MLB Draft: Five names to know for 2025, including Jackson Holliday’s brother and an SEC slugger

This year’s Major League Baseball amateur draft is in the books. What began on Sunday with the Cleveland Guardians selecting Travis Bazzana with the franchise’s first ever No. 1 pick came to a close on Tuesday. (You can click here to read our winners and losers column.) While most of the baseball world will move on and begin thinking about their trade deadline plans, amateur scouts will hit the road again to monitor summer leagues across the country.

The search for talented players never ends in MLB, meaning that it’s never too early to start thinking about the next draft. With that in mind, CBS Sports is keeping with our post-draft tradition of highlighting five notable players worth knowing from next year’s class. These players were selected for various reasons — some of them could compete for the No. 1 spot, others offer an interesting tidbit or profile that we felt made them worth highlighting. 

Whatever the case, remember that these are not necessarily the five best players in the 2025 class. They’re simply five players who you’ll be hearing about over the ensuing 12 months. Now, onto the good stuff.

1. Ethan Holliday, SS/3B, Stillwater HS (OK)

Yup, there’s another Holliday. Ethan is, of course, the son of former All-Star outfielder Matt and brother of ffuture All-Star infielder Jackson. He’s also the nephew of Josh, the head coach at Oklahoma State. Ethan is committed to playing for his uncle, but — and this may come as a surprise — he’s highly unlikely to ever suit up for the Cowboys. He’s a left-handed hitter who already shows a good approach and who should grow into middle-of-the-order power as he fills out his 6-foot-4 frame. In turn, Holliday may have to move off shortstop, perhaps relocating to third base. For those wondering: no pair of brothers have ever each been selected with the No. 1 pick (though Melvin and Justin Upton came close). The Hollidays may change that come next July.

2. Jace LaViolette, OF, Texas A&M

Braden Montgomery, who went 12th to the Red Sox earlier this week, wasn’t the only slugging outfielder in the Aggies lineup. LaViolette combines a deceptively quiet setup with well-above-average strength. He fits the modern archetype when it comes to his batted-ball profile: he likes to lift the ball to maximize his slugging output, resulting in a fly-ball rate north of 50% for his collegiate career. LaViolette does strike out a considerable amount, finishing just short of 30% during SEC play. He’ll need to cut into that percentage next spring to avoid concerns about his hit-tool projection. If he can, he could solidify himself as a top-five pick.

3. Cam Cannarella, CF, Clemson

Cannarella saw his numbers backslide from his freshman season, especially during ACC play. (He also saw his stolen-base totals crater, although that seems more likely to have been an intentional strategical decision to keep him healthy.) He’ll still be one of the collegiate bats worth watching heading into next season thanks to above-average defense in center field, good wheels, and a demonstrated feel for contact. Those secondary skills should grant him a long leash offensively, making him a strong candidate to become the first first-round Tiger since 2019.

4. Devin Taylor, LF, Indiana

Speaking of first-round droughts, the Hoosiers haven’t had a player selected in round one since Kyle Schwarber in 2014. Taylor is a great candidate to change that. He’s a well-rounded hitter with demonstrated strength, discipline, and bat-to-ball skills. He also improved each of his triple-slash statistics while also slicing into his strikeout rate from 18.9% to 13%. Taylor is likely to patrol left field as a professional, putting the onus on him proving that his offensive gains are legitimate in 2025.

5. Chase Shores, RHP, LSU

Shores, a 6-foot-8 behemoth, did not pitch this year after undergoing Tommy John surgery. In 2023, however, he amassed a 1.96 ERA over 18 innings while showing off a power arsenal led by an upper-90s heater. Pitchers tend to require about 12 months to make a full recovery, with some big-league clubs giving their pitchers closer to 14 months. Shores might be cutting it close on returning to game action, but he should be able to throw side sessions for scouts anyway. His combination of size, strength, and limited recent performance could make him a volatile prospect, and something of a mystery man.