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

[HorseTrader]

https://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles ... 5_42260090

It just seems the Cardinals are overloaded with middle infielders. I hope they go for a potential top of the rotation pitcher.

So you pass on Derek Jeter to pick Zack Thompson?
You pass on Jose Altuve to draft Dakota Hudson?

Yeah...seems like a solid strategy to me!

You draft the best player. Period.

Do you pass on Mike Trout to pick Shelby Miller?

Of course, at least that's what the Cards draft team decided.........

[ramfandan]

Depending on how this shakes out , just have a feeling if 3 of the first 4 selected are pitchers then the Cardinals probably select the best 'Bat' on the board Unless in their rankings, the 4th best pitcher would be a better overall player than the 2nd best hitter.
They will go for 'best player' when it is their choice.

[billybaseball]

Would not surprise me at all if the Nationals took Willits over Holliday. Holliday has a higher ceiling with the power but Willits has a higher all around ceiling. Willits has 4 out of 5 plus tools with power the only thing lacking and him being so young gives him room to grow into more power. He'll stick at short or play CF where Holliday is probably a 3B or LF.

Also I think if Willits goes 1st OA then Holliday drops to us. I think Angels go pitching, Arquette to Seattle and the Rockies go pitching.

every analyst I've read has been in agreement that there is zero percent chance the Rockies pass on Holliday if he is there at 4

I think Colorado has to start spamming pitching until they figure out how to have a stable pitching staff. They also draft Condon top 5 last year and only have one viable starting pitcher prospect. Witherspoon seems like a good bet for them. He's a low effort power pitcher with a cutter and slider that projects well in Coors.

[Adam2]

Would not surprise me at all if the Nationals took Willits over Holliday. Holliday has a higher ceiling with the power but Willits has a higher all around ceiling. Willits has 4 out of 5 plus tools with power the only thing lacking and him being so young gives him room to grow into more power. He'll stick at short or play CF where Holliday is probably a 3B or LF.

Also I think if Willits goes 1st OA then Holliday drops to us. I think Angels go pitching, Arquette to Seattle and the Rockies go pitching.

every analyst I've read has been in agreement that there is zero percent chance the Rockies pass on Holliday if he is there at 4

I think Colorado has to start spamming pitching until they figure out how to have a stable pitching staff. They also draft Condon top 5 last year and only have one viable starting pitcher prospect. Witherspoon seems like a good bet for them. He's a low effort power pitcher with a cutter and slider that projects well in Coors.

I don't disagree with you, but they will draft Holliday if he is there

[renostl]

https://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles ... 5_42260090

It just seems the Cardinals are overloaded with middle infielders. I hope they go for a potential top of the rotation pitcher.

So you pass on Derek Jeter to pick Zack Thompson?
You pass on Jose Altuve to draft Dakota Hudson?

Yeah...seems like a solid strategy to me!

You draft the best player. Period.

This always sounds good.

At #5 how much objective data is there though that separates the BPA?
It becomes subjective, along with navigating signings and budget of the draft.
You're smarter than I on all this, so I know that you get it.

Predicting a humans future performance isn't exact. The Cardinals very well could have a player
in the 15 range on a lot of these list that they prefer. I'm sure there's players in the top
10 the Cards would pass on as other teams do too.

[Monsieur De Treville]

https://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles ... 5_42260090

It just seems the Cardinals are overloaded with middle infielders. I hope they go for a potential top of the rotation pitcher.

So you pass on Derek Jeter to pick Zack Thompson?
You pass on Jose Altuve to draft Dakota Hudson?

Yeah...seems like a solid strategy to me!

You draft the best player. Period.

This always sounds good.

At #5 how much objective data is there though that separates the BPA?
It becomes subjective, along with navigating signings and budget of the draft.
You're smarter than I on all this, so I know that you get it.

Predicting a humans future performance isn't exact. The Cardinals very well could have a player
in the 15 range on a lot of these list that they prefer. I'm sure there's players in the top
10 the Cards would pass on as other teams do too.

No doubt it's a crapshoot.

But....

A team needs to trust the process and draft whomever they believe will be their best player.

[Shady]

MLB performing draft now. https://www.mlb.com/milb/news/mlb-pipel ... t-coverage

5. Cardinals: Eli Willits, SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton HS, Fort Cobb, Okla. (No. 5)
The Cardinals would like Holliday or one of the college southpaws, all of whom are off the board in this scenario. They could pivot to a high school shortstop in Willits or Carlson or the last remaining top-tier college arm in Witherspoon.

Interesting comment about Cards:

9. Reds: Seth Hernandez, RHP, Corona (Calif.) HS (No. 2)
This would be a great get for the Reds because Hernandez belongs much higher than this but has to deal with an industry skittish about spending early selections on high school righties. He could land with any of the clubs ahead of here except for the Cardinals and Blue Jays. If he's gone, Cincinnati could turn to Witherspoon or a prep shortstop. This is the ceiling for Texas A&M outfielder Jace LaViolette, who entered the season as the consensus top college bat but hit just .258 with a 25 percent strikeout rate.

thx for the link

If this plays out. Hernandez should be the pick for the Cardinals at #5.

[Talkin' Baseball]

That would be interesting.

[Monsieur De Treville]

MLB performing draft now. https://www.mlb.com/milb/news/mlb-pipel ... t-coverage

5. Cardinals: Eli Willits, SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton HS, Fort Cobb, Okla. (No. 5)
The Cardinals would like Holliday or one of the college southpaws, all of whom are off the board in this scenario. They could pivot to a high school shortstop in Willits or Carlson or the last remaining top-tier college arm in Witherspoon.

Interesting comment about Cards:

9. Reds: Seth Hernandez, RHP, Corona (Calif.) HS (No. 2)
This would be a great get for the Reds because Hernandez belongs much higher than this but has to deal with an industry skittish about spending early selections on high school righties. He could land with any of the clubs ahead of here except for the Cardinals and Blue Jays. If he's gone, Cincinnati could turn to Witherspoon or a prep shortstop. This is the ceiling for Texas A&M outfielder Jace LaViolette, who entered the season as the consensus top college bat but hit just .258 with a 25 percent strikeout rate.

thx for the link

If this plays out. Hernandez should be the pick for the Cardinals at #5.

Why?

[renostl]

https://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles ... 5_42260090

It just seems the Cardinals are overloaded with middle infielders. I hope they go for a potential top of the rotation pitcher.

So you pass on Derek Jeter to pick Zack Thompson?
You pass on Jose Altuve to draft Dakota Hudson?

Yeah...seems like a solid strategy to me!

You draft the best player. Period.

This always sounds good.

At #5 how much objective data is there though that separates the BPA?
It becomes subjective, along with navigating signings and budget of the draft.
You're smarter than I on all this, so I know that you get it.

Predicting a humans future performance isn't exact. The Cardinals very well could have a player
in the 15 range on a lot of these list that they prefer. I'm sure there's players in the top
10 the Cards would pass on as other teams do too.

No doubt it's a crapshoot.

But....

A team needs to trust the process and draft whomever they believe will be their best player.

We totally agree, It becomes not knowing what each teams process is in any given year.

We are greatly influenced by publications.
It would be impossible not to be and unrealistic for most of us to devote
the time to make our own list. Teams have several people doing it and in about 44 days
teams get judged against those publications.

[82birds]

is there a site that lists what college/university these HS kids made commitments to?

anybody?

[Futuregm2]

is there a site that lists what college/university these HS kids made commitments to?

anybody?

https://www.perfectgame.org/College/Col ... ments.aspx

[ramfandan]

is there a site that lists what college/university these HS kids made commitments to?

anybody?

While I don't follow the commitements closely a couple top guys I seem to remember in articles is
Eli Willits to Oklahoma and Billy Carlson originally committed to Vanderbilt but switched to Tennessee

[Adam2]

MLB performing draft now. https://www.mlb.com/milb/news/mlb-pipel ... t-coverage

5. Cardinals: Eli Willits, SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton HS, Fort Cobb, Okla. (No. 5)
The Cardinals would like Holliday or one of the college southpaws, all of whom are off the board in this scenario. They could pivot to a high school shortstop in Willits or Carlson or the last remaining top-tier college arm in Witherspoon.

Interesting comment about Cards:

9. Reds: Seth Hernandez, RHP, Corona (Calif.) HS (No. 2)
This would be a great get for the Reds because Hernandez belongs much higher than this but has to deal with an industry skittish about spending early selections on high school righties. He could land with any of the clubs ahead of here except for the Cardinals and Blue Jays. If he's gone, Cincinnati could turn to Witherspoon or a prep shortstop. This is the ceiling for Texas A&M outfielder Jace LaViolette, who entered the season as the consensus top college bat but hit just .258 with a 25 percent strikeout rate.

thx for the link

If this plays out. Hernandez should be the pick for the Cardinals at #5.

Normally i'd be hesitant to go for prep pitchers that early since they have such a high bust rate. But we don't really have an "electric" ace arm in the system right now (mathews looks really good but not like a Skenes, Degrom, and if you're drafting a prep pitcher top 5 that's what you're hoping for).

So i think i'm with you Shady, i kind of want to gamble on him at 5 over taking one of the college lefties who definitely have a higher floor, but lower ceiling

[Talkin' Baseball]

MLB performing draft now. https://www.mlb.com/milb/news/mlb-pipel ... t-coverage

5. Cardinals: Eli Willits, SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton HS, Fort Cobb, Okla. (No. 5)
The Cardinals would like Holliday or one of the college southpaws, all of whom are off the board in this scenario. They could pivot to a high school shortstop in Willits or Carlson or the last remaining top-tier college arm in Witherspoon.

Interesting comment about Cards:

9. Reds: Seth Hernandez, RHP, Corona (Calif.) HS (No. 2)
This would be a great get for the Reds because Hernandez belongs much higher than this but has to deal with an industry skittish about spending early selections on high school righties. He could land with any of the clubs ahead of here except for the Cardinals and Blue Jays. If he's gone, Cincinnati could turn to Witherspoon or a prep shortstop. This is the ceiling for Texas A&M outfielder Jace LaViolette, who entered the season as the consensus top college bat but hit just .258 with a 25 percent strikeout rate.

thx for the link

If this plays out. Hernandez should be the pick for the Cardinals at #5.

Normally i'd be hesitant to go for prep pitchers that early since they have such a high bust rate. But we don't really have an "electric" ace arm in the system right now (mathews looks really good but not like a Skenes, Degrom, and if you're drafting a prep pitcher top 5 that's what you're hoping for).

So i think i'm with you Shady, i kind of want to gamble on him at 5 over taking one of the college lefties who definitely have a higher floor, but lower ceiling

Sign me up too!

[Shady]

Right now, considering Holliday is unlikely to be available. It would be 1) Hernandez 2) Arnold 3) Anderson 4) Doyle. If Arquette can be shifted to the OF or 3B, I might prefer him over Doyle. Though the Cardinals have some outfielders coming on in the minors. And Wetherholt or Saggese could be put at 3B in the future. That's why I'd prefer one of the top pitchers at #5.