By Ross Kelly
The Major League Baseball Draft doesn’t garner the attention of either the NFL or NBA drafts, but it’s just as critical to roster construction. Perhaps the MLB Draft flies under the radar compared to the others because it takes place in-season, with selections beginning on July 13 during the league’s All-Star break. The Washington Nationals, who held the fourth-best lottery odds, won the lottery and will pick first.
While no amateur baseball player has the name recognition of a Cam Ward or Cooper Flagg, the top prospects in this year’s draft have just as much potential as those No. 1 overall picks to transform the franchises they go to. There is no consensus top overall prospect for the this year’s draft, which only adds to the intrigue. Here are some of the top players.
Kade Anderson, pitcher, LSU
In 2023, Paul Skenes broke the SEC record for strikeouts, led LSU to a College World Series (CWS) championship, and was the No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft. Anderson is following in Skenes’s footsteps as the former led Division I in strikeouts, won the CWS Most Outstanding Player award in leading the Tigers to another title, and is poised to be the No. 1 overall pick.
Anderson, at 186 pounds, doesn’t have the build or power of Skenes, but he is left-handed, which is a plus, and has a four-pitch arsenal. He also has great command—his strikeouts were at least triple his walks in all but two starts last season.
Ethan Holliday, shortstop, Stillwater High School (OK)
If the name sounds familiar, it’s because the Hollidays are emerging as the Mannings of baseball. Matt Holliday was a seven-time MLB All-Star, and his oldest son, Jackson Holliday, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 draft. Now comes Ethan after a high school season in which he hit .611, with 19 homers across 33 games. His numbers would have been even more eye-popping had several opponents not applied the Barry Bonds Treatment to Holliday by intentionally walking him, sometimes multiple times a game. He’s much bigger than his brother and could have 30-homer potential in the majors, like his father.
Eli Willits, shortstop, Fort Cobb-Broxton High School (OK)
Holliday isn’t the only Oklahoma high school shortstop who is the son of a former big leaguer and is expected to get drafted early. There’s also Eli Willits, son of former Angels outfielder Reggie Willits. Eli is a switch-hitter who reclassified from the 2026 class and won’t turn 18 until December.
He doesn’t have any exceptional traits, but has no below-average ones either. His hitting skills are his top asset at this stage, and he’s more of a contact, line-drive hitter than a power one. However, most of the top college shortstops in his class are 20 or 21 years old, so Willits has lots of time for one of his above-average traits to emerge as an elite one.
Gage Wood, pitcher, Arkansas
All it takes is one tantalizing outing to grab the attention of MLB personnel, and Gage Wood had that at the College World Series.
He threw the third no-hitter in CWS history while also striking out a College World Series record 19 batters in a 3-0 win over Murray State. But Wood had a rocky road to that historic game. Before that performance, he had a 5.02 ERA on the season. He also missed a pair of starts due to a shoulder injury, so MLB teams will have to weigh his red flags versus his high-end potential.
Kruz Schoolcraft, 1B/pitcher, Sunset High School (OR)
It’s common for players to both pitch and hit in high school or college, only to transition to just one of those as professionals. Kruz Schoolcraft could be the exception as the 6-foot-8, 230-pounder has quite the presence both on the mound and in the batter’s box. He’s considered a pitcher first, as his fastball reaches the upper 90s, which he complements with an effective slider.
While his arm is what makes him an expected first-round pick, his bat alone would get him drafted at some point as well. His exit velocity has been clocked at 104 mph in batting practice.
Ike Irish, catcher/OF, Auburn
Despite growing up three hours from South Bend, Ind., and having the suitable surname, Irish bypassed playing for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and headed down south to Auburn. There, he tripled his homers from his freshman to his junior seasons, while his OPS jumped 204 points.
He was even successful in 11 of 12 stolen base attempts in 2025, and his mobility allows him to play the outfield in addition to catching.
Only one catcher has been selected in the top 10 of the MLB Draft over the last three years, but Irish has a great chance at adding to that total.
