*Cover image via The Oklahoman
Mock drafts. You have to take them with a grain of salt. They are essentially what so called “experts” think will happen during the draft. They are never 100% correct or close to that when the draft actually happens.
Teams could be feeding the “experts” information that may not be entirely accurate. What happens in front of a team’s pick can affect what they do with theirs.
Even the “experts” could over value or under value a player’s position in the draft. Case in point, in the 2022 MLB Draft, no one had Norman High and OU alum, Cade Horton, higher than the middle of the first round. The Chicago Cubs surprised everyone when they drafted Horton with the 7th overall pick. (Horton just made his 3rd MLB start for the Cubs on Tuesday.)
One thing we can surmise from mock drafts is where the consensus is for a player. As the 2025 season has progressed we’ve seen an Oklahoma high schooler stay in pretty much the same position, another Oklahoma high schooler’s stock rise, and a Sooner who has also seen his stock rise.
ESPN released their first mock draft for the 2025 MLB Draft today and they have the same though on these three players – Ethan Holliday (Stillwater HS), Eli Willits (Ft Cobb-Broxton HS), and Kyson Witherspoon (OU). They are bullish on them being drafted high.
Ethan Holliday (3B), Stillwater High School
Holliday is the one player of the 3 who hasn’t seen his stock rise. That’s because he has been the consensus 1st player or #1 ranked prospect in this year’s draft class.
ESPN has Holliday going #1 in their mock draft to the Nationals, although it seems they don’t want him to be:
This one is still wide-open and my choice here is more a reflection of “I don’t quite have enough info to change it from Holliday” than “I’m confident it’s going to be Holliday.” Eli Willits and Seth Hernandez are the leading prep options while the college options (lefties Liam Doyle, Kade Anderson and Jamie Arnold) seem less likely.
Bonus demands will certainly be a factor, which are influenced by potential landing spots. Holliday’s hot spots are picks No.1, No. 4 and No. 5. Willits’ are No. 1, possibly No. 2, then No. 5 through No. 8. Hernandez’s are No. 1, possibly No. 2, No. 3 and then a gap until maybe No. 9. If you’re confused, you’re now caught up to where the industry is.
Holliday has been the #1 ranked prospect in 2025 for a while now. We profiled this before the season started and the latest MLB Pipeline Top Draft Prospect list still has him at the top.
Eli Willits (SS), Fort Cobb-Broxton High School
What we see for Willits from ESPN is what we’ve been seeing this Spring. Willits’ stock is rising. The Worldwide Leader has him going to the Cardinals at #5.
In this scenario, I think this pick will come down to Willits and Arnold, with JoJo Parker and Billy Carlson among the viable choices on the periphery.
In the past, St. Louis has leaned heavily into reliable college starters, but Willits is quite similar to St. Louis 2024 first-rounder JJ Wetherholt.
What is interesting is ESPN has him as the #2 overall prospect (compared to Holliday at #3). MLB Pipeline currently has Willits at #4 overall while they had him at #11 before the 2025 season started.
Whatever the case, between Holliday and Willits, the state of Oklahoma has a good chance to have the 2nd overall #1 pick of the draft (Jackson Holliday, 2022).
Kyson Witherspoon (RHP), University of Oklahoma
Of the three Oklahomans in ESPN’s top eight, Witherspoon has seen his stock rise the most. To be fair, he had the most room as he was at #26 in MLB Pipeline’s rankings before the season started.
The All SEC 1st Team pitcher has shot up the lists behind a strong season for the Sooners. ESPN has him going 8th to the Toronto Blue Jays:
I don’t think the Blue Jays would take Seth Hernandez, but I do think they’re on most of the other players in the consensus top group, so Witherspoon is the one that makes sense in this scenario; any of the previous four picks in this mock would be Toronto’s pick if they were the one to fall, too.
MLB Pipeline also has Witherspoon as the #8 prospect in their latest rankings.
The 2025 MLB Draft will take place July 13-14 as part of the MLB All Star Festivities. SSBR will have regular updates on potential draft prospects leading up to the MLB Draft.
Follow us on X (Twitter), Facebook, Threads, and Instagram at @SoonerStateBSBL
Do you like the content that Sooner State Baseball Report provides? Show your support by purchasing an official SSBR shirt or hoodie at our online store at the link below.
Official Sooner State Baseball Report Merch
Like this content? Don’t miss any posts. Enter your email in the box below and have Sooner State Baseball Report content delivered right to your inbox.
Sooner State Baseball Report 
Leave a comment