MLB Draft 2025: Know Everything, Top Order, Prospects, Bonus Pools, and How to Watch

The stars of today are quickly becoming the stars of tomorrow in Major League Baseball (MLB). In other words, six players who were drafted just a year ago are among the two dozen players who have already made their Major League debuts after being selected in the prior two Draft classes.

As 2025 MLB Draft selections, hundreds more players will begin their journey to The Show in Atlanta on July 13–14. Before you know it, some of them will be at a major league stadium in your area.

Who will start at No. 1? We’re not sure, but if you want some insight, the most recent mock draft is a nice place to start.

Here is all the information you require on the 2025 MLB Draft presented by Nike.

2025 MLB Draft presented by Nike

Day 1 (Rounds 1-3): Sun., July 13, 6 p.m. ET (MLBN/MLB.com/ESPN)
Day 2 (Rounds 4-20): Mon., July 14, 11:30 a.m. ET (MLB.com)

How can I watch the MLB Draft, and when is it?

As part of MLB All-Star Week, the 2025 MLB Draft will be held in Atlanta from July 13–14. The first night of the Draft will be covered live by MLB Network and ESPN starting at 6 p.m. ET.

The first 43 selections will be broadcast live on both networks. The remaining selections, which include the compensatory rounds, competitive balance rounds, prospect promotion incentive selections, and the first three rounds, will then be carried by MLB Network on opening night.

Conversations with newly drafted athletes, in-depth highlight packages, video from MLB club Draft rooms, and conversations with front office staff will all be included in MLB Network’s opening night coverage.

On July 13, MLB Network’s Draft Pre-Show presented by Nike will kick up at 5 p.m. ET.

MLB.com will stream coverage of the Draft’s Day 2, which includes rounds 4 through 20 on July 14, starting at 11:30 a.m. ET.

What is the Draft order?

MLB’s annual Draft Lottery, which took place during the Winter Meetings in December, decided the order of the first six Draft selections. For the third time in the team’s existence, the Nationals took home the top overall pick after winning the lottery.

Draft order for the first 10 picks:

1. Nationals
2. Angels
3. Mariners
4. Rockies
5. Cardinals
6. Pirates
7. Marlins
8. Blue Jays
9. Reds
10. White Sox

On the opening night of the Draft, the Orioles and Rays have the most picks (six). On Day 1, the Brewers, Royals, and Guardians each have five picks.

Who are the best prospects for the Draft?

For the second time in four years, a Holliday might be declared the No. 1 overall pick. Jackson Holliday, an infielder with the Orioles, was the top pick in 2022. Ethan Holliday, his younger brother, is MLB Pipeline’s top draft pick this year.

High school right-hander Seth Hernandez and LSU left-hander Kade Anderson, who was named this year’s College World Series Most Outstanding Player, are behind Holliday on MLB Pipeline’s Top 250.

MLB Pipeline’s top 10 draft prospects are:

1. Ethan Holliday, SS/3B, Stillwater HS (OK)
2. Kade Anderson, LHP, Louisiana State
3. Seth Hernandez, RHP, Corona HS (CA)
4. Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State
5. Eli Willits, SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton HS (OK)
6. Aiva Arquette, SS, Oregon State
7. Billy Carlson, SS, Corona HS (CA)
8. Liam Doyle, LHP, Tennessee
9. JoJo Parker, SS, Purvis HS (MS)
10. Kyson Witherspoon, RHP, Oklahoma

However, this Draft has more exciting talent than just the top 10. This year’s Golden Spikes Award, which is given to the country’s greatest amateur player every year, went to Arkansas shortstop Wehiwa Aloy, a No. 17 prospect. For the Razorbacks this season, Aloy hit 21 home runs and had a .350/.434/.673 slash line.

Gage Wood, a teammate from Arkansas, created history at the 2025 College World Series. On June 16, the right-hander recorded the first College World Series no-hitter since 1960 with a power fastball against Murray State. Along the way, he had 19 strikeouts, setting a new CWS record. Wood is ranked as the 23rd prospect by MLB Pipeline.

Six of MLB Pipeline’s Top 250 Draft Prospects were on the rosters of the national champion LSU Tigers, more than any other team that advanced to Omaha. They had right-handed starter Anthony Eyanson (No. 40), slugging first baseman Jared Jones (No. 101), outfielder Ethan Frey (No. 119), second baseman Daniel Dickinson (No. 80), and fireballing reliever Chase Shores (No. 77) in addition to their ace Anderson.

Which players are eligible for the 2025 Draft?

When a four-year college player completes their junior year or turns 21, they are eligible to be drafted. Players who have finished at least one year of junior college and those who have graduated from high school but have not attended college are both eligible for the Draft. To be eligible for the Draft, players must also reside in the United States (U.S. territories like Puerto Rico apply) or Canada.

Which teams have the largest bonus pools?

The Orioles have the biggest bonus pool with 14 picks in the top 10 rounds, while the Nationals own the No. 1 pick. $19,144,500. Since the start of the pool bonus-pool era in 2012, that is the highest allotment.

In the first 10 rounds, a slot value is assigned to each selection. For example, the draft record value of the first overall pick is $11,075,900. What a club can spend without facing penalties is equal to the total worth of its selections in those rounds.

The value of a player selected in the top 10 rounds is deducted from his team’s pool if he chooses not to sign. To offer later selections more money, clubs near the top of the draft frequently spend less than the value assigned to those selections.

If a team goes over its bonus pool, they will be penalized. A club that spends 0–5% more than it has budgeted must pay a 75 percent tax on the overage.

A team forfeits future picks at higher thresholds: a first-round pick and a 75 percent tax for exceeding its pool by more than 5 and up to 10 percent; over 10 and up to 15 percent, a first- and second-round pick and a 100 percent tax; and over 15 percent, two first-rounders and a 100 percent tax.

Clubs have outspent their allotments 240 times in 13 Drafts under bonus pool rules, but never by more than 5 percent. Every year, the Cardinals, Cubs, Dodgers, and Giants have outperformed their respective pools; in 2024, 23 of the 30 teams achieved the same. Neither the Twins nor the Rockies have ever outperformed their pools.

Top 10 bonus pools for the MLB Draft in 2025

1. Orioles: $19,144,500
2. Mariners: $17,074,400
3. Angels: $16,656,400
4. Nationals: $16,597,800
5. Rockies: $15,723,400
6. Marlins: $15,187,400
7. Cardinals: $14,238,300
8. Pirates: $14,088,400
9. Rays: $14,068,000
10. Brewers: $13,138,100

Who was selected in the top 10 of the 2024 MLB Draft?

The top 10 picks from the previous year’s Draft are listed below:

1. Travis Bazzana, 2B, Guardians
2. Chase Burns, RHP, Reds
3. Charlie Condon, OF, Rockies
4. Nick Kurtz, 1B, A’s
5. Hagen Smith, LHP, White Sox
6. Jac Caglianone, OF, Royals
7. JJ Wetherholt, SS, Cardinals
8. Christian Moore, 2B, Angels
9. Konnor Griffin, SS, Pirates
10. Seaver King, SS, Nationals

Burns, Kurtz, Caglianone, Moore, and Astros outfielder Cam Smith—who was traded to Houston last December after the Cubs selected him with the 14th overall pick—are already making contributions to their major league clubs. Currently in the minor leagues, RHP Ryan Johnson was selected by the Angels with the 74th overall pick, but he made the Halos’ 2025 Opening Day roster and played in an MLB game despite having no prior Minor League experience.