Who Dominated the 2025 MLB Draft? Biggest Surprises and Steals Revealed

By Oliver Wiener July 18, 2025 10:16

The 2025 MLB Draft concluded with a blend of surprises, steals, and standout performances that will shape baseball’s future for years to come. While the draft featured just 27 first-round picks due to penalties that stripped powerhouses like the Dodgers, Mets, and Yankees of their selections, the talent hauled in was remarkable. Let’s break down who dominated the 2025 draft, the biggest surprises, and the stealthiest steals.

The obvious headline is the Washington Nationals’ surprise selection of Eli Willits, a 17-year-old high school shortstop from Fort Cobb-Broxton, Oklahoma, with the first overall pick. Initially, the Mariners’ Kade Anderson was the heavy favorite to go first, boasting -600 odds at Caesars Sportsbook, but Washington capitalized on Willits’s upside and baseball IQ. MLB Pipeline experts consider Willits a high-ceiling prospect who can solidify shortstop or profile into a defensive outfielder if needed. Longtime MLB analyst Jim Callis remarked, “Willits is raw but has all the tools quick bat, defensive instincts, and speed. The Nationals bet big on his potential, and it might pay off big.” Willits’s signing bonus slot value topped $11 million, but the Nationals’ broader organizational overhaul hints at a focus on youth and development.

Beyond Willits, standout college arms dominated the first round. The Angels grabbed hard-throwing right-hander Tyler Bremner from UC Santa Barbara with the second pick. Bremner’s fastball touched 98 mph, complementing a well-regarded changeup and slider combo. The Seattle Mariners selected LHP Kade Anderson, a polished college starter with strong command and a 3.05 ERA in his senior year. Meanwhile, the Rockies grabbed versatile infielder Ethan Holliday from Stillwater High School, a bat-first prospect with power potential at third base or shortstop.

Among the biggest surprises was the Nationals snatching Willits over Anderson and a shorter-than-expected first round due to penalties. The Red Sox and Cardinals also impressed with shrewd picks of polished college arms and prep position players in the mid-to-late first round. However, the true thrills came in the later rounds, where savvy teams found steals.

An undersized but supremely athletic outfielder, Emilio Barreras, went in the eighth round at pick 228 to the Marlins, surprising many scouts. Barreras’s contact skills and speed project well for center field and have the potential to lead off in the majors in a few years.

The White Sox, known for strong pitching development, netted Ohio State pitcher Blaine Wynk in the eighth round an unheralded lefty with a 1.92 ERA and a mid-90s fastball. Wynk was considered a late bloomer and a gem for Chicago’s farm system.

In the ninth round, the Angels’ selection of Georgia third baseman Slate Alford, a bat-first collegiate hitter with a .315 average and power potential, was considered a steal worthy of attention as a potential future regular.

Even further down the draft board, the Giants picked Arkansas pitcher Ben Bybee in round eight, a late bloomer with a reportedly devastating curveball and solid command. Such picks underscore how teams increasingly mine the later rounds for high-upside talents undervalued by traditional rankings.

Overall, the 2025 draft was characterized by a deliberate strategy to mix high-ceiling prep talents with polished college arms. College pitchers dominated the top of boards, while position-player upside was more often found later.

MLB insider Jon Heyman summarized the draft well: “This class isn’t just about the name-brand guys at the top. The real depth comes late, and teams that drafted smartly no doubt widened their talent pipelines for years to come.”

As the 615 players signed and prepare to begin their professional journeys, the real winners of the 2025 draft will be those organizations that found impact talent beyond the obvious names proving again why baseball’s draft is a long game, where surprises and steals make all the difference.