Looking at the Results of the Draft Lottery

This week, Main League Baseball hosted the second-ever draft lottery. The occasion featured representatives from every non-playoff staff and was used to pick the draft order for the 2025 beginner draft that can happen subsequent summer season. The order ended as follows

Nationals

Angels

Mariners

Rockies

Cardinals

Pirates

Marlins

Blue Jays

Reds

White Sox

Athletics

Rangers

Giants

Rays

Purple Sox

Twins

Cubs

Diamondbacks

Right here, we’ll be some massive winners and losers from the night time in addition to some early candidates for the coveted first decide of subsequent yr’s draft. Couple notes: The Athletics and White Sox have been ineligible to obtain a t10 decide, explaining why they ended so low regardless of poor performances within the 2024 season

The Seattle Mariners have been by far the most important winners of the lottery this week. Going into the occasion, the membership had the Fifteenth-best odds to obtain the primary total decide. Coming off one other remarkably mediocre season, the third total decide will arm the Mariners with 1) a excessive draft decide and a pair of) a considerably elevated bonus pool accessible to make use of throughout the draft. This may enable the membership to accumulate extra expertise on the again finish of the draft. Their farm system already includes a substantial quantity of expertise, and the rewards from this draft lottery ought to solely assist them bolster the system. 

The Cardinals got here into the occasion with the Thirteenth-best odds on the first total decide and left with the fifth decide within the draft, a flip of occasions that’s certain to depart the group proud of the outcomes. The membership might definitely use some additional reinforcements for his or her farm system, and 2025 they need to be capable of do exactly that. As talked about with the Mariners, the Cardinals will obtain extra funds accessible to make use of of their draft bonus pool with the decide which ought to free them as much as purchase some gifted prep gamers later within the draft. 

Regardless of coming into the lottery with the (tied for) greatest odds on the first decide, the bounce of the lottery ball left them with the seventh decide in 2025. This continues so as to add on to the lengthy checklist of unlucky occasions which have plagued the group in latest reminiscence. Their farm system presently ranks about center of the pack within the league, and whereas they’ll be capable of reinforce it a bit this draft, they gained’t give you the chance to take action as dramatically as they’d have with the primary total decide. Couple that with the lack of bonus pool cash that they’ll obtain, and it was a horrible, no good, very unhealthy day for Miami.

The Rockies have been additionally tied with the perfect odds on the first decide, and whereas they didn’t skid as far down the ladder because the Marlins, they nonetheless ended up with the 4th decide. The Rockies have began to show issues round in recent times, drafting rather well prior to now couple of seasons and including names equivalent to Charlie Condon and Chase Dollander. Fortunately for them, this draft class is shaping as much as be pretty deep on the high, though I’m certain they’d have greater than welcomed the elevated bonus pool they’d have obtained with the primary decide.

The son of Matt and brother of Jackson, Ethan is the following Holliday poised to interrupt into the league. Ranked as the perfect accessible prospect on a number of early 2025 boards, Ethan has an uber-physical body that’s considerably bigger than Jackson’s was on the similar age. He’s capable of faucet into some professional uncooked energy, although I do have some slight issues on the hit device. Within the discipline, Ethan will maintain his personal on the left facet with clean actions and a stable arm. Even when he does get moved to 3rd, the bat ought to greater than make up for the loss in defensive worth.

Jace LaViolette, OF, Texas A&M

On the faculty facet, LaViollete possesses a extremely intriguing skillset with immense uncooked energy from the left facet and a bodily imposing body. Coming off of a spectacular season final yr headlined by 29 house runs, he’s poised to as soon as once more be a pressure within the SEC. With a giant yr from him, the Nationals might have a tough time passing on him.

Arnold options a few of the most original pitch launch traits on the school degree. He comes from a low, sidearm slot that has proved to be practically unhittable all through his collegiate profession. Each the fastball and the slider grade out properly above common, and his changeup has taken steps annually. If he goes on a Paul Skenes-esque run all through the season, Mike Rizzo has confirmed he’s not afraid to pick pitchers with the primary decide as he did so with Stephen Strasburg, although his injury-ridden profession could possibly be sufficient to provide him pause. Regardless, Arnold is my high pitcher on this yr’s draft with an actual probability to be the primary participant chosen this summer season.