitching to the ACC and hitting .299/.437/.523 in conference play, impressively walking more (16.1%) than he struck out (13.9%) against some of the best pitching he'd ever seen. To that point, he also dominated the Northwoods League, probably the second best summer league out there behind the Cape Cod League, to the tune of a .313/.411/.615 line last summer. He shows fringe-average pop with the ability to turn on and crank balls on the inner half of the plate, playing more as a line drive bat the other way. It's a pretty balanced overall offensive profile that could project for 15 home runs and solid on-base percentages annually. A third baseman for now, Munroe will need to work hard to remain at the hot corner with fringy athleticism and below average speed. If he has to slide to first base, there will be pressure on his right handed bat to continue to grow into more power, though his 6'2", 230 pound frame looks about as filled out as it's going to get. Munroe's track record of hitting everywhere he has gone is extremely impressive and the Angels are banking on that upward trend continuing as he ascends through the pro ranks.

5-140: RHP CJ Gray, Brown HS [NC]
Slot value: $519,100. Signing bonus: $1.25 million ($730,900 above slot value).
My rank: #132. MLB Pipeline: #178. Baseball America: #118.
Dipping again into the massive chunk of change they saved on Tyler Bremner, the Angels were able to hand CJ Gray a large over slot bonus worth close to the value of the #69 pick here at #140, turning him away from an NC State commitment. Gray has a live arm with tons of untapped potential, but he'll need significant development to get there. The fastball sits low to mid 90's and touches 97 with explosive running life, and there should be even more in the tank as he continues to tack on strength. He is still searching for the identity of his slider, showing inconsistent shape that fluctuates from fringy to above average, while his release is actually very conducive to a changeup and he has much better feel in that regard than you'd expect from a multi-sport star. Accordingly, the 6'2" righty is an excellent athlete that starred as A.L. Brown High School's quarterback and earned Division I interest for his skills on the gridiron. While the split focus makes him a bit raw on the mound, that athleticism gives him massive upside and you can see it in the way he moves on the mound. He's explosive, lean, strong, and only getting better. To this point, his delivery remains raw as well, as he struggles to repeat his release point and presently has erratic command. Los Angeles will look to bring him along slowly, hoping that the singular focus on baseball along with standard growth and maturation in the pro system will help him tap into his high potential. Like I said with Nate Snead – you can teach command, you can get secondary stuff more consistent, but you can't teach athleticism and arm talent like Gray has. He could become anything from an impact starting pitcher to a hard throwing reliever.

6-169: RHP Luke LaCourse: Bay City Western HS [MI]
Slot value: $393,700. Signing bonus: $512,500 ($118,800 above slot value).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: #213.
Continuing to spend through that bonus pool, Los Angeles went about a round above slot value to sign Luke LaCourse away from a Michigan State commitment. A multi sport star like the other prep arms in this Angels class, LaCourse has the added factor of being a cold weather arm from Central Michigan with presumably far fewer miles on his arm. The fastball velocity is modest, low 90's and touching 94 on his best days but sitting upper 80's on others albeit with big spin rates. His slider is his best pitch, coming in with wicked sweep across the plate and elite spin rates pushing far above the 3,000 RPM threshold. His changeup is a third pitch that will need significant refinement. The 6'3" righty brings present physicality and projection, which combined with athleticism and a cold weather background should help him add significant velocity in the future. LaCourse has tight arm action that helps him really coil on the baseball, especially on his breaking ball, and generate high spin rates across his arsenal. The command needs fine tuning but looks playable on the right day, and regardless the Angels are highly confident they can get him where he needs to be. If LaCourse can stay healthy, add some velocity, and bring his changeup along, he has mid rotation upside albeit with high risk.

12-349: LHP Talon Haley, Lewisburg HS [MS]
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $897,500 ($747,500 against bonus pool).
My rank: #111. MLB Pipeline: #91. Baseball America: #89.
Taking yet another chunk from their copious bonus pool savings, the Angels spent third round money (roughly the value of pick #88) to pull Talon Haley away from a Vanderbilt commitment. Haley has taken a winding road to reach where he is, to say the least. Namely, he survived lymphoma and two Tommy John surgeries all while in high school, then went out and put up a big senior season at Lewisburg High School outside of Memphis. His fastball has average velocity in the low 90's, but he can run it up to 97 in short stints when he reaches back. As he gets farther from the surgeries and the cancer, he should push closer to that peak velocity for longer stints. He gets nice two-plane action on his above average curveball, which already looks like a big league breaking ball, and can turn it over into a solid slider as well. While his changeup may be his fourth best pitch, it too is solid and rounds out a very advanced arsenal. Haley is already very physical, which combined with his simple delivery and deep arsenal, gives him a great chance to remain a starter in pro ball. He repeats his delivery well and pounds the strike zone, and ultimately looks exactly how you'd draw it up for a workhorse starting pitcher. He may not have the ace upside of the other prep arms in this class, but he's a safer bet than all of them and should move the quickest through the minors. He is a year older than most high schoolers and will be 20 years old ahead of his first spring training in 2026, which is understandable.

13-379: LHP Xavier Mitchell, Prestonwood Christian HS [TX]
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $872,500 ($722,500 against bonus pool).
My rank: #161. MLB Pipeline: #168. Baseball America: #114.
Another lefty, Xavier Mitchell is otherwise very different from Talon Haley but signed for similar third round money. His modest fastball currently sits in the low 90's and touches 93 with lots of running life, but more is certainly on the way. His curveball is inconsistent to this point but flashes above average with downward bite, but it can soften up at times. He rounds things out with a nice changeup, giving him three big league pitches to start things out. Mitchell stands out most for his projection as a 6'3" string bean with room to add upwards of fifty pounds of good weight, which could add more than a few ticks of velocity in the coming years. You can never bet on a guy adding 5+ miles per hour, but if anybody can, Mitchell is in great position to do it. He already moves very well on the mound with a loose, athletic delivery that will be conducive to putting the incoming strength to work, and as a lefty, he has a lot going for him if the Angels can pull it out of him. It will take a long time to develop, much like the other non-Haley prep arms in this class, but the reward may well be worth it. The Dallas-area product is old for the class, having turned 19 the day before he was drafted. He had previously been committed to Texas.

2025 MLB Draft: Ten candidates to go first overall

For the second consecutive season, the Washington Nationals have won the MLB Draft Lottery, and for the third straight year they have positioned themselves for a top-two pick. They were ineligible to claim that number one overall pick last year and wound up selecting Seaver King tenth overall, but this time they'll do so for the first time since selecting Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper first overall in back to back drafts in 2009 and 2010. There is no clear frontrunner at this point, with bats Ethan Holliday and Jace LaViolette seemingly separating themselves as the most famous prospects in the draft for now, but pure hit tool questions are present for both. Behind them, two college arms have risen to the top of a shallow class in that regard, while Holliday narrowly leads an incredibly deep class of high school bats.

LHP Jamie Arnold, Florida State. My rank: #1.
Between Jamie Arnold and Tyler Bremner, the clear cut top two college arms in this class, Bremner is the more traditional prospect while Arnold brings a more unique, new school profile. That would seemingly make Bremner the more likely target for Washington, a more traditional organization, but Arnold has been so good that he's certainly worth keeping an eye on and he has pushed to the top of my draft board. In a year where offense was up across the board, Arnold seemingly missed the memo and went 11-3 with a 2.89 ERA and 159 strikeouts, the latter of which was far and away the highest total of any underclassman in the country – the next best sophomore was Wofford righty Zac Cowan, whose 124 strikeouts came while pitching against weaker competition in the SoCon as opposed to Arnold's ACC schedule. The stuff here is dynamite. Arnold's low to mid 90's fastball peaks at 97, impressive velocity for a lefty in its own right. His best pitch is a plus slider that dives across the plate with a foot of sweeping action, sending ACC hitters flailing and likely to make even MLB hitters look foolish when he snaps it right. While he primarily relies on the fastball and slider, his changeup has made strides and is looking like a solid average pitch with above average flashes and could be a game changer if it continues to improve. Everything plays up out of Arnold's hand due to his sidearm delivery, creating an ultra low release height that creates a very uncomfortable at bat for hitters. The low release point puts more run and sink on his fastball than ride, but it's still effective both up and down in the zone. Meanwhile, the 6'1" lefty has one more trait that makes him a unicorn, and that's his command. If it's tough enough facing a sidearming lefty with a fastball up to 97 and a devastating slider, he compounds that by pounding the strike zone and walking just 5.8% of his opponents last year, a feat virtually unheard of from his profile. The Tampa native has true ace upside if he can continue to develop on a normal path.
What the Nationals will look for in 2025: The book is straightforward here. The fastball and slider are good to go. Arnold's biggest focus should be refining his changeup, as continuing its positive trajectory by upping its usage in 2025 and truly incorporating it into his arsenal will make him a complete pitcher. I believe he can do it. Then of course, command is always the last X factor. Arnold has the command right now, so he'll simply need to avoid taking a step back in that regard in 2025. Though it's not the profile the Nationals look for, a three pitch lefty with explosive stuff and above average command will be hard for Mike Rizzo to overlook.

OF Jace LaViolette, Texas A&M. My rank: #2.
At this point, Jace LaViolette appears to be the very slight frontrunner as the best prospect in the class. A superstar since his very first days on campus at Texas A&M, he has done nothing but blast fifty home runs and slash .297/.433/.683 in 132 games for the Aggies so far, all before he could legally buy a drink. If the Nationals want an impact bat at the top of the draft, they should look no further. The power is unquestionable. Standing 6'6", LaViolette's left handed swing is naturally geared towards lofting balls to the pull side while his extra large frame provides the power to send balls rocketing off his barrel. While the swing is more pull-oriented, he has more than enough power to leave the park to any field at any time, and his 29 home runs in 2024 were the most by any non-draft-eligible college hitter last year. The Houston-area native is a patient hitter who also led all underclassmen with 64 walks last season, helping him spit on breaking balls and get that fastball he loves to crush. LaViolette's primary weakness is against quality offspeed in the zone, with his long levers causing some swing and miss issues that led to an elevated 24.3% strikeout rate last year. No matter how much power you have, striking out a quarter of the time makes it tough to get drafted in the first round, let alone first overall. Last year, only two first rounders ran strikeout rates of 20% or higher – #12 pick Braden Montgomery (20%) and #22 pick Vance Honeycutt (27.5%). LaViolette is a solid runner underway, though at his size he lacks the quick twitch first step to play center field and likely settles into right field, where he should be an above average defender with an above average arm. These days many tall college sluggers get compared to Aaron Judge, but it's an apt comp for LaViolette with the caveat that he bats left handed. As it stands today, no hitter in this draft has a better chance to anchor a big league lineup as an MVP-caliber bat.
What the Nationals will look for in 2025: The power is there. The approach is there. He's gotten opportunities to play center field while in college and while proving he could stick there would go a long way towards slotting him into the first overall pick, that does seem a bit unlikely and the Nationals are probably more or less comfortable projecting him as a right fielder. That leaves the hit tool as the primary barometer here. If he can continue to keep the chases down and cut down the in zone swing and miss, getting his strikeout rate under about 20% or preferably even lower would be the best thing he could do for his chances to go first overall.

RHP Tyler Bremner, UC Santa Barbara. My rank: #3.
It's a very different profile, but Tyler Bremner is every bit as talented as Jamie Arnold and as a more traditional starting pitcher, he probably fits the Nationals' mold a little better. Bremner was one of the better pitching prospects in Southern California in 2022, but made it to campus at UC Santa Barbara and broke out for an excellent 2024 in which he went 11-1 with a 2.54 ERA and a 104/21 strikeout to walk ratio over 88.2 innings. The fastball sits mid 90's and touches 98, a tick harder than Arnold, coming in with a ton of riding life out of a relatively low release point. He throws a plus slider that works between a sweeper and more of a gyro pitch, getting the type of break he needs for the situation. A separator here from Arnold, though is his changeup. While Arnold is mostly a fastball/slider guy right now, Bremner might have the best changeup in the draft with massive drop that just dives under bats with ease. Listed at 6'2", 190 pounds, he's big enough to handle a starter's workload and repeats his delivery well, helping him pound the strike zone with average command and above average control. It's an extremely well-rounded profile with no holes, with a high probability of becoming a mid-rotation starter or better.
What the Nationals will look for in 2025: Bremner already has a chance for three plus pitches, so there's nothing on the to-do list there. Like most college pitchers, he'll just need to focus on the two classics – stay healthy and stay in the strike zone. Having already thrown 144 innings over two years in Santa Barbara thus far, health hasn't been an issue yet, and his 6.4% career walk rate is plenty low enough to satisfy a picky front office. Fine tuning his command within the zone while maintaining his high end stuff could get him over the hump to the first overall pick.

SS Ethan Holliday, Stillwater HS [OK]. My rank: #4.
Three years ago, Jackson Holliday was the first overall pick of the 2022 draft, but younger brother Ethan enters his senior season at Stillwater High School in Oklahoma as a much better prospect. Jackson entered the 2022 draft cycle with more of an early second round projection, then came out for his senior year looking significantly more physical and put up a fantastic season to push his way to the top of the draft. Ethan, however, is already there and the 1-1 spot is well within reach. First off, he has four inches and fifteen-plus pounds on his older brother, leading to a very different profile. While Jackson was a hit-over-power type who grew into his pop, Ethan easily projects for plus power with a powerful left handed swing that naturally lofts the ball to make use of his imposing 6'4" frame. Having grown up around the game with a pair of Oklahoma State head coaches in his family and an MLB All Star father, Holliday's high baseball IQ is apparent on the field. He controls the strike zone well and taps his power in games, though at this point his long levers can create some swing and miss in the zone. At the top of the draft, defensive value is important, and Ethan provides that as well. A shortstop at present, he shows the same polish and baseball IQ on the dirt with smooth actions and a strong arm, though his size and lack of first step quickness will likely push him to third base in the long run. He'll still be solid to above average at the hot corner. While some prospect fatigue may have set in at this point, it would be perfectly reasonable for Holliday to match his older brother's draft position on his way to belting 30+ home runs annually to go with solid on-base percentages with a strong glove on the left side of the infield.
What the Nationals will look for in 2025: Holliday's biggest obstacle may be prospect fatigue at this point, having been closely followed since his freshman year of high school, which was also his brother's senior year. No one is questioning the power, but he'll have to make more contact than perhaps others in his position to stop that prospect fatigue from creeping up. More evaluators have questioned his pure bat to ball over the past six months ago, and while he won't face the toughest competition in northern Oklahoma, he'll want to keep the swing and miss to a minimum. Additionally, it will be helpful to show a little more athleticism to give hope he can stick at shortstop.

RHP Seth Hernandez, Corona HS [CA]. My rank: #6.
No high school right handed pitcher has ever gone first overall, and with NIL drawing more talent to college and teams pivoting just a little bit away from pitchers early in the draft, it seems less likely than ever to happen. Over the past seventeen years, the Nationals have drafted just one high school pitcher, Mason Denaburg (2018), in the first round. Seth Hernandez, though, has a chance to be the best high school pitching prospect since Jackson Jobe in 2021, and for that reason it's not out of the question that he ends both of those droughts. It's a huge right arm that sits in the mid 90's and reached triple digits over the summer, though the pitch stands out more for its velocity than its movement. His breaking ball is still searching for its identity, ranging from slurvy curveball to a cuttery sweeper to more of a bullet slider. At this point, that's the lone hole in his profile. Similar to Tyler Bremner, he throws a devastating changeup with late diving action that leaves high school hitters helpless, a true separator for a teenage pitcher. Though he's up there tickling triple digits, Hernandez has a smooth, athletic delivery with little wasted movement and nice extension down the mound. That lets him pound the strike zone with reasonably solid command, which should hold as he continues to fill out. The Southern California native has top of the rotation upside if he puts it together.
What the Nationals will look for in 2025: Health and command are evergreen checkboxes in this section for any pitcher, and of course Hernandez needs to stay healthy and throw his share of strikes. The big opportunity here, though, will be his breaking ball. His fastball and changeup are already both plus pitches, so finding a more consistent slider and/or curveball could make him a truly complete pitching prospect. At present, he probably belongs more in the 5-10 range on talent (bonus demands notwithstanding).

SS Eli Willits, Fort Cobb-Broxton HS [OK]. My rank: #7.
We're going to talk about Jackson Holliday again. While his younger brother, Ethan, is arguably the most famous name in this draft and has his sights set on 1-1, it's actually Eli Willits who shares the most similarities to the Orioles' shortstop of the future. Willits, like Holliday, is the son of a former major leaguer and current college coach, Reggie Willits, and lives in rural Oklahoma. With a similar average frame that isn't quite physically mature yet and a game predicated more on polish than present physicality, extending further similarities to Holliday. Holliday came out for his senior season in 2022 looking more physical than he had in the past, and early indications are that Willits may be in the same boat which is creating significant heat for the prep infielder. He's a switch hitter with a very simple swing from both sides of the plate, using his excellent plate coverage to go with the pitch and drive the ball with authority to all fields consistently. This has enabled him to be one of the top performers on the showcase circuit for a long time despite playing against much older competition – he only turned 17 in December, making him a full year younger, even a year in a half in some cases, than most of his counterparts. The power isn't quite there yet, as he's listed at just 165 pounds for now and needs to really turn on and crank the ball to get it out. That's where the age comes in again, with the hope that his youth brings significant added physicality going forward. Similar to his offense, he brings a polished glove at shortstop with above average arm and range to give him a good shot to stick at the premium position. He's also quick enough to play center field if needed, but the Nationals likely won't need that with much more depth in the grass than the dirt.
What the Nationals will look for in 2025: Jackson Holliday entered his senior season with a strikingly similar profile to Eli Willits, then came out looking much more physical in the spring. It appears Willits is tacking on physicality as well, so if added impact and over the fence power comes this spring as well, he could follow the exact same path to the first overall pick. He's set to play his entire pro debut at 17 years old, so the power should be coming. Proving he can stick at shortstop, which is not unlikely, will also help.

SS Aiva Arquette, Oregon State. My rank: #11.
The top prospect in a loaded Oregon State lineup that also includes Trent Caraway (#26), Gavin Turley (#33), and Dallas Macias (unranked), Aiva Arquette is a scout favorite who seems to be a "pick to click" for many. A highly regarded high school prospect from the Honolulu area, he put up a strong sophomore season at Washington in 2024 (12 HR, .325/.384/.574) then raised his profile further by hitting .291/.357/.437 on the Cape and impressing evaluators as he improved throughout. Clocking in at 6'4", 220 pounds, he has a big league body right now and has seen his on-field production steadily improve to match. He channels that size into above average power which he taps naturally with the ability to drive the ball in the air with authority. His approach is somewhat aggressive, which has led to subpar strikeout to walk ratios in Seattle and on the Cape, but he makes plenty of contact despite a swoopier right handed swing and is trending hard in the right direction. His bigger size might make shortstop a tough sell, but he has the mobility and arm strength to play an above average third base down the road. Similar to his offense, scouts have been impressed by the progress he's made with his glove and some believe he can stick at shortstop. With his glove and bat both trending hard in the right direction, he has a chance to turn himself into an above average all around hitter with the defense to stick on the left side of the infield and a track record of hitting through high school, college, and summer leagues.
What the Nationals will look for in 2025: Arquette may not be the flashiest option at the top of the draft, but if he cuts his chases in 2025, the strikeout rate will likely follow and he'll have a very productive season in Corvallis. Additionally, continuing to show well at shortstop will up his value if the Nationals believe he can stick there. If Arquette does go first overall, he would likely be an under-slot option due to a lower ceiling.

LHP Cameron Appenzeller, Glenwood HS [IL]. My rank: #15.
Glenwood High School just outside of Springfield, Illinois has produced numerous major leaguers, most notably former Nationals star Jayson Werth. If Mike Rizzo wants another Glenwood alumnus, Cameron Appenzeller could be an interesting option. As mentioned under Seth Hernandez, the Nationals have taken just one high school pitcher in the first round over the past seventeen years, but it can always happen. Appenzeller is a 6'6" lefty, which will already make scouts sit up and take notice. The fastball isn't overwhelming, sitting in the low 90's and peaking around 94, and he works between both a four and two seam. He has a nice, deep slider with plenty of sweep that he shows good feel for, working it to both sides of the plate and understanding how to deploy it to get the best results. His changeup gives him a third solid option with nice fade. Appenzeller does not sell out for velocity, instead using an athletic, free and easy delivery to help him pound the strike zone with better command than most high school pitchers. His low three quarters arm slot creates a tough look for hitters, with a low, wide release point and an east-west profile. He's not quite a top ten pick at this point, but he could get there quickly as soon as the Southern Illinois weather warms up this spring with all the ingredients to become an ace.
What the Nationals will look for in 2025: Command is always the X factor, and while he shows good command for a high school arm, Appenzeller of course has a long ways to go in that regard like any teenager. In order to vault into the 1-1 conversation, though, he'll need to add significant velocity to his fastball and power to his breaking ball. With plenty of projection, that could certainly happen if he comes out a little more filled out this spring. Those strength gains would also allow the velocity to come naturally so that he can keep pounding the strike zone with his low effort delivery. Appenzeller has ace upside if he adds power across his arsenal.

SS Dean Curley, Tennessee. My rank: #18.
We're moving farther away from the current contenders for the first overall pick, but I'm a believer in Dean Curley's skill set and I wouldn't be surprised to see him hit his way to the top. It's not easy to barge into Knoxville and claim the starting shortstop role as a freshman, but Curley did just that and hit .285/.386/.502 in 67 games last year. Having turned 19 while he was still in high school, he entered school the age of a college sophomore and will be draft-eligible and age-appropriate this year. He's a lean, physical 6'3" with an efficient right handed swing that causes the ball to jump off his bat with eye-popping exit velocities, lending to above average power.  Meanwhile, he's a disciplined hitter that makes contact at a high rate, which kept his strikeout rate to a reasonable 17.5% as a freshman and which will likely help him lower it further in 2025. Together, as he fills out his still-projectable frame, he has a chance to become an above average hitter with above average power. He doesn't have quite as much juice as last year's eighth overall pick and former Volunteer Christian Moore, and he's a better pure hitter, but his balanced bat could help him break out in a similar way in 2025. To this point, Curley has shown well at shortstop with the requisite instincts and mobility to go with a cannon right arm. Most projections have him moving to third base in time, where like Aiva Arquette he'll fit better given his size and lack of explosive athleticism.
What the Nationals will look for in 2025: I don't think there is one specific X factor for Curley. Last year, his under-the-hood numbers were better than his surface numbers, and he'll look for the latter to catch up to the former in 2025. The Nationals don't necessarily need major leaps from Curley in any one area, rather they'll look for him to elevate his game by about a half grade or so in all aspects - power, contact, defense, and overall athleticism. I'm a believer that Curley can do that.

RHP Chase Shores, Louisiana State. My rank: #38.
If the draft were today, Chase Shores may not even go in the first round, but he may have the best chance of any non-first round prospects at this point to push himself into consideration at the top of the draft. Shores was a well-known prospect out of high school in West Texas, then showed well to start his freshman season at LSU in 2023. Unfortunately, he went down with Tommy John surgery after seven appearances and missed his entire sophomore season, so he enters 2025 with just 18.1 innings under his belt. However, his huge stuff gives him every chance to vault forward. Listed at a massive 6'8", 245 pounds, he comes with as much arm strength as any pitcher in the class, capable of sitting in the mid to upper 90's for innings at a time and touching as high as 102 back in high school. The slider has big potential, too, with his best flashing plus with hard two-plane snap, though it can be inconsistent. His changeup plays well off his fastball and could be an above average pitch with increased usage, giving him a chance for three above average to plus pitches. The delivery is a bit raw at this point, but it's important to note that he hasn't had much chance to work on it since coming to campus. He showed fringy command in his brief stint in 2023.
What the Nationals will look for in 2025: To put it simply, everything. They'll want to see him come back healthy, first and foremost, and shoulder a full season's load. Then, they'll look to see if he has ironed out his delivery now that he's healthy and hopefully work to average or better command. Above average command would of course be a long shot, but the stuff is so loud that he might still be a National with average command if everything else breaks right. If that slider that has ranged between average and plus can come out more consistently plus this spring, and if the changeup can emerge as consistently above average, then he might be just fine with average command and a fastball approaching triple digits. It's a long to-do list, but Shores has very little mileage on his arm since coming to Baton Rouge and a clean bill of health could be just what the doctor ordered.

Other Options
#5 3B Xavier Neyens, Mount Vernon HS [WA]
#8 OF Cam Cannarella, Clemson
#9 SS/RHP Billy Carlson, Corona HS [CA]
#13 OF Sean Gamble, IMG Academy [FL]
#16 LHP/1B Kruz Schoolcraft, Sunset HS [OR]

The top 12 unsigned high school pitchers from the 2022 draft

Earlier this week, we took a look at the top high school hitters to reach campus and before that looked at a rather shallow group of unsigned college players. We'll close it out with incoming freshman pitchers, which bring eleven different schools for the twelve arms. Just like with the hitters, LSU is again the only school with multiple names on their list, and their five combined blows out second place Notre Dame with two combined. Pitchers can be more unpredictable than hitters, but certainly keep an eye on these names as past lists have included names like Jack Leiter, Hunter Barco, Cade Horton, Ricky Tiedemann, Tanner Witt, Thatcher Hurd, Chase Burns, Brody Brecht, and Carter Holton, all of whom went on to become impact pitchers in one way or another. This list also includes my top overall recruit at any position in terms of MLB Draft value in Andrew Dutkanych, who regularly flashed first round potential.

1. RHP Andrew Dutkanych, Vanderbilt. My 2022 draft rank: #37*.
Andrew Dutkanych removed himself from the draft before the event and therefore did not appear on my draft rankings, but he would have ranked #37 and is therefore the top high school prospect at any position to reach campus this fall, well ahead of #54 Max Martin of Rutgers. Dutkanych's stock had been very up and down throughout the draft cycle, so rather than play games with the draft, he'll look for more consistency as part of a Vanderbilt program that could use a boost in the rotation. He looked exceptional at times over the summer and heard his name as high as the middle of the first round, but also had some rougher outings that threw some doubt into the equation. While warm weather arms like Jackson Ferris, Dylan Lesko, and Brandon Barriera got off to hot starts, Dutkanych had to hang back an extra minute while the Indiana weather warmed up, and he slipped a little on boards. Then he came out firing early in the Indianapolis spring, rocketing back into the first round conversation, before his command began to falter and he slipped back down once again. So what is Vanderbilt getting? I'm personally a fan of Dutkanych, who at his best looks like by far the best incoming freshman pitcher in the country. His fastball sits in the low to mid 90's and can touch 97 with some ride, while his short, tight slider looks plus at its best and can miss a ton of bats. He also throws a loopier curveball that shows promise if he can tighten it up in addition to a fringy but improving changeup, giving him the chance for four average or better pitches. The 6'3" righty loves to go right after hitters and pounds the strike zone with intent, throwing all of his pitches with conviction just the way you want to see it. His control is ahead of his command, as he can miss up with his fastball and spike his breaking balls and is overall inconsistent in that department, but that's where you'd rather miss and I have confidence Tim Corbin's staff will get him straightened out. Even with Christian Little gone to LSU and Chris McElvain now in the Reds system, it's a crowded rotation picture in Nashville between Dutkanych, Carter Holton, Devin Futrell, Patrick Reilly, and the litany of talented young arms waiting to step up. Dutkanych will be draft eligible again as a sophomore in 2024, having been born right on the cutoff day just like Stanford's Malcolm Moore and Texas' Jalin Flores ironically enough, so he'll want to earn those innings sooner rather than later. I think he can, and he could challenge Holton for the Friday night spot by 2024.

2. LHP Tristan Smith, Clemson. My 2022 draft rank: #68.
Clemson thought they might land two of the best high school pitchers in the country when both Tristan Smith and Brock Porter slipped out of the top three rounds, but even with Porter signing with the Rangers for a massive bonus, Smith will bring some real firepower to a pitching staff that remains largely intact outside of ace Mack Anglin (Royals). With only Anglin gone, it may be tough to find innings in a rotation that will also add impact transfer Willie Weiss from Michigan, but the 2022 South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year has what it takes to break through. He sits in the low 90's with his fastball and can reach back for 96, with high spin rates that give it plenty of life. His best pitch is a plus slider, again with high spin rates, that comes in with sharp, late break to miss bats in bunches. Smith mainly works off those two pitches and will need to develop his changeup to eventually take over that Friday night role, but it's a very loud arsenal regardless. The 6'2" lefty is athletic and moves well on the mound, though he has some moving parts in his delivery and can lose his release point at times, leading to inconsistent command. It's good enough for now, but he'll want to clean that up quickly because he's extremely old for an incoming freshman and will be draft eligible again in 2024. If he can't take a step forward with either his command or his changeup, he'll project well as a starter in pro ball, but there is some long term relief risk.

3. RHP Riley Kelly, UC Irvine. My 2022 draft rank: #88.
Riley Kelly is a projection play that may not make an immediate impact at UC Irvine with only moderate turnover on the pitching staff, but given some time, I think he could become the next great Anteater ace. He was a pop-up prospect this spring and had some serious draft helium as scouts came rushing in to Orange County to see him at Tustin High School, though he was still just a little bit to raw to command a signing bonus large enough to steer him away from school. His fastball sits around 90 and tops out around 94, dipping into the upper 80's at times. Kelly's best attribute is his curveball, with huge top to bottom break that he can sharpen up for a tighter look if he wants. He commands it well and it might be the best incoming freshman breaking ball coming to campus this fall. The changeup is a distant third pitch for now, which of course he'll want to develop in order to take that Friday night role eventually. The 6'4" righty is tremendously projectable and will almost assuredly add velocity in Irvine as he fills out that big frame, especially as he smooths out a methodical delivery that loses power as he moves through it. That in turn should help his command, which is presently fringy. Kelly has a ton of work to do to reach his lofty ceiling, but UC Irvine has a strong track record of pitching development from Trenton Denholm to Andre Pallante.

4. LHP Levi Huesman, Coastal Carolina. My 2022 draft rank: #110.
Levi Huesman has some work to do before he's ready to take on Sun Belt competition, but Coastal Carolina lost its entire weekend rotation and would love for him to step up if possible. He burst onto the scene last fall at the WWBA Championship, then rode a solid but unspectacular spring to a seventeenth round selection by the Rays. Huesman sits in the low 90's with his fastball and can get up to 96 at best, though he didn't always maintain that velocity last spring and often pitched closer to 90. He also throws an interesting sweeping slider that looks like a plus pitch at its best with plenty of break, but he does need to tighten it up as it gets loopy at times. Lastly, his changeup is well behind and will need to be developed. The Richmond-area native stands just six feet tall and doesn't offer a ton of projection with his skinny frame, but he is very athletic on the mound and repeats his delivery well, pounding the strike zone with average command. His shorter stature also helps him get a lower release height on the ball, giving his fastball great ride and helping the slider play off it. Coastal Carolina will want to help him get stronger so he can maintain his peak stuff over a long college season, and if he can hold his command together while doing so, he has every chance to jump into that weekend rotation.

5. RHP Chase Shores, Louisiana State. My 2022 draft rank: #111.
LSU landed three names on the position player version of this article, and Chase Shores gives them their first pitcher. Last year, LSU was more known for their bats than their arms, but they return virtually everyone from last year's staff save for starter Ma'Khail Hilliard (graduation) and relievers Eric Reyzelman (Yankees) and Paul Gervase (Mets). In addition, they're bringing in a huge class of transfer arms led by Thatcher Hurd (UCLA), Christian Little (Vanderbilt), and Paul Skenes (Air Force), and then there's the freshman class led by Shores and the next man on this list, Jaden Noot. So long story short, it will be tough to earn innings, but he could be up to the task. Standing 6'8', he's already the tallest man in the dugout, and at 250 pounds he's no string bean. Shores comes in with a low to mid 90's fastball that can touch 98, playing up with running and sinking action from a low three quarters slot. That slot and height combination gives hitters a very tough look, and immediately gives him a leg up even on SEC competition. The West Texas native has a full set of inconsistent secondaries that flash average, with the slider the most promising pitch for now with above average grades at its best. Meanwhile, his arm slot can drop when he gets tired, leading to diminished command in those cases, but he fills up the zone when he's at full strength and getting on that LSU conditioning program should help him stay there. It feels redundant to say with a 6'8" freshman that can touch 98, but there is a ton of upside here if Jay Johnson's staff can get him more consistent with his secondary stuff while holding the command together.

6. RHP Jaden Noot, Louisiana State. My 2022 draft rank: #118.
Jaden Noot will jostle with Chase Shores for innings on that crowded LSU pitching staff, and he may have a better shot to win innings right away in 2023. He's also a big man at 6'4", 235 pounds, but he's more physical and not quite as athletic at this point. Noot sits in the low to mid 90's with his fastball and can get up to 97, adding a slider that flashes above average, a loopy curveball with good depth in the low 70's, and a decent changeup. It's a very college-ready arsenal, though he does need to sharpen some things up to get from freshman innings eater to impact Friday/Saturday guy. The fastball has the velocity, but it's fairly straight and he'll need to play it off his other pitches. Meanwhile his curveball needs to add power to complement its depth, while he can slow his arm down on changeups at times. None of that is anything crazy, and there's no reason Jay Johnson and co. shouldn't be able to get him there. The Southern California native has tremendous arm strength and looks like he's just playing catch out there, which makes up for a relative lack of athleticism. If he can maintain his body and refine his offspeed stuff a bit, he has the chance to pitch a lot of big innings in Baton Rouge.

7. LHP Cade Obermueller, Iowa. My 2022 draft rank: #124.
Cade Obermueller draws a lot of parallels to Coastal Carolina's Levi Huesman. He's another undersized lefty that stands just 5'11", though he's thirty pounds lighter than Huesman and clocks in at just 155 pounds. Obviously the first thing the Iowa staff will want to do will be to stuff him full of steaks and protein, but he's already a great athlete and should put any added strength to good use. His fastball sits around 90 for now and tops out at 93, with similar flat plane to Huesman from a lower slot, albeit with some cut as well that makes it a fairly unique pitch. He brings a sweepy slider similar to Huesman as well and a decent changeup, rounding out a three pitch arsenal. Once Obermueller puts that weight on, he'll likely add a tick or two of velocity to his fastball and power to his slider, which will be necessary for him to fill Adam Mazur's shoes as a Friday night starter. Otherwise, his floor is something similar to Illinois' (now the Marlins') Cole Kirschsieper if the stuff doesn't tick up, which is still solid. The Iowa City native is a great athlete who should be able to hold his command together as his stuff ticks up, making it a very interesting profile all around. With Mazur (Padres) and swingmen Dylan Nedved (Padres) and Duncan Davitt (Rays) gone to pro ball, he'll have the opportunity to step into some innings quickly.

8. RHP Kassius Thomas, Duke. My 2022 draft rank: #130.
Duke is losing four of its top five arms by innings from 2022, plus TJ returner Henry Williams, so getting Kassius Thomas to campus will be a huge boon and he'll have an opportunity to earn big innings right away. He and Jaden Noot formed one of the best 1-2 punches in the country at Sierra Canyon High School in the Los Angeles area, and now both are heading way east for school. While Noot is a big, sturdy power arm, Thomas is more athletic and projectable as he trends in the right direction. His fastball sits in the low 90's and gets up to 95, with a quick right arm that promises more velocity as he fills out. He works in a full arsenal of solid secondary pitches, lead by a slider that flashes plus at its best and followed by a solid curveball and potentially above average changeup. The 6'1" righty doesn't always repeat his arm slot and can get around his breaking stuff, losing bite in the process and impacting his command, but he is trending in the right direction and hopefully Duke can keep that progress rolling. There is plenty to work with here and Thomas is a heady athlete with a high baseball IQ, so if he can put the velocity, athleticism, and feel for spin together consistently, he'll be a star in Durham.

9. RHP David Lally, Notre Dame. My 2022 draft rank: #134.
Interestingly, two of my favorite lesser-known names getting to campus are both heading to Notre Dame. Incoming infielder Estevan Moreno is my sleeper pick as a hitter, while righty David Lally is a very interesting one on the mound. The Irish will have significant turnover on the mound, losing most of their go-to arms either to pro ball or the transfer portal while also bringing in a couple of useful transfers, not to mention swapping head coaches from Link Jarrett to Shawn Stiffler. All that upheaval will give Lally a chance to break through, though he is fairly raw and might not be quite ready from the get go. He sits in the low to mid 90's with his fastball and can get up to 96, with running life that can make it tough to square up. His breaking ball hasn't quite found its identity yet, but he does show good feel for spin and with some coaching could make some real leaps int hat area. Additionally, Flint, Michigan-area native shows a very strong changeup for a cold weather arm from an area that isn't traditionally a prospect hotbed, giving him an immediate weapon to use in South Bend. Standing 6'4", he comes with good projection and moves very well on the mound, though his mechanics are raw and will need to be smoothed out by the Notre Dame coaching staff. All together, if they get this right, Lally brings a ton of upside as a hard throwing righty that could end up with two or even three above average offspeed offerings.

10. RHP Jack O'Connor, Virginia. My 2022 draft rank: #142.
Despite losing Friday night starter Nate Savino (Diamondbacks) and swingman Brandon Neeck (Dodgers), among others, UVA projects to bring back a deep pitching staff augmented by a strong transfer class, so Jack O'Connor will have to fight for innings early on. He was inconsistent this spring, but had a little bit of late helium and may be ready. O'Connor sits in the low 90's with his fastball and can get up to 96, adding in a full set of secondaries. His above average slider is the best for now, and he can turn it into a harder cutter if he needs to, while his curveball is a bit looper and his changeup is a fringy pitch at this point. The Northern Virginia native hides the ball well from a very short arm action, though his command has been inconsistent and he'll want to get that ironed out in Charlottesville in addition to getting more consistent with his secondaries. O'Connor is big and projectable at 6'5" with plenty of arm strength, giving him a ton of upside, though UVA has had mixed results with premium arms that have reached campus lately like Savino and Mike Vasil.

11. RHP Grayson Saunier, Mississippi. My 2022 draft rank: #144.
Six different pitchers started at least five games for Ole Miss in 2022, and five of them plus closer Brandon Johnson are gone to either pro ball, the transfer portal, or medical school (props to you, John Gaddis), so there will be turnover on that champion pitching staff. That gives Grayson Saunier a chance to wrestle for innings in the rotation, though I see him more as a long term projection play who may not be ready for extended innings in the SEC until 2024. He has missed significant time with injuries in high school but should be healthy now, giving him the opportunity to build up for the season. Those injuries have caused Saunier's fastball to dip into the upper 80's at times, but he's up to 96 at his best with a ton of projection in his 6'4" frame promising to bring even more. His secondaries all flash big promise, with a couple of high spin breaking balls and a fading changeup making for a very intriguing four pitch arsenal. Being hurt has meant that he hasn't gotten the opportunity to refine those offerings and get more consistent, but now that he's healthy the Ole Miss coaching staff will get to work on that with him. The Memphis-area product has a clean, athletic delivery with the aforementioned ideal frame, so once he gets a little stronger, the sky is the limit if everything breaks right.

12. RHP Eli Jerzembeck, South Carolina. My 2022 draft rank: #153.
South Carolina returns the vast majority of its pitching staff and adds a couple of big transfer arms as well, so Eli Jerzembeck will have to fight for innings.  The good news is that he's fairly advanced coming in and should be able to provide quality innings as a reliever before jumping into the rotation in 2024, when he'll be draft eligible again due to a very early birthday. Jerzembeck sits around 90 with his fastball but has been up to 96, so the arm strength is certainly there. His best pitch is a plus curveball with sharp, late bite that can get SEC hitters out right away, while his slider and changeup are less used pitches. The 6'2" righty does need to iron out his mechanics as a short strider and an upright thrower, and doing so could help him settle closer to his peak velocity than he does right now. Out of the USC bullpen, I can imagine him sitting 93-95 with that power curveball and carving up SEC lineups immediately, then working into the rotation as he gets those mechanics optimized and refines the rest of his arsenal a little more. How well he makes those adjustments will also determine his future role in pro ball.

Honorable Mentions
#158 RHP/QB Sam Horn, Missouri
#160 RHP Tyler Bremner, UC Santa Barbara
#163 RHP Hayden Murphy, Auburn
#167 RHP Malachi Witherspoon, Jacksonville
#185 BHP Jurrangelo Cijntje, Mississippi State
#189 LHP Brennan Phillips, Oklahoma State
#197 LHP Bradley Loftin, Mississippi State
#204 LHP Zach Crotchfelt, Auburn