2025 Draft Prospect - top 20 high school prospects for the '25 Draft

 

Here are the top 20 high school prospects for the '25 Draft –

full list here

 

1. Ethan Holliday, SS, Stillwater HS (Okla.)

That’s right, it’s another Holliday, and some think Ethan has the chance to be better than his older brother, Jackson, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 Draft. He’s gotten taller and stronger, showing off physicality that belies his years. The Oklahoma State recruit has the chance to hit for average and easy power. He has good actions and enough arm for shortstop, but with his 6-foot-4 frame, he could end up at third base. But it’s the offensive potential that has him atop this list and makes him an early contender for No. 1 overall pick.

 

2. Seth Hernandez, RHP, Corona HS (Calif.)

The top prep pitcher in the class, Hernandez earned National High School Invitational MVP honors after helping Corona win the tournament with a complete-game shutout in the championship game against powerhouse Orange Lutheran. He’s an athletic 6-foot-4 and already has a fastball that sits 94-95 mph and touches the upper 90s, a hard low-80s slider and an outstanding changeup, both of which miss a ton of bats.

 

3. Xavier Neyens, 3B, Mount Vernon HS (Wash.)

Neyens made some excellent adjustments to his swing to have more impact and he had one of the best summers of any prep player on the showcase circuit. He has power to all fields and gets to it frequently, and while he did strike out some, the Oregon State recruit has drawn comparisons to a left-handed-hitting Austin Riley. An arm that fires 95-mph fastballs from the mound works from the hot corner too.

 

4. Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP, Sunset HS (Ore.)

At 6-foot-8, Schoolcraft commands a huge presence whether he’s on the mound or at the plate. He can really impact the ball as a left-handed hitter with tremendous raw power. On the mound, he’s a southpaw who looks like he’s playing catch at 96 mph. He has feel for a slider and changeup as well, with some feeling he could have three plus pitches in the future.

 

5. Kayson Cunningham, SS, Lady Bird Johnson HS (Texas)

A super high-energy player, Cunningham has hit pretty much everywhere he’s been, including slashing .417/.483/.542 with 12 RBIs for Team USA during its 18U qualifier and picking up a pair of hits with three steals in MLB’s High School All-American Game. He has excellent barrel control and makes a ton of contact with gap power right now. He’s not the biggest guy in the world at 5-foot-9, but he has the hands and actions for shortstop, though some see a future at second base for the Texas recruit.

 

6. Billy Carlson, SS/RHP, Corona HS (Calif.)

Another member of the NHSI-winning Corona team, Carlson is a Vanderbilt recruit with skills on both sides. He’s very athletic with good bat speed at the plate, using more of a line-drive approach at present. He has excellent actions and a plus arm at shortstop and should be able to stick there. Some might like him better on the mound, where that arm has been up to 95-96 mph at times with good breaking stuff.

 

7. Eli Willits, SS, Fort-Cobb Broxton HS (Okla.)

The son of former big leaguer Reggie Willits, Eli Willits is a switch-hitter who reclassified from the 2026 class to this one and earns praise for his grittiness and baseball IQ. At the All-American Game in August, he walked, then stole second and third to show the kind of table-setter he can be. He has good feet and hands for shortstop, though some think he could be an asset in center. At the plate, he’s a tough out with a line-drive approach and gap power. He’s committed to Oklahoma, where his dad is a coach.

 

8. Brady Ebel, SS, Corona HS (Calif.)

Ebel has grown up around the game, with father Dino currently the Dodgers’ third-base coach, and his game reflects that. He has one of the best approaches in the Draft with the ability to find the barrel from the left side of the plate consistently. He’s hit-over-power right now, but there could be more pop to come in his 6-foot-3 frame. He may not have a true plus tool, but he does everything well, though the LSU recruit might eventually need to slide over to third.

 

9. Coy James, SS, Davie High School (N.C.)

A Team USA veteran, including as an underclassman on the 18U team last summer, James is a strong right-handed hitter who finds the barrel consistently with a smooth and natural swing. There’s some power for him to tap into as well and the Mississippi recruit has the chance to stick at shortstop thanks to excellent defensive instincts.

 

10. Sean Gamble, SS/OF, IMG Academy (Fla.)

A native of Iowa, Gamble moved to IMG in Florida to get more exposure. And he’s hit, and hit everything hard, for a long time. He has a natural left-handed swing and is adept at finding the barrel and using the whole field. A solid athlete with good speed, if he’s going to stick on the dirt, it would likely be at second, though center field could be a good future fit for the Vanderbilt recruit.