Ethan Holliday mock draft, Nationals win lottery

So much will change in the next eight months leading up to the 2025 Major League Baseball Draft. But one variable has finally solidified: The Washington Nationals will be No. 1.

The Nationals emerged victorious in the Winter Meetings draft lottery on Tuesday and have thousands of amateur ballplayers to choose from to shine on the high school, college and exhibition diamonds. The Los Angeles Angels finish second.

And right now, it would be a mild surprise if the Nationals didn’t sign Oklahoma prep star Ethan Holliday.

He remains the consensus No. 1 prospect and would follow in the footsteps of his older brother Jackson, who was selected first overall by the Baltimore Orioles in 2022 and is now an infielder at the big league level.

However, there is still a whole season left. Valuations will change, prospects will gain and others will lose ground. However, since there is a draft order for now, here is a look at the top 18 prospects and the draft order following the lottery:

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Top prospects for the 2025 MLB Draft

1. (National) Ethan Holliday, INF, Stillwater (Oklahoma) HS: It might not be long before he shakes off the labels of Matt’s son and Jackson’s brother.

2. (Angels) Jace Laviolette, OF, Texas A&M: Laviolette, the consensus top college prospect, hit 50 homers in two seasons at A&M, with significant improvement in walk and strikeout rates as a sophomore.

3. (Mariners) Seth Hernandez, RHP, Corona (Calif.) HS: The first of several prospects from the powerhouse prep program, Hernandez is a Vanderbilt player whose fastball sits in the upper 90s. Posted a 0.64 ERA and batted .354 as a junior, but future is on the line.

4. (Rockies) Tyler Bremner, RHP, UC Santa Barbara: He lacks Hernandez’s larger, projectable frame, but he’s pitched well at the collegiate level, posting a 2.54 ERA for Shane Bieber’s alma mater and developing his fastball into the mid-90s.

5. (Cardinals) Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State: He and Bremner are interchangeable No. 1 college armies according to Baseball America and MLB Pipeline, as he had 159 hits as a sophomore for the Seminoles.

6. (Pirates) Kayson Cunningham, SS, Johnson (Texas) HS: Cunningham, committed to Texas, is a winning machine in a small package (5-foot-10), perhaps increasing his likelihood of sticking at shortstop compared to taller prospects.

7. (Marlins) Xavier Neyens, 3B, Mount Vernon (Washington) HS: A 6-foot-4 beast who throws 94 mph on the mound but will be a powerhouse corner infielder professionally. Has a commitment to Oregon State.

8. (Blue Jays) Eli Willits, SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton (Oklahoma) HS: If the Hollidays are the first family of Sooner State baseball, the Willitses aren’t far behind. Eli, the son of former big leaguer and current Oklahoma assistant head coach Reggie Willits, is expected to sign early but is not expected to make it to campus. He was reclassified to the 2025 draft class and will be the youngest top prospect on draft day.

9. (Red) Cam Cannarella, OF, Clemson: Won ACC Freshman of the Year honors but suffered from a labrum injury for most of last season, so a big junior year would help solidify his stock. Not a big power guy, but can keep a grip on the midfield.

10. (White Sox) Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP/1B, Sunset (Oregon) HS: A 6-foot-3 specimen who will claim legitimate two-way options in his senior year of high school; Like Willits, he transferred to graduate school in 1925. Touches 97 mph from the hill.

11. (Athletics) Billy Carlson, SS/RHP, Corona (Calif.) HS: The next of the Corona Kids, Carlson is a Tennessee commit and an excellent all-around athlete who can also hit the mid-90s on the mound.

12. (Rangers) Marek Houston, SS, Wake Forest: Almost obviously need a demon deacon here. Houston is a good defensive shortstop whose value could increase with a big junior year under his belt.

13. (Giants) Aiva Arquette, SS, Oregon State: A transfer from Washington, Arquette joins the Beavers after a sophomore season in which he posted a .959 OPS. A 6-foot-4 presence in the middle infield.

14. (Rays) Sean Gamble, SS/OF, IMG Academy (Florida): A Vanderbilt commit whose future position remains uncertain – but will certainly be in the middle of the diamond. An exit velocity of up to 108 miles per hour was measured.

15. (Red Sox) Tre Phelps, 3B/OF, Georgia: His physical abilities coupled with the challenge and exposure that an SEC schedule provides make Phelps a strong candidate to move up draft boards. He hit 12 home runs and posted a 1.140 OPS in his first year as a Bulldog.

16. (Twins) Ethan Petry, 1B/OF, South Carolina: Another massive (6-foot-4) corner infielder, Petry hit 44 homers in two seasons with the Gamecocks and added 11 more in his Cape Cod League MVP round.

17. (Cubs) Brady Ebel, SS, Corona (Calif.) HS: The last of the Corona kids, Ebel, son of Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel, is a 6-foot-3 LSU player who is only 16 but has the baseball IQ that you can expect from a player who grows up in his environment.

18. (Diamondbacks) Trent Caraway, 3B, Oregon State: Another player whose injury in 2024 (broken thumb) puts him in position to build significant value again in 2025. Has only 72 collegiate plate appearances in his career, although he made 116 more during a strong showing in the Cape Cod League.

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Ethan Holliday mock draft, Nationals win lottery

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