The energy in Atlanta this past July was different. You could feel it. Maybe it was the humidity, or maybe it was the fact that the Washington Nationals—after winning the lottery—actually pulled a trigger that shifted the entire board. When the 2025 MLB Draft results started rolling in, the consensus shifted from "predictable" to "total chaos" in about twelve minutes.
Eli Willits. That's the name everyone is talking about now.
The Shock at the Top
Honestly, most of us expected Ethan Holliday to go first. He’s the son of Matt Holliday, the brother of Jackson, and basically baseball royalty. But the Nationals had other plans. They went with Eli Willits, a shortstop out of Fort Cobb-Broxton High School in Oklahoma. At just 17 years old, he became the third-youngest player ever taken at the top of the draft. It was a bold move by Washington, but when you look at his bat-to-ball skills and that 70-grade speed, you sort of get it. He signed for $8.2 million, which is a massive chunk of change for a kid who was recently at his senior prom.
The Angels followed up by being, well, the Angels. They love college arms that can move fast, so taking Tyler Bremner out of UC Santa Barbara at No. 2 made perfect sense for them. Bremner is a strikeout machine. He fanned 111 batters in just 77 innings last year. Don't be surprised if he’s in Anaheim by next September.
Breaking Down the Top 10 Picks
The first round was heavy on shortstops and left-handed pitching. It felt like every other pick was a kid who could either throw 98 mph with his left hand or play a slick 6-hole.
- 1. Nationals: Eli Willits, SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton HS
- 2. Angels: Tyler Bremner, RHP, UC Santa Barbara
- 3. Mariners: Kade Anderson, LHP, LSU
- 4. Rockies: Ethan Holliday, SS, Stillwater HS
- 5. Cardinals: Liam Doyle, LHP, Tennessee
- 6. Pirates: Seth Hernandez, RHP, Corona HS
- 7. Marlins: Aiva Arquette, SS, Oregon State
- 8. Blue Jays: JoJo Parker, SS, Purvis HS
- 9. Reds: Steele Hall, SS, Hewitt-Trussville HS
- 10. White Sox: Billy Carlson, SS, Corona HS
Seattle snagging Kade Anderson at three was a masterclass. He was the hero of LSU's College World Series run and honestly looked like the most "MLB-ready" pitcher in the entire class. Then you have Ethan Holliday sliding to four. The Rockies have to be doing backflips over that. He’s a 6-foot-4 monster who could easily hit 35 homers a year in the thin air of Coors Field. It’s a match made in heaven, or at least in Mile High.
The Baltimore Masterplan
If there is one team that consistently wins the 2025 MLB Draft results in terms of pure value, it's the Baltimore Orioles. They had a record $19.1 million bonus pool. They used it like a cheat code.
They grabbed Ike Irish at 19, who might be the best pure college hitter we've seen in a couple of years. Then they circled back and grabbed Caden Bodine and Wehiwa Aloy. Aloy won the Golden Spikes Award at Arkansas, and getting him in the 30s felt like a total steal. The Orioles now have a farm system that is basically a "who's who" of All-American talent. It's almost unfair.
The Steals You Might Have Missed
Let's talk about the Athletics. Everyone loves to dunk on them, but taking Jamie Arnold at No. 11 was incredible value. Most scouts had him as a top-five talent. He’s a lefty from Florida State with a slider that makes grown men look silly.
Then there's the Guardians. They sat at the end of the first round and waited for Jace LaViolette to fall to them at 27. LaViolette was a guy who could have gone No. 1 overall if he hadn't struggled with strikeouts a bit in his junior year at Texas A&M. Cleveland is great at fixing hit tools, so if they can get him to make more contact, he’s a 40-homer threat.
Why the 2025 Class is Weird
This draft was unique because of the "teammate factor." Corona High School in California made history by having two kids go in the top ten: Seth Hernandez to the Pirates and Billy Carlson to the White Sox. Think about that. You're a high school coach, and you have two top-10 MLB picks on your roster. How do you even lose a game?
Tennessee also dominated. They had Liam Doyle, Gavin Kilen, and Andrew Fischer all go in the first round. The Volunteers have turned into a literal factory for pro talent. It’s getting to the point where if you wear a Tennessee jersey, a scout is going to find you.
What Happens Now?
The signing deadline has passed, and every single first-rounder is officially under contract. The record-breaking $392 million spent on bonuses shows that teams aren't afraid to pay for upside.
For fans, the next step is tracking these guys in Low-A ball. If you're a Nationals fan, keep an eye on Fredericksburg. If you’re a Mariners fan, Modesto is where Kade Anderson will likely start carving up teenagers.
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Next Steps for Following the 2025 Class:
- Check the Stat Lines: Follow the "Minor League Daily" reports to see how the top 10 picks perform in their first 50 professional at-bats or innings.
- Monitor the Injury Reports: Pitchers like Tyler Bremner and Liam Doyle are on strict innings limits this fall; watch for how their velocity holds up in short stints.
- Scout the "Deep" Picks: Look at Detroit’s 11th-round pick, River Hamilton. The Tigers paid him way over slot to keep him from going to LSU, and he's already touching 97 mph.
The draft is a long game. We won't truly know who won for another four years. But for now, the 2025 MLB Draft results suggest the league is getting younger, faster, and much more expensive.