2025 MLB Draft Thread

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

5 hours ago, TomtheBombadil said:

Yeees keep Witherspoon out of that Top 10 and send to Cubs 

It’s super early and I know little about the HS guys but I really like Taylor and Witherspoon amongst the potential college prospects for the Cubs right now.

[mul21]

20 hours ago, CaliforniaRaisin said:

 

The Cardinals having almost $5M more in pool money than the Cubs when they finished with the same record last year sure is something.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

2 hours ago, mul21 said:

The Cardinals having almost $5M more in pool money than the Cubs when they finished with the same record last year sure is something.

Have to hook them up somehow since Theo took away their competitive balance draft pick.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Liam Doyle (Tennessee) vs Kade Anderson (LSU) today at 6:30 pm CT on SEC Network+.

[mul21]

Just now, CaliforniaRaisin said:

Have to hook them up somehow since Theo took away their competitive balance draft pick.

They still have one at 72.  They also have a horseshoe up their ass and moved from 13 to 5 in the lottery.  I hate them.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

2 minutes ago, mul21 said:

They still have one at 72.  They also have a horseshoe up their ass and moved from 13 to 5 in the lottery.  I hate them.

Oh man, I thought they got taken off the competitive balance list because they didn't have any for a few years in a row.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

BA staff mock draft: https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2025-mlb-draft-baseball-america-staff-draft-2-0-for-top-50-picks/

Quote

17. Cubs — Xavier Neyens, SS, Mount Vernon (Wash.) HS

Writer: Ben 

Rationale: Neyens brings a patient approach with big-time bat speed and raw power from the left side of the plate. There’s some swing-and-miss to his game, but it’s true all-fields power with excellent strength and leverage behind his lefthanded swing.

 

[bukie]

I have a part question, part "whew we are old now" post:

Young bukie (who didn't exist until 4 years into the board's existence and is pictured in avatar from a long time ago), now a 17yo senior in high school is curious about the draft potential of three Lincoln way area IL prep arms that he's caught all of in the past year+, Jack Bauer (LW East), Conor Essenburg (LW West) and Luke Mensik (LW Central).

Any chance all 3 get their name called early enough in the draft to stick with a pro team?

(And no, young bukie is not going to have his name called and will have to settle for playing C in college next year)

[Jason Ross]

18 hours ago, bukie said:

oI have a part question, part "whew we are old now" post:

Young bukie (who didn't exist until 4 years into the board's existence and is pictured in avatar from a long time ago), now a 17yo senior in high school is curious about the draft potential of three Lincoln way area IL prep arms that he's caught all of in the past year+, Jack Bauer (LW East), Conor Essenburg (LW West) and Luke Mensik (LW Central).

Any chance all 3 get their name called early enough in the draft to stick with a pro team?

(And no, young bukie is not going to have his name called and will have to settle for playing C in college next year)

Jack Bauer is being consistently ranked within the top-75 draft eligible players. With his fastball velocity, I think it's likely a team will select him between Comp-A, Second Round and Comp-B and overslot him. 

Conor Essenburg has a commitment to the University of Kentucky. While Kentucky commits are not the same as a Vandy lock, UK was able to keep second round SS Tyler Bell in school last year even after he was drafted. NIL money is real even for baseball. As of now, I think Essenburg may be selected in the 11th-20th rounds as a sign-and-try but I would guess he ends up in Lexington. As a UK Alumni, that would be a good outcome for the team.

Luke Mensik has a commitment to Xavier. This is far less of a lock than an SEC school. Feels like he would be a candidate for an 11th-20th round pick and would be more likely to be bought out of a commitment. 

Whether or not they stick with an MLB org long term? Best answer I can give is; if anyone knows for sure, they should immediately be hired by an MLB org haha. Prep arms are impossible to forecast - there's a long road to develop and many pitfalls on top of injury. No shade at any of them, it's just that the road to MLB pitching is littered with great players who just couldn't hold up to that standard. It's being the 1% of the 1%. But wish all three the best!

[JBears79]

I hope Jack Bauer makes it to the show so we constantly get "24" references on every broadcast he pitches in.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

2 hours ago, Jason Ross said:

Jack Bauer is being consistently ranked within the top-75 draft eligible players. With his fastball velocity, I think it's likely a team will select him between Comp-A, Second Round and Comp-B and overslot him. 

Conor Essenburg has a commitment to the University of Kentucky. While Kentucky commits are not the same as a Vandy lock, UK was able to keep second round SS Tyler Bell in school last year even after he was drafted. NIL money is real even for baseball. As of now, I think Essenburg may be selected in the 11th-20th rounds as a sign-and-try but I would guess he ends up in Lexington. As a UK Alumni, that would be a good outcome for the team.

Luke Mensik has a commitment to Xavier. This is far less of a lock than an SEC school. Feels like he would be a candidate for an 11th-20th round pick and would be more likely to be bought out of a commitment. 

Whether or not they stick with an MLB org long term? Best answer I can give is; if anyone knows for sure, they should immediately be hired by an MLB org haha. Prep arms are impossible to forecast - there's a long road to develop and many pitfalls on top of injury. No shade at any of them, it's just that the road to MLB pitching is littered with great players who just couldn't hold up to that standard. It's being the 1% of the 1%. But wish all three the best!

I've been seeing Jack Bauer pop up in the first round in mocks now but prep pitchers tend to drop every year. I love how he's in on the joke and wears #24.

And goodness, we're all so very old. 

[bukie]

2 hours ago, CaliforniaRaisin said:

I've been seeing Jack Bauer pop up in the first round in mocks now but prep pitchers tend to drop every year. I love how he's in on the joke and wears #24.

And goodness, we're all so very old. 

I would greatly enjoy it if Bauer is picked #24. Cmon, Tigers, make it happen.

Edited April 29, 2025 by bukie

[Regular Show]

7 hours ago, Jason Ross said:

Jack Bauer is being consistently ranked within the top-75 draft eligible players. With his fastball velocity, I think it's likely a team will select him between Comp-A, Second Round and Comp-B and overslot him. 

*^I'm pretty sure the video clip on the far right is suppose to say APR 2025, not APR 2024.

I don't love the delivery and think he'll need to smooth out his mechanics/pitching motion either in college or after going pro. Definitely has room to get stronger and refine his secondary pitches. I would probably avoid a pitching prospect like this in the 1st round, but after that he becomes very intriguing (depending on how much he is looking for).

His rise kinda reminds me of another Illinois prep lefty (Bryan Hudson) that the Cubs drafted in the 3rd round of the 2015 MLB Draft. It took him a while to reach MLB, but he did eventually make it as a lefty reliever (currently on the Brewers).  

Edited April 29, 2025 by Regular Show

[JBears79]

I saw him mocked as high as 19 the other day. I'm interested in him. Though I would prefer a college hitter. 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[NorthsideAvenger]

23 hours ago, JBears79 said:

I hope Jack Bauer makes it to the show so we constantly get "24" references on every broadcast he pitches in.

Jack Bauer .v. Jake Bauers. Just for the shenanigans.

[Jason Ross]

Wehiwa Aloy is A-Okay with me! I like him a bunch. 

[Outshined_One]

Aloy would be fantastic, and fits the profile the Cubs seem to like in the first round for hitters.

I'm sorry, there is no way this is a real school.  It sounds like something someone made up for purposes of scamming the Department of Education.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Pipeline updated their rankings:

https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/draft/

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]