While many presume Ethan Holliday will be the first pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, one analyst isn’t so sure. Baseball isn’t like other sports. With 20 rounds, the draft pulls from a much deeper talent pool. Add in the fact that high school players are eligible, and the available talent only grows.
Make no mistake — Holliday remains near the top of most draft boards. But is he the best player available this year? That slight difference can mean going No. 1 overall or slipping into the fifth or sixth spot. One MLB insider thinks Holliday has real competition for the top pick.
MLB Insider Argues Ethan Holliday’s Position as Top Overall Pick Isn’t Guaranteed
With less than two months to go, the 2025 MLB Draft rumor mill is starting to heat up. And for Stillwater High (Okla.) third baseman Holliday, what once seemed like a clear path to the top pick doesn’t look so locked in now.
The high school star brings every tool scouts want in a top prospect. He has a strong arm, quick hands in the field, and a sharp eye at the plate.
The Washington Nationals, since winning it all in 2019, have slid into a long rebuild. They let Bryce Harper and Anthony Rendon leave, and the team’s core started to fall apart. Stephen Strasburg battled injuries. And Juan Soto and Trea Turner, two stars on the rise, moved on after their rookie deals.
The result? The Nationals have been stuck in a long losing stretch and need an injection of young talent.
According to ESPN insider Kiley McDaniel, Holliday might not be Washington’s pick after all.
“This one is still wide open. Holliday is perceived as the most likely outcome right now from my industry conversations. But Eli Willits is getting some support internally, and Seth Hernandez seems to be a real option while Jamie Arnold and Liam Doyle are seen as the two most likely college options should Washington go that route.
“These players are all pretty closely packed on my rankings below so the Nats getting into the draft room to hash out which they think is best — along with weighing the asking prices of each prospect — will dictate how Washington plays this one.”
Basically, Holliday’s asking price could decide where he lands. Is that fair? In today’s game, money doesn’t just talk, it shouts. Talent plays a big role, but financial concerns matter just as much. Either way, the Nationals need a spark to bring life back to the team.