2025 MLB Draft Room ~ Thread, Mocks, Discussion, Draft Boards

[kyace]

Arquette will likely be the safest pick as from what I’ve read will most likely be a solid mlb player most likely at third base. For us old timers maybe a comp to Terry Pendleton? Solid defense 15-20 homers hit around .275.
If they draft Willits I would like them to move him to centerfield immediately. He has the tools to play there and maybe the fastest route to the majors.

[Cranny]

let's just say, like a lot experts are saying, that it's Willits or Arnold.

who would you prefer?

I'm great with both.

gun to my head? I'll go with the guy who'll likely get their faster...Arnold...barring injury. But I want Willits alot.

you?

what do you like so much about Willits?

close to a 5 tool prospect as this draft will get. He "could" grow into the power...not known for now.

Maybe help 5 years from now?

that depends on how well he takes off in Palm Beach next year. That's assuming the Cards go with their tried and true slow progression with prospects. I don't see a chance of him starting in Peoria.

I believe he'll get workouts with FCL post draft, not sure if he'll see a lineup by the time he's ready to graduate from that. We'll see...we've never drafted a HS kid this high...or not in a long time. The precedent for this organization doesn't exist...I'm going by what other teams have done with their HS offensive players...and that's post draft workouts in the FCL, maybe a line up in the last week of the FCL (season is running out there), then on to the last month of Low A if they do well enough.

Max Clark saw AB's with Low A Lakeland a few years ago after the draft. And PJ Morlando saw 3 or 4 AB's with Low A Jupiter last season....I think, it wasn't many

Aren’t these truisms (facts)?

1.) College draftees have a higher chance of making it to the big leagues than high school draftees.

2.) Of the draftees who do eventually make it, the college draftees make it faster.

Willits is the 2nd best offensive talent in the draft. Some publications, just a few, rate him #1. It's not like he's the 8th best HS in the draft.

Agree to disagree. You seek Arquette, I respect that.

I guess I'm just gun shy regarding high school position players after Calvin Hayes, Pete Kozma, Charlie Tilson, Nick Plummer, Dylan Carlson, Nolan Gorman, Tre Fletcher, Jordan Walker, Joshua Baez, etc.

Since 2000 the Cardinals have 7 players that were 1st round picks that have 10+ bWAR for their careers. 4 college players (3 arms, 1 position player) and 3 are high school players (2 arms, 1 position player). You have flameouts on both sides of the aisle in this conversation.

They simply have to go BPA.

They have had a lot of luck with college pitchers that they either kept or used as trade chips to fill holes.

[Futuregm2]

let's just say, like a lot experts are saying, that it's Willits or Arnold.

who would you prefer?

I'm great with both.

gun to my head? I'll go with the guy who'll likely get their faster...Arnold...barring injury. But I want Willits alot.

you?

what do you like so much about Willits?

close to a 5 tool prospect as this draft will get. He "could" grow into the power...not known for now.

Maybe help 5 years from now?

that depends on how well he takes off in Palm Beach next year. That's assuming the Cards go with their tried and true slow progression with prospects. I don't see a chance of him starting in Peoria.

I believe he'll get workouts with FCL post draft, not sure if he'll see a lineup by the time he's ready to graduate from that. We'll see...we've never drafted a HS kid this high...or not in a long time. The precedent for this organization doesn't exist...I'm going by what other teams have done with their HS offensive players...and that's post draft workouts in the FCL, maybe a line up in the last week of the FCL (season is running out there), then on to the last month of Low A if they do well enough.

Max Clark saw AB's with Low A Lakeland a few years ago after the draft. And PJ Morlando saw 3 or 4 AB's with Low A Jupiter last season....I think, it wasn't many

Aren’t these truisms (facts)?

1.) College draftees have a higher chance of making it to the big leagues than high school draftees.

2.) Of the draftees who do eventually make it, the college draftees make it faster.

Willits is the 2nd best offensive talent in the draft. Some publications, just a few, rate him #1. It's not like he's the 8th best HS in the draft.

Agree to disagree. You seek Arquette, I respect that.

I guess I'm just gun shy regarding high school position players after Calvin Hayes, Pete Kozma, Charlie Tilson, Nick Plummer, Dylan Carlson, Nolan Gorman, Tre Fletcher, Jordan Walker, Joshua Baez, etc.

Since 2000 the Cardinals have 7 players that were 1st round picks that have 10+ bWAR for their careers. 4 college players (3 arms, 1 position player) and 3 are high school players (2 arms, 1 position player). You have flameouts on both sides of the aisle in this conversation.

They simply have to go BPA.

They have had a lot of luck with college pitchers that they either kept or used as trade chips to fill holes.

Well they have drafted a lot more college pitchers than probably any position out there. If you draft more, you have more chances to turn something into something.

And I’m not sure I would say “a lot”. Look at guys like Hjerpe, Zack Thompson, Griffin Roberts, Seth Blair, Clayton Mortensen, Connor Jones, Andrew Morales, Jordan Swagerty, Levi Prater, Tony Locey, etc.

[craviduce]

2024 Draft Grades....1 Year Later, Baseball America

[craviduce]

Griffin and Rainer are doing really well....not bad for the first 2 HS bats in the draft.

[CrazyForMyRedbirdsInLA]

Can someone please remind me why we don't have a 2nd pick until 55?

[Futuregm2]

Can someone please remind me why we don't have a 2nd pick until 55?

Comp picks after round 1 and the rest of the draft after the 1st round is based off of actual standings, which we were like somewhere between 15th-18th in 2024.

[craviduce]

Can someone please remind me why we don't have a 2nd pick until 55?

Comp picks after round 1 and the rest of the draft after the 1st round is based off of actual standings, which we were like somewhere between 15th-18th in 2024.

and we default to 15th in the draft after round 1. 5th pick in round 1 was b/c we were one of the six teams to win the draft lottery. If we didn't win, we'd be picking 15th in the 1st round

[nmstar]

Latest MLB mock has Cards taking Willits and Seth Hernandez going at #3

https://www.mlb.com/milb/news/mlb-pipel ... t-coverage

[Ty Webb]

USA Today has their final mock out today.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/m ... 522437007/

1 Holliday
2 Anderson
3 Arquette
4 Willits
5. St. Louis Cardinals: Liam Doyle, LHP, Tennessee

In this scenario, the Cardinals have their choice of remaining elite college lefties and opt for Doyle’s greater swing-and-miss upside over Florida State’s Jamie Arnold, though they may prove us wrong come draft night.

[Cranny]

USA Today has their final mock out today.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/m ... 522437007/

1 Holliday
2 Anderson
3 Arquette
4 Willits
5. St. Louis Cardinals: Liam Doyle, LHP, Tennessee

In this scenario, the Cardinals have their choice of remaining elite college lefties and opt for Doyle’s greater swing-and-miss upside over Florida State’s Jamie Arnold, though they may prove us wrong come draft night.

The Cards very well may have already decided to take one of the 3 college lefties at #5. If available.

[nmstar]

ESPN's mock 3.0 just dropped and has the Cards taking (surprise) Willits:

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/457 ... -top-picks

This mock goes through the end of the second round. Not a fan of the 2nd and 2nd sup picks. Would like to see the Cards get a crack at Taitn Gray in round 2.

[craviduce]

busy week for mocks. Thank you all for linking the newest mocks!!!!

a few more dropped this morning

https://www.baseballprospectjournal.com ... draft-4-0/ Willits, SS, Ft.Cobb-Broxton HS, Okla

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/2025 ... nto-top-5/ Willits, SS, Ft.Cobb-Broxton HS, Okla

CBS has the M's taking Irish @ #3 .... I can see that happening. Wide open draft

--------------

Be prepared for the possibility of a very wonky draft... see 2021....all those highly rated HS SS started falling on draft day, College players and catchers leapt to the top of the draft.

[Adam2]

busy week for mocks. Thank you all for linking the newest mocks!!!!

a few more dropped this morning

https://www.baseballprospectjournal.com ... draft-4-0/ Willits, SS, Ft.Cobb-Broxton HS, Okla

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/2025 ... nto-top-5/ Willits, SS, Ft.Cobb-Broxton HS, Okla

CBS has the M's taking Irish @ #3 .... I can see that happening. Wide open draft

--------------

Be prepared for the possibility of a very wonky draft... see 2021....all those highly rated HS SS started falling on draft day, College players and catchers leapt to the top of the draft.

Duce, if you've seen much of Willits, do you have a current comp?

[Cranny]

busy week for mocks. Thank you all for linking the newest mocks!!!!

a few more dropped this morning

https://www.baseballprospectjournal.com ... draft-4-0/ Willits, SS, Ft.Cobb-Broxton HS, Okla

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/2025 ... nto-top-5/ Willits, SS, Ft.Cobb-Broxton HS, Okla

CBS has the M's taking Irish @ #3 .... I can see that happening. Wide open draft

--------------

Be prepared for the possibility of a very wonky draft... see 2021....all those highly rated HS SS started falling on draft day, College players and catchers leapt to the top of the draft.

Duce, if you've seen much of Willits, do you have a current comp?

Pete Kozma

[craviduce]

busy week for mocks. Thank you all for linking the newest mocks!!!!

a few more dropped this morning

https://www.baseballprospectjournal.com ... draft-4-0/ Willits, SS, Ft.Cobb-Broxton HS, Okla

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/2025 ... nto-top-5/ Willits, SS, Ft.Cobb-Broxton HS, Okla

CBS has the M's taking Irish @ #3 .... I can see that happening. Wide open draft

--------------

Be prepared for the possibility of a very wonky draft... see 2021....all those highly rated HS SS started falling on draft day, College players and catchers leapt to the top of the draft.

Duce, if you've seen much of Willits, do you have a current comp?

the one that comes up that I see the most? Yankees' Anthony Volpe