2025 MLB Draft Speculation and Discussion

[fish]

In the last 28 years the only big league regular the Phillies have picked in the second round is Scott Kingery. It’s hard to be that bad. Man what I wouldn’t give for a couple year stretch again when they pulled the likes of Rolen, Rollins and Wolf.

[zambonir]

That's pretty astounding, and not exactly the most impressive big league regular either. I think I would still count Roman Quinn though, who also has a higher career WAR. Anthony Gose beats them both but none of that was for us (and he had to play two positions). Spencer Howard beats everyone for worst performance.

At least Kingery did better than the first-rounder from that year.

Also hard to recreate the stretch you dream of when they didn't even have a pick five times out of the last seven years. I bet they don't in 2026 or 2027 either.

[andyb]

New Keith Law mock has us going with Fisher (same as last ESPN mock). Backing off on Jack Bauer because his control has gone south lately.

MLB Mock Draft 2025 2.0: Aiva Arquette jumps to No. 1; another Holliday in...

[fish]

The draft is now less than a month!
There are two guys that have my attention that get mocked in the 20-30 range but who are always gone by the Phillies pick.

Arkansas RHP Gage Wood has a ridiculous fastball. His innings were limited as a freshman and sophomore in the bullpen, and early this year because of a shoulder thing- so durability is going to be a question. However he did just strike out 19 against Murray State, so he could have just pulled a Cade Horton and bumped himself earlier in the draft, but Ty Floyd had a similar performance in 2023 and still went in the supplemental round.
https://youtu.be/r-7eqVb4XK4

Tennessee RHP AJ Russel had a similar profile with the same questions who hasnt produced this year after elbow brace surgery, so he could be there in the second round - but man the fastball is special when he’s right.

LSU 6’8” RHP Chase Shores (also coming off elbow surgery) throwing 102 looking like Tyler Glasgow is another interesting guy for the second round.
https://www.tiktok.com/@bobonthegeaux/video/7472112002874330399

High school CF Slater de Brun has a similar profile to Donte Nori that should scare me as a guy who’s not real big, but fast, athletic, good hitting approach and question about impact- but when I watch I see a guy with pretty impressive bat speed and a load that Nori doesn’t have to be able to tweak and get to more extra base power.
https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/draft/slater-de-brun-828173

[zambonir]

Arkansas RHP Gage Wood has a ridiculous fastball. His innings were limited as a freshman and sophomore in the bullpen, and early this year because of a shoulder thing- so durability is going to be a question. However he did just strike out 19 against Murray State, so he could have just pulled a Cade Horton and bumped himself earlier in the draft, but Ty Floyd had a similar performance in 2023 and still went in the supplemental round.
https://youtu.be/r-7eqVb4XK4

And of course he threw 119 pitches in that no-hitter. Guess we'll see if he ends up pitching again (either on short rest in an elimination game or if they make it to the end).

[xogfog]

ESPN's Kiley McDaniel has the Phillies taking Sean Gamble, 2B, IMG Academy (Florida) in his latest mock.

[andyb]

Link here:

2025 MLB mock draft 2.0: Who is surging up draft boards?

The Phillies are considering some high school players with upside, as you'd expect, and if the board plays out this way, Gamble, Daniel Pierce or Kayson Cunningham all fit. There's a good shot they would look to pair this pick with a prep arm at their next pick.

[Squire]

OK by me. One of those guys at 26 AND a HS pitcher in the second?? Sign me up.

[fish]

MLB.com mocked them ucla RHP Tyler Bremner in their pod under the premise of “best available”, who is like an over the top version of Walker Beuhler- he’s 96-97 with an insane change and ok slider. He’s more control over command and definitely things to clean up. In his delivery, but unlike my other college pitcher favorites at the Phillies pick he’s athletic with a history of durability. They can fix him- this would be a great pick for me.
https://youtu.be/ZGtrgtWuTYg

[Squire]

UC Santa Barbara not UCLA but yes he would be a good pick at 26. Seems like a high floor at least.

[Squire]

Zolecki, Amaro and Salisbury had Brian Barber on their podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talkin-2025-draft-with-phillies-assistant-general/id1738537069?i=1000714327807

[fish]

Zolecki, Amaro and Salisbury had Brian Barber on their podcast

Well, no surprise, he sees the strength of the draft as high school position prospects.

[Squire]

Latest MLB Pipeline mock gave us Sean Gamble, 2B/OF, IMG Academy. I think that is the second person to connect us with him. Also mentioned LHP Jack Bauer and OF Ethan Conrad

https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-pipeline-mock-draft-june-26-2025?msockid=030f4a4b60306c3539cd5c5361c06dc1

[fish]

Latest MLB Pipeline mock gave us Sean Gamble, 2B/OF, IMG Academy

My initial impression of Gamble was “meh”, because he really does looks like Stott as a ball player, but for that late in the first round that’s really still a good thing. He’s improved so much this year and made so much contact at IMG his ceiling is a lot higher than I have him credit for. While only 6 ks he only walked 10 times with 4 homers in 25 games and his batting practice bps show him back-legging uppercutting balls. I while he plays outfield, short and second, I don’t see arm and instinct for outfield or short, so he’s probably a 2b. Versatile, smart and a team first guy based on his interviews- but if you pick him in the first round you are really betting on his ability to keep improving. That said, he really does seem like a Phillies kind of pick and what he does in pro ball seems like a 50/50 probability. I could see the Red Sox being in on him after their first pick, and doing a better job developing him.

[Squire]

Updated BA Mock Draft (6/30/2025):

1. Phillies — Gavin Fien, 3B, Great Oak HS, Temecula, Calif.
   Fien is getting some traction in the mid-to-late teens, but could easily wind up going in the final third of the draft. This pick would be reminiscent of their 2023 Aidan Miller pick, as both were prep hitters with unconventional swings who had down springs for different reasons but boast some of the best pure hitting ability and power in their respective classes.

[phillychuck]

I like Fien. Good, natural hitting skill is really important.

[fish]

I’m ready to push my chips in and bet that it will be one of the high school infielders Sean Gamble, Gavin Fien, or Josh Hammond.

Gamble looks like the best hitter with plenty of extra base pop and surprisingly plus speed who’s performed on the circuits and IMG academy. 19 and probably a second baseman.

Fien is a 3B who physical resembles Aidan Miller as a rh batter, and still with room to fill out who’s performed well on the circuits. Don’t love the high hand setup, but he looks like he knows what he’s doing.

Hammond is listed as a 3b with a body that’s really starting to muscle up. He’s got a lot of hitting video out there where he looks off balance a lot even in BP, but after he gave up pitching it looks a lot better. He reminds me a bit of a right handed Joey Gallo, so he’s either got a chance to be an Austin Riley type or a big power k machine. On the mound his arm speed was incredible- he looked a bit like Kimbrel. Tools that would have me excited to see in right field.

The draft rankings have 6’6” Tennessee rhp AJ Russell in the second round as he’s been recovering from elbow brace surgery this year but I love his fastball as much as any tool in the draft available to the Phils. It’s not just 95-97 velo, but that flat plane that disappears on batters. If there is a world where they can get one of the three high schoolers in the first and Russell in the second I promise not to complain about anything else the rest of the year.

Something about CA 17 year old high school pitcher Angel Cervantes feels like a Phillies type pick to me. 6’3” with a good delivery, killer changeup, but only 90-93 with the fastball that has good characteristics. Not hard to see that he could see a bump in velo as he matures. I wouldn’t take him before the second round though.

[phillychuck]

With almost all the big league pitchers throwing in the mid-90s these days, is there any advantage to having pitchers who top out in the 92-93 range and have great movement and deception (like Ranger)? Should we be OK with those “pitchability” but not velocity prospects?

[allentown]

Yes, we should. That's how we got Nola, with his 35 career WAR -- the best 1st-round pick we've had since Chase Utley. The pitchers throwing in the 90s will look that much faster and be more successful if they follow a low velocity, excellent control guy, with great breaking stuff. I'd love to have a knuckleballer in the rotation -- they can mess up a team for a whole series.

[Squire]

Multiple pundits seem to have connected the Phillies to Sean Gamble so that seems like a real possibility. The draft is really interesting in that there are like 10+ shortstops (or players that are currently listed as SS's) that might go before our pick. I just don't want them to go off the board with their first rounder like last year.