Best Tools In The 2025 MLB Draft College Class

Best Power Hitter

1. Jace LaViolette, OF, Texas A&M
2. Ethan Petry, OF, South Carolina
3. Nolan Schubart, OF, Oklahoma State

Deciding between Laviolette and Petry for the top spot is extremely tough. They walloped 21 and 23 home runs respectively, but the College Station product gets the slight nod due to the edge in quality of impact. Don’t sleep on Schubart, who crushed 17 homers and generates a category-best exit velocity of 116 mph.

Fastest Runner

1. Cam Cannarella, OF, Clemson
2. Cam Maldonado, OF, Northeastern
3. Bristol Carter, OF, East Carolina

Upon first glance, the 2025 college class is not super deep when it comes to pure “burners,” but this trio stands out for their raw speed and baserunning ability. Cannarella and Maldonado have already wreaked havoc on opposing pitchers, whereas Carter—who was a standout wide receiver in high school—had an impressive fall for the Pirates and routinely flashed his high-octane style of play. 

Best Defensive Catcher

1. Luke Stevenson, C, North Carolina
2. Caden Bodine, C, Coastal Carolina
3. Adonys Guzman, C, Arizona

This is the cream of the crop when it comes to college backstops. All three are sound receivers who move well while possessing at least above-average arm strength. Stevenson earned the starting catching job this fall in his true freshman season thanks to his advanced defensive skill set. Bodine last year threw out one-third of all potential base stealers, but Guzman has the best throwing arm of any catcher in the class.

Best Defensive Infielder

1. Marek Houston, SS, Wake Forest
2. Clay Grady, SS, Virginia Tech
3. Luke Hill, SS, Mississippi

There wasn’t an obvious No. 1 in some of the previous categories. That isn’t the case here. Houston is the clear-cut top choice. He played a professional shortstop for the Demon Deacons as a freshman and will without a doubt stick at the position professionally. Grady, a fellow freshman ACC starter, made just three errors all season. Hill also flashed polished actions on the dirt and seemed to have a knack for routinely making a big play. 

Best Infield Arm

1. Marek Houston, SS, Wake Forest
2. Mitch Voit, RHP/3B, Michigan
3. Andrew Fischer, 3B, Duke

Houston might not have the most raw arm strength out of the group, but he gets the nod because his plus arm is accurate from a premium position. Voit has been up to 94 mph on the mound and his arm translates well to the hot corner, whereas Fischer has an above-average, borderline plus, arm of his own. 

Best Defensive Outfielder 

1. Cam Cannarella, OF, Clemson
2. Isaiah Jackson, OF, Arizona State
3. Gavin Turley, OF, Oregon State

This group has a little bit of everything. Cannarella is the the quick-twitch, explosive athlete. Jackson has long, gliding actions similar to Dylan Beavers. Turley is the fun speed-athleticism combination. Cannarella and Jackson each shined in center field, but Turley has been confined to left field due to the ample experience elsewhere in the Oregon State outfield. However, he covers plenty of ground and routinely flashes his speed and athleticism. 

Best Outfield Arm

1. Gavin Turley, OF, Oregon State
2. Jackson Chirello, OF, Kennesaw State
3. Patrick Forbes, RHP/OF, Louisville

Turley’s defensive tools are not limited despite being largely limited to left field so far in his college career. He’s a plus thrower and will uncork impressive throws on a more regular basis once he presumably moves to right field. On top of being a premier raw athlete, Chirello has a strong arm of his own. He played mostly in centerf ield last year for the Owls, but he also spent some time at third base. Having Forbes here is a little bit of a cheat code as he has been up to 96 mph on the mound, so it’s no surprise his arm strength also translates on the grass.

Best Fastball

1. Jacob Mayers, RHP, Nicholls State
2. Tyler Bremner, RHP, UC Santa Barbara
3. Chase Shores, RHP, LSU

Velocity isn’t the end game here, as evident by Shores—whose fastball has been up to 102—ranked third. On top of running their heaters in the mid-to-upper 90s, both Mayers and Bremner’s offerings take on a fantastic shape. Both of their fastballs have tremendous carry through the strike zone, and both last year averaged over 20 inches of ride. On top of Shores’ top-of-the-scale velocity, he also generates plenty of running and sinking life thanks to his low three-quarter slot.

Best Breaking Ball

1. Cam Leiter, RHP, Florida State (curveball)
2. Ben Abeldt, LHP, TCU (slider)
3. Evan Chrest, RHP, Jacksonville (slider)

Three of the best offspeed offerings in the class are all sliders, but for good reason. Leiter’s low-80s curveball might be the best of its kind in the 2025 class. It has sharp, downward breaking and generates swings and misses against both right and lefthanded hitters. It is a true plus pitch and will serve as perhaps his most lethal weapon this spring on the bump. Abeldt’s slider is extremely long in shape with plenty of lateral movement, and his deceptive delivery and low arm slot only add to its effectiveness. Chrest’s high-spin sweeper is a plus pitch, and last year generated plenty of swings and misses while flashing sharp, horizontal break.

Best Changeup

1. Logan Lunceford, RHP, Missouri
2. Hudson Barrett, LHP, UC Santa Barbara
3. Zach Root, LHP, East Carolina

All three of these cambios are legitimate out pitches in each pitcher’s respective arsenal. They all get great separation off of their heater with at least a 10 MPH difference and garner plenty of empty swings. Lunceford’s ability to kill spin is quite impressive, and his has the most “falling-off-the-table” action of the bunch whereas Barrett and Root’s each flash ample fading and tumbling life. 

Best Control

1. Cade Fisher, LHP, Florida
2. AJ Russell, RHP, Tennessee
3. James Tallon, LHP, Duke

This is perhaps the most straightforward of the superlatives, as it relies on one trait: the ability to throw strikes. All three averaged three or less walks per nine innings, with Fisher and Russell averaging less than 2.5. Their advanced pitchability helped enhance their arsenal and will be a valuable asset both collegiately and professionally.