EDITOR’S NOTE: The following rankings and evaluations by FSS PLUS are based on subjective analysis and industry sources, and do not influence, are not influenced by or are affiliated with the opinions and reports of Future Stars Series scouting and development staff.
Welcome to the Top 400 Prospects for the 2025 MLB Draft cycle.
The 2025 Draft is a couple months away so it’s time for the Future Stars Series PLUS Top 400 prospect board update. This board is built on three pillars. Live looks, data evaluation, and intel/conversations provided from within the industry. These players have a ton of time, big matchups and playoffs ahead of them, so expect this list to change considerably as we approach the 2025 Draft.
As of April 17, this class is muddy. Really muddy. Depending on the metric you value or the scout you speak to there are no less than 20 different players with an argument to be featured in the top 10. Thankfully, it does feel as though the top of this class is beginning to cement itself thanks to big performances all spring and standout performances on big stages.
While Jackson Holliday was the prize in the 2022 MLB Draft, scouts got a first-hand look at his brother in their trips to Stillwater. The second-born of Matt Holliday‘s children, Ethan is far more physical than his older brother with huge raw power and a similarly beautiful left-handed stroke. Still extremely young, Holliday already tops the scales at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds with broad shoulders and plenty of projection to go. There’s no question the raw power carries heavy value here and he should generate even more raw power as his frame matures.
Holliday is one of the top high school bats at this stage despite a streaky summer where he struggled to show his impact in games. There was more swing and miss than scouts were accustomed to seeing, especially when exposed to velocity. Holliday has a steeper move into the hitting zone and works underneath the baseball and works hard to catch it out in front. The result last summer was whiffs on elevated velocity and mis-hits if he’s late. He’ll need some swing adjustments at the next level if he’s to reach his ceiling of what some believe is a high-average, slugging middle-of-the-order bat.
It’s been a much more fruitful spring for Holliday as he’s shown some adjustments with the swing. His load is a bit quieter and while his timing at the plate has been streaky, he’s shown more of an ability to adjust in-game. He’s hit north of .600 this season with enormous power output. Holliday needed to show without a shadow of a doubt that he’s an improved hitter this spring to dispel the concerns from last summer and many believe he’s done just that.
It’s a swing not too dissimilar from Bryce Rainer a year ago. You’d be hard-pressed to find many scouts who aren’t bullish on Holliday developing into significant impact at the next level even if it’s a 40-grade hit tool. Holliday still posts minuscule chase rates and hit the ball in the air nearly 60 percent of the time across a big summer sample. He can get the ball in the air, but catching the fat part of the bat has been a struggle against better arms. You buy the tools here and trust in the development. Remember, his brother Jackson had a sluggish summer in 2021 too before blossoming into the top prospect in the sport.
Holliday is the starting shortstop at Stillwater High School, however he’s played mostly third base on the tournament circuit. Because of his size and physical projection most scouts believe he’ll end up at the hot corner long term. He’s a fringe-average runner and doesn’t project to grow into much more speed as a pro. It’s special arm talent with some slapping 70-grade arm strength grades on the player. The hands are solid, if not above average. He should develop into at least an above-average defender at third base.
He’s got some work to do in the spring to keep the lofty top-5 pick expectations. There are a number of outcomes for a player like Holliday when all is said and done. If the tools and talent come together he could end up as productive as a player like Matt Carpenter or Eric Chavez. If the swing-and-miss persists, a Ryan McMahon trajectory may be more fitting.
The thing that immediately stands out about Hernandez at this stage is his mature pitch-ability and his natural talent to pound the strike zone. He’ll work into a lather and sit 92-96 as the innings build but Hernandez will touch 100 mph in the early goings. Hernandez has shown the arm strength to reach back into the high-90s toward the end of his outings too.
It’s not the most dynamic fastball shape, but there’s generally some carry that allows the heater to work elevated. When left at the bottom of the zone or in the heart of the plate Hernandez has struggled to generate whiffs despite his pure velocity.
His best weapon currently is a low-80s outlier changeup that he executes well by killing spin and creating depth off his fastball tunnel. Hernandez can dance the cambio generating considerable arm-side fading action to supplement its depth and velocity separation. It’s likely a ‘plus’ pitch when all is said and done and could end up a 70-grade weapon if he’s eventually able to extract more value out of his fastball.
There’s a mid-80s slider with solid depth and some sweep as well. It’s a breaker that’s improved this spring, however it’s not yet become his bread and butter. Most scouts see a potential above-average projection on the pitch, though pitching development, specifically breaking ball development, has gotten so much better in professional baseball of late, don’t be surprised if he finds a way to turn that pitch into something more dynamic. There’s also a bigger mid-70s curveball that he’ll happily steal strikes with.
Outside of outlier fastball shape, Hernandez checks just about every box a scout could conceivably draw up for a high school pitcher. He’s got a chance to develop into a frontline starter at the next level with a bit of refinement. Hernandez is one of the top prep arms in this class and has an argument as one of the better high school arms to come along in several years.
Hernandez will be 19 years old on draft day.
Jamie Arnold is a metric freak. His ability to create velocity and angles from a 55-inch release height is reasonably unprecedented. Arnold has an extremely, outlier-esque flat approach angle with a fastball that absolutely feasts at the top of the zone. He’s been up to 97 but more impressively holds 92-95 into the deepest innings of his starts. While all the metrics point toward this being a plus pitch, Arnold has struggled to miss bats with the heater like he did in 2024. It’s still effective, but it’s lacking the teeth you’d expect with the metrics it generates.
As Arnold has matured into his craft, gotten stronger and has continued to better understand how his body works, his athleticism has continued to tick higher and higher. He’s added nearly six inches of extension down the bump over the course of the last twelve months and it’s allowing his entire arsenal to play even better than before. He’s now generates well-above average extension compared to his Major League counterparts.
The fastball is really just the start of a complete arsenal. Arnold’s sweeper is just as impressive featuring considerable depth and big lateral action to get left-handed hitters looking foolish on the regular. He’ll back-foot the breaking ball to right-handed hitters too. He commands the pitch well and his misses are competitive.
Arnold went to Driveline prior to the 2025 season to work on his pitch shapes, particularly his changeup. What was once inconsistent in terms of execution and consistency is now flashing way more impact potential. Arnold is generates more depth and more fading action than every before. While it’s still largely average in terms of command, landing that pitch anywhere in or near that zone makes for an offspeed pitch that’ll consistently flash plus.
Arnold is a strike-thrower with a simple delivery, a loose arm and athleticism in his operation. He isn’t necessarily a fast-mover and he doesn’t possess a big, prototype frame either. Scouts are skeptical there’s much more in the tank to be developed. Still, he’s precisely what a top-of-the-rotation starter looks like. Scouts are looking for *different* when it comes to pitching prospects. Arnold is very different and will undoubtedly garner Chris Sale comparisons as the Draft approaches.
HOMETOWN: Fort Cobb, Oklahoma
HEIGHT: 6-1
WEIGHT: 175
BAT/THROW: B-R
A re-class from 2026, Eli Willits is a true switch-hitter in every sense of the word. Some guys fake it hitting from both sides and struggling from one side or the other. That’s not the case here.
From the left side, Willits features a tight, compact swing with quick hands and twitchy hips. He uses the whole field and has an adjustability with the barrel that few can match.
There are some moving parts in the load and some late barrel tilt that could test his ability to handle higher velocity arms, but to this point, he’s impressed in tournament settings and has had little issue squaring up fastballs in premium settings. Right now it’s fringy raw power with ringing gap power.
That said, Willits has a lean frame with the hands and projection you look for in a guy who could ultimately get to average or better raw power. From the right side, it’s a bit more bat speed with louder results and a bit more impact to all fields. The hit tool projects better from the left side, but he’s far from a liability as a right-handed hitter. He clearly projects to be able to hit from both sides of the plate going forward.
Interesting offensive tools from both sides of the plate.
Willits looks every bit the part of a future shortstop, centerfielder or up-the-middle defender too. He’s a rangy defender who has demonstrated the ability to get to any ball.
As a shortstop, he excels when coming in on the grass and making the play on slow-rollers in front of him. He can get his body into the athletic positions necessary to make just about every throw. He’s also an above-average runner with long strides and a smooth gait that projects to hold deep into professional ball. He’s also shown plenty capable of playing a strong centerfield if teams want to give him a run at the ‘8’.
He takes some of the stronger routes in the class out there and demonstrates solid spatial awareness around the wall and warning track.
Perhaps the one nitpick analysts and some evaluators have on the entire profile is a general lack of explosive, twitchy athleticism. Willits doesn’t stand out when it comes to force-plate testing or 30-/60-yard dash workouts. Skeptics of those results will point to a low ceiling from an impact perspective. Those bullish of his profile will point to his extraordinarily young age as a means to reason a jump in explosiveness and strength on the horizon.
Willits has a chance to be one of the first players off the board if he adds a bit more impact at the plate. The tools are here for a special player. As noted, he will be extremely young for the draft, just 17.7 years old when he’s selected.
Arquette made his way from the island of Hawaii and became something of a star at the University of Washington. He transferred to Oregon State for his draft-eligible 2025 campaign after UW’s Head Coach Jason Kelly left for Texas A&M following the 2024 season.
Arquette is long and projectable on the dirt and may ultimately shift to third base if he adds more physicality. As things stand he’s a reasonably rangy infielder considering his size and a steady second baseman with a solid arm and nimble actions. He’ll get more of a full-time look at shortstop for Oregon State in 2025.
Arquette showcases a strong internal clock with soft hands and balance on the infield. Skeptics have long looked at his size as reason to believe he’s destined for the outfield. He’s continuously proved those doubters wrong.
Arquette’s bat took mammoth strides during his sophomore year and it now represents one of the more complete offensive profiles in the country. There are bat-to-ball skills and huge exit velocities, both of which were shown off on the Cape too.
Arquette has a steady approach and a willingness to use right field, a rare trait for players his size. It’s raw power that plays into right-center field with backspinning batted balls that cut through thick, wet Pacific Northwest air. If there’s one nitpicking trait scouts would like to see Arquette improve as the Draft nears it would be his patience at the plate. More specifically late in counts.
He’s in no rush to take walks and can get over-anxious on spin. Still, that’s a rather minor wart on a scouting report covered with above-average tools throughout.
Off the field, Arquette is the epitome of an island boy. He lives life at a slow tempo and is easygoing. He’ll turn on that competitive fire between the lines, but it’s a slower heartbeat and an even-keel personality elsewhere.
The 95th percentile outcome on a player like Arquette is something of a Troy Tulowitzki. A floor outcome could be someone like Mike Morse.
He’ll need to further prove he’s a shortstop through and through should he hope to land those lofty comparisons when July rolls around.
Carlson is polished beyond his years at the plate with supreme pitch recognition and boasts strong bat-to-ball numbers against advanced velocity and tough breaking balls.
Passivity early in counts has gotten him into too many pitchers’ counts in the past, and strikeout numbers have been streaky because of it, but most scouts believe he has fallen victim to poor umpiring more than anything at times throughout his amateur career.
Folks who have paid close attention to his game have never doubted the plan at the plate. He hits the ball on the ground a touch more than scouts would like to see, but it’s something evaluators expect to improve with continued maturation and strength. He’s always hit the ball with authority, especially for his size.
With a lean, wiry frame, Carlson projects to add weight and impact as he develops and could eventually blossom into above-average raw power, though he’s made it an emphasis to stay athletic and twitchy at this stage in his career.
Carlson has a very strong arm that rivals some of the better high school shortstops of the last decade. It’s comfortably plus and will play at the next level. Coupled with a soft glove and clean actions, Carlson has a chance at developing into at least an above-average defensive shortstop as a pro. It’s a shortstop frame with rangy actions and quick hands around the bag.
He’s got the best actions of any infielder in the class and is the best bet you’ll find to play shortstop in the big leagues in this draft class.
Carlson also pitches and features a high-spin breaking ball with big lateral action. He’s been up to 97 mph. Most believe his future is on the dirt. Carlson will be 19 years old on draft day.
Carlson’s biggest vice may be how tough he can be on himself when he’s struggling. He can get down on himself and it comes out in his body language at times. It’s a part of his game and his mental fortitude has improved over the last twelve months, but being the competitor he is it may always be a small part of how he ticks.
Shortstops hailing from Southern California are always a hot commodity in every draft and Carlson fits right up there with most from the last half-decade. He’s even a bit twitchier than some of those that preceded him. He’ll be a hot name in July and could come off the board inside the top 10 picks.
Perhaps nobody in the country had a better summer in 2024 than did Fien. Challenged across premium competition for Team USA and other showcase outings, Fien posted a 1.252 OPS in a 74 plate appearance sample size. He boasted well-above average contact rates as a whole and bordered on elite plate coverage in the zone. He handled velocity at an extremely high level and ran an 11-percent strikeout rate despite consistently seeing the best high school arms the world could offer. As he’s grown to understand his body and his swing, Fien has shown a willingness to adjust what he’s doing in the box to help generate results. He slowed down his entire operation over the last twelve months and is more deliberate with his load. The strength and the barrel will do the heavy lifting, and he’s allowing that to happen now instead of rushing to the point of contact. Fien is a pretty solid bet to hit going forward. He’s grown into ‘plus’ raw power and is showing it with exit velocities north of 109 mph. There’s a strong case to be made Fien is the top right-handed high school bat in the 2025 Draft.
Curiously, Fien has struggled at times this spring against far lesser competition than he did last summer. He’s seemingly struggled to adjust to the fact teams don’t want to pitch to him. He’s chasing soft stuff out in front of the plate and at times looks to have reverted back to moving too quickly. Scouts aren’t too concerned about his streakiness this spring considering the sample and level of competition from last summer. But it’s worth monitoring. Fien simply hasn’t taken his game to another level this year.
Fien has also always been a reliable defender on the dirt, despite lacking top-end foot speed or lateral mobility. He’s got a strong internal clock with active feet on the dirt, however technically his footwork can get out of whack when throwing across the diamond on plays to his right. Fien attacks the baseball. He may not be a guy who makes the highlight reel play going forward, but he should plateau as an average defender at the hot corner if he doesn’t get too big. He can be trusted to handle his position. It’s also a plus throwing arm too that could profile in right field if he’s pushed off the dirt.
Fien’s draws comparisons to the No. 11 pick from the 2021 Draft, Brady House, however his predecessor was a more accomplished defender at this same stage.
Doyle was a steady member of the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers rotation in 2023 and continued to get better as the year went on. He transferred to Ole Miss in 2024 but only stayed at the school for one year before heading to Tennessee. The stuff exploded on Rocky Top.
Doyle has been up to 99 and will sit 94-96 at his absolute best with considerable carry and arm-side run. It’s a devastating fastball and coming from the left side makes it all that much more impressive. The fastball is without question a ‘plus’ offering and it’ll flash 70-grade traits when he’s hot with fuzz through the zone.
Doyle lives at the top of the zone and is extremely effective because of it. While the velocity and shapes are both exquisite, Doyle is just an average athlete on the mound and only generates moderate extension down the bump.
Professional hitters may pick up the fastball out of his hand better than the current competition. However, that won’t dilute the fact it’s at least a plus pitch. Commanding the heater isn’t Doyle’s strong suit, but he’s usually around the zone and walks haven’t been much of an issue. Putting the pitch where he wants is fringy.
The secondaries are more of a work in progress, but they’ve shown enough to project effectiveness to the next level. His splitter and cutter/slider are both effective, the splitter especially. The splitter has a chance to become a plus pitch if shapes alone are any indication of future projection. They’re not, but if Doyle can rein in commanding that pitch it’s got quite a ceiling.
The cutter is short with firm, slippery tilt. It’s extremely effective getting hitters off the fastball and Doyle has shown the ability to keep it under right-handers’ hands and back-door it as well. There’s also a bigger slider with considerable tilt and sweeping action.
Doyle struggles to command his bag of pitches but the stuff is so big he generates whiffs in bunches.
Doyle does have a deeper arm action and there’s some effort with his delivery leading to the aforementioned command shakiness. There’s a lot to like with this arm, even if it ultimately ends up a high-leverage reliever
Anderson exudes confidence on the bump with a low-90s fastball, up to 96 with significant carry and command of the top rail. Although he threw his heater close to 70 percent of the time as a freshman, he’s showing a full menu this year and relying less on that pitch. He pairs the fastball with an absolute hammer breaking ball that with huge downer shape. There’s seam-mirroring between the two pitches allowing the breaker to tunnel off the fastball very well and generates whiffs below the zone.
Anderson does have an upper-70s changeup that he’s thus far simply not had to show much. He’ll offer it to more advanced right-handed hitters and has shown feel for landing that pitch in and around the zone. It may only be an average weapon at the next level. He added a mid-80s slider this season that misses bats and avoids barrels too featuring considerable sweeping life in its velocity band. There’s also been signs of a more firm cutter to keep right-handers off his fastball up in the zone. It’s four or five pitches all of which live in their own movement bucket. Anderson is the prototype starting pitcher prospect.
His entire arsenal is extremely high-spin and Anderson strides the mound beautifully. It’s all the components of a starting pitcher at the next level. He’s got a super-quick arm and lean strength in his frame. He should continue to throw harder as he matures. If he was a guy living in the mid-90s like some of his peers at this same stage he might be a lock to go inside of the top-five picks. Alas. A draft-eligible true sophomore, Anderson will barely by 21 years old for the Draft.
A decorated bluechip hailing from Milton, Wisconsin, Kilen is a talented hitter and defender with considerable ceiling. The midwest has become a hotbed for producing talented baseball prospects the last five years or so and Kilen continues that trend. His brand is that of a sound hitter with impact still coming. Kilen re-branded himself a bit in 2025. In 2024 Kilen was extremely aggressive in the box with a tendency to swing at more pitches than he probably should resulting in high chase rates. He worked long counts by way of fouling off absolutely everything, avoiding bloated strikeout rates. But he flipped the script in 2025. Kilen is being more selective in the box and swinging at pitches he can do damage on. The exceptional bat-to-ball skills are still present, but now he’s getting to the barrel to the baseball rather than merely putting it in play.
There’s real feel to hit with Kilen. He’s got a pro-ready swing plane and simple mechanics in the box. He’s going to put the game in motion and should ambush mistakes at the next level. The home run total may be a little misleading as Kilen doesn’t project to feature better than average raw power at the next level and that may be a half-grade generous considering his frame. His exit velocities from the Cape in 2024 were rather anemic, but that could be due in part because he was swinging at 55 percent of the pitches he saw. Kilen peaked around 111 mph for his max exit velocity in both 2024 and 2025 placing him in the 85th percentile in college baseball.
He’s a sound glove with above average arm strength and the internal clock necessary to stay on the dirt. He played a good deal of shortstop on the Cape in 2024 but has been stuck behind more premium defenders at Louisville and Tennessee. He has the size, speed, hands and lateral range to play shortstop at the next level at an average level. He is an average runner. A 13th-round pick by the Red Sox in the 2022 Draft, Kilen has done well for himself electing to go to college and bet on his abilities. The whole profile is reasonably polished with more impact on the horizon.
2025 RANKINGS: Mock Draft 1.0
- MLB Draft: Mock Draft 2.0 - June 10, 2025
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