Every single prospect selected in the MLB Draft is an unfinished product, and so much of the burden lies on each team’s development system. Some systems have a better track record than others, and that could play a significant role in how certain players turn out.

Of course, some prospects are just talented enough to shine regardless of their situation. A handful of players from last year’s draft have already hit the ground running, whether in the majors or the minors, and it won’t be long until this year’s crop of talent is charging its way to the big leagues.

College arms will be popular early on, with LSU’s Kade Anderson, Tennessee’s Liam Doyle and Florida State’s Jamie Arnold all expected to come off the board quickly. High school infielder Ethan Holliday spent most of the past year as the projected No. 1 pick, but his landing spot is more uncertain than ever after Anderson staked his claim for the top pick during the College World Series.

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It might be a full decade until we can properly grade the 2025 MLB Draft, if even that. Like the league’s 30 front offices, though, we can make an early evaluation. 

The Sporting News is grading each MLB Draft pick through the end of Competitive Balance Round A. Follow along with each selection. 

MORE MLB Draft: 2-round mock draft | Prospect big board

MLB Draft grades 2025: Live picks, analysis for Round 1

This section will be updated as selections are made.

1. Washington Nationals — Eli Willits, SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton (OK)

It’s easy to see and understand what the Nationals are trying to do by saving money for later on while betting on the raw talent of Willits, but at what point will winning be on the menu for Washington? There is real pressure to start winning soon in D.C., and Kade Anderson would have been the type of player who could have contributed to winning in 2026. Willits has sky-high potential at just 17, but a Nationals franchise that has notoriously struggled to develop hitters over the past decade, this is a major, major risk. 

2. Los Angeles Angels — Tyler Bremner, RHP, UC Santa Barbara

Another stunner. The Angels’ strategy of giving Bremner a significantly under-slot deal is clear, so it will be hard to fully judge the pick until their next couple of selections are in, but this was a chance for Los Angeles to reshape its pitching staff around Kade Anderson or Liam Doyle long-term. Bremner should be a major-leaguer in the not-too-distant future, but this might have been the right time for the Angels to take advantage of the star talent at the top of the draft. 

3. Seattle Mariners — Kade Anderson, LHP, LSU

Anderson is not Paul Skenes and shouldn’t be expected to be Paul Skenes, but there isn’t anything to complain about here. Anderson has a strong case to be the best prospect in this draft and has a high floor, so he should be on a fast-track to the majors for a Mariners franchise that knows how to develop starters. Anderson doesn’t blow hitters away, but there might be room for increased velocity that could make him a potential frontline starter at the MLB level.

4. Colorado Rockies — Ethan Holliday, SS, Stillwater (OK)

The Rockies were never going to pass on Holliday if he made it to No. 4, and they have a potential cornerstone with ties to the organization in the 18-year-old. No high school prospect can be called a sure thing, but Holliday has all of the tools needed to put himself on a fast-track to the majors. His power would play well in Coors Field (or any stadium, really), and the off-field benefits of adding a potential household name to an organization that badly needs some positive attention. 

5. St. Louis Cardinals — Liam Doyle, LHP, Tennessee

Doyle has the most lethal fastball in the draft, which is an excellent place for the left-hander to start. The Cardinals are going to have to work their development skills to get his secondary pitches further along and make him a more well-rounded pitcher, but it’s hard to question the choice here with Willits off the board. St. Louis’ rotation has featured plenty of older, slow-throwing arms over the last two years, so Doyle is a nice breath of fresh air for the organization.