As we enter the new year, we at Prospects Live believe it’s the perfect time to ring in 2025 with a brand-new, updated prep board. The past few months have brought significant changes, and some names have caught our attention from their strong performances on the amateur scene, including events like East Coast Pro, Perfect Game Nationals, the Area Code Games, and Prep Baseball’s All-American Games. Overall, this prep class is starting to take shape and seems to be a top-heavy prep class to be excited over with plus tools, loud power, and high heat that MLB draft rooms will drool over for the next seven months until the Washington Nationals are officially on the clock.
In the meantime and over the coming days, as we count down the days until College Baseball begins, we plan to release our updated college board with our observations and insight from the last few months of fall ball. Until then, we’re proud to release our second version of our prep list to give our readers an insight into the prep class going into 2025!
In this update, the top ten are free to read, and the remainder of the list is available on our Patreon at the “MLB Draft Enthusiast” level for $5/ mo. As previously noted, our college board will be updated after the New Year!
All contributors at Prospects Live are paid for their work, with a team of evaluators covering the MLB Draft across the country. Our ability to provide MLB Draft coverage is directly tied to the subscriptions we receive on Patreon. If you’ve ever enjoyed one of these lists or a majestic open side HR video of a top draft prospect, we ask that you consider supporting our hardworking group of evaluators through the Patreon subscription. We promise you’ll get more enjoyment from the list & player insights than you would a $5 cup of coffee.
1. SS Eli Willits, Fort Cobb-Broxton (OK)
Height: 6’1
Weight: 175
b/t: S/R
Draft Day Age: 17 YR 7 MO
Commitment: Oklahoma
Hometown: Fort Cobb, OK
A recent reclass from the 2026 ranks, the switch-hitting Willits projects to fit at the top of lists with a very solid toolset at his disposal. The son of former Angels outfielder Reggie, Eli has the chance to be a legitimate switch-hitter at the next level, as he's shown quality polish from both sides of the plate. Both swings are compact and short to the baseball with the right side featuring more bat speed and pop while the left side has more hitter-ish traits on display. He'll split the gaps on a regular basis from both sides and projects to have fringe-average power at the next level, but the pure hitting ability really stands out. It's a very polished approach, too. He's an athletic specimen in the field, as well, showcasing solid range and enough tools to stick at shortstop long-term. It's not flashy/twitchy, but it's consistent and Willits has the instincts to handle the position. He's been shifted elsewhere, including some run in center during his time at 18U USA Trials. He's an average to above-average runner on the basepaths and has the chance to be a base-stealing threat. He is committed to attending Oklahoma, where his dad, Reggie, is the Associate Head Coach on Skip Johnson's staff.
2. 3B Ethan Holliday, Stillwater (OK)
Height: 6’4
Weight: 210
b/t: L/R
Draft Day Age: 18 yr 4 mo
Commitment: Oklahoma State
Hometown: Stillwater, OK
The younger brother of 2022 first overall pick Jackson, Ethan is already more physical and displaying louder tools than Jackson did at this stage. Offensively, Holliday's toolset is as loud as it gets, though there's still warts to iron out. Holliday is quite passive and selective with his approach, plus there's been some issues with swing-and-miss as his swing can get long, though his swing is buttery smooth and extremely easy. He's already posted triple-digit exit velocities on the regular in-game, too, including a 111 MPH bolt during 18U trials. Scouts expect Holliday to add more muscle to his frame as he matures physically, enhancing his power potential. The biggest priority will be shortening up his swing, but there's tons to like with the offensive projection. As a defender, many believe his ultimate home will be third base, as his physical frame is better suited for the position. He's shown solid range and fluidity in his game on the dirt and his strong arm would fit perfectly at the hot corner. While he may not be the standout 1.1 pick right now, he's the leading high school candidate. If Holliday elects to attend school, he'll stay home and attend Oklahoma State, where his father is a volunteer assistant coach.
3. LHP Cameron Appenzeller, Glenwood (IL)
Height: 6’5
Weight: 180
b/t: L/L
Draft Day Age: 18 YR 5 MO
Commitment: Tennessee
Hometown: Springfield, IL
At 6'5, 180 pounds, Appenzeller is insanely projectable and projects to be one of the best southpaws in the class. Appenzeller's delivery is incredibly easy and he oozes athleticism on the bump, creating fast arm speed and a slingy action to a lower release. As a result of the low release, he generates quite a bit of armside run on the fastball, sitting in the 88-92 MPH bucket and tickling 93-94 MPH in shorter spurts. When in the zone, the pitch jumps on batters and he'll execute on the top rail for whiffs. Given the projection, there's a good chance Appenzeller could reach 95+ MPH in due time. His upper-70s sweeper flashes solid bite and spin traits and his low-80s change-up has heavy fade and tumble, projecting as an above-average offering. He commands all three pitches well and may ultimately need a firmer breaker to give himself a "bridge pitch." He's a legitimate data darling who should continue to garner interest as he adds muscle to his lanky frame. Appenzeller flipped his commitment to Tony Vitello's camp in October, joining a stout Tennessee recruiting class.
4. 3B/OF Xavier Neyens, Mount Vernon (WA)
Height: 6’4
Weight: 205
b/t: L/R
Draft Day Age: 18 YR 8 MO
Commitment: Oregon State
Hometown: Mount Vernon, WA
It's not too often that the state of Washington is home to one of the top prospects in the country, but Neyens is putting himself in rare territory with his tools and performance. With an advanced approach, top of the scale bat-to-ball skills, and loud power from the left side, Neyens' offensive potential is sky-high. He is rather passive, but Neyens does a good job of staying within the zone and limiting chases. The power itself grades out as plus with natural loft and loud bat speed, playing to all fields. He creates a tight coil with his core during his load, allowing his body to rotate rapidly and allowing his hands to explode through the zone. Against premier pitching, he's already tattooed baseballs at 110 MPH. It's loud. Neyens has the tools to stick at the hot corner, though some scouts express concern about the footwork at the position, as it can get rather clunky. With that note out of the way, Neyens has the soft hands and strong arm to handle the position. If he moves off third base, he'd get a chance in a corner outfield position. Neyens is currently committed to the West Coast powerhouse of Oregon State.
5. SS/RHP Billy Carlson, Corona (CA)
Height: 6’1
Weight: 175
b/t: R/R
Draft Day Age: 18 YR 11 MO
Commitment: Vanderbilt
Hometown: Corona, CA
A two-way athlete out of the loaded Corona High School roster, Carlson may just be the best shortstop defender in the class. Carlson possesses smooth, rangy actions at the "six" with bounce, soft hands, and a quick release across the infield. His arm is very stout and grades out as plus or better at the position, too, leaving little doubt that he'll stick at the position long term. At the plate, his swing can get a bit steep, but there's not a ton of whiff concerns, and stays within the strike zone. He's beginning to lift the ball more and there's robust power in the bat thanks to loud bat speed. His athleticism and arm strength translate on the mound, as he's been up to 96-97 MPH already with fluidity down the mound. The secondaries are promising, as he throws a quality mid-70s curveball with depth and a mid-80s change-up with solid fading life. He's thrown strikes at a solid clip, too. There's a ton of upside if everything works out with Carlson. Carlson flipped from Vanderbilt to Tennessee during the fall, joining a highly touted class for Tony Vitello's crew.
6. SS Kayson Cunningham, Johnson (TX)
Height: 5’10
Weight: 178
b/t: L/R
Draft Day Age: 19 YR
Commitment: Texas
Hometown: San Antonio, TX
Despite the smaller stature that Cunningham possesses, he has a case for having the best pure contact hitter in the entire prep class. Cunningham covers the zone exceptionally well, keeping the whiffs and chases at bay. It's a smooth, direct left-handed swing with a good bit of bat speed and an all-fields approach at the dish. The hit tool projects as a plus or better tool with contact rates over 90% over the summer. There is some pop in the bat, mainly to the pull side and he'll work the gaps for extra bases, but his swing is more suited for line drives right now. He should add some lift to his swing in due time, but he'll profile best as a hit-over-power type. Cunningham is a plus runner underway and has good range at shortstop with smooth hands and a strong arm. There's a chance he could move to the other side of the second base bag, but it's hard to envision him leaving the dirt up the middle. Cunningham flipped from Texas Tech to Texas over the summer and will be eligible as a sophomore in 2027.
7. RHP Seth Hernandez, Corona (CA)
Height: 6’4
Weight: 195
b/t: R/R
Draft Day Age: 19 YR
Commitment: Vanderbilt
Hometown: Chino, CA
At this stage of the 2025 cycle, there's no better arm in the class than Hernandez. At 6'4, 195 pounds, Hernandez has plenty of projection remaining to his frame and his operation is as easy as they come. He's very athletic and moves fluidly down the mound with loud arm speed. His fastball has sat in the low-to-mid 90s thus far, though he's gotten up to 96-98 MPH, even touching triple digits in shorter stints, and projects to sit closer to that mark as he fills out his frame. He gets solid extension and fills up the strike zone, as well as showing a tendency to miss bats on the top rail. His change-up is one of the best in the country, a low-80s parachute that flashes plus with a ton of sinking action and velocity separation from the heater. He'll mix in a bigger curveball in the upper-70s and a firmer cutter/slider hybrid in the mid-to-upper-80s, both of which possess spin rates near 2,700 RPMs. His secondary command will need refinement, but overall, he peppers the strike zone. The mix of pure stuff, projection, and athleticism make him the best arm in a prep class that lacks dynamic arms. Hernandez is on the older side of the class and will be 19 on draft day. If he gets to campus, he'd be eligible as a sophomore at Vanderbilt.
8. C/UTL Jaden Fauske, Nazareth Academy (IL)
Height: 6’2
Weight: 205
b/t: L/R
Draft Day Age: 18 YR 7 MO
Commitment: Louisiana State
Hometown: Willowbrook, IL
An infielder from the state of Illinois, Fauske boasts one of our favorite swings in the whole class. It's a lovely left-handed swing with loose wrists, quick hands, and a whippy barrel through the zone. There's very few flaws in his approach, as he's got excellent barrel control and will utilize the whole field to his advantage. It's hit-over-power right now, but as Fauske continues to grow into his body, we should see higher power output. He's already beginning to register exit velocities into the triple digits and he's shown some power to all fields in-game. Expect the bat to be the money-maker in his profile. He's already a pretty physical specimen, though he's an above-average runner and possesses solid athleticism behind the dish. Some scouts prefer Fauske in the outfield, where the speed and arm strength would be a better fit for his profile, though there's enough tools behind the plate to give him run there. Fauske was the top uncommitted bat in the class until late November, as he announced his commitment to Louisiana State.
9. OF Slater De Brun, Summit (OR)
Height: 5’9
Weight: 180
b/t: L/L
Draft Day Age: 18 YR 1 MO
Commitment: Vanderbilt
Hometown: Bend, OR
Slade Caldwell was just taken in the first round of the 2024 MLB Draft, but it looks like he's been cloned and moved to Oregon as Slater de Brun. de Brun's body is very similar to what Caldwell is, as he's a smaller, yet physical outfielder with exceptional speed and an excellent approach at the plate. There's very little to hate at the plate, as de Brun has posted incredibly healthy contact rates and rarely expands the zone, getting on base frequently where he can be a basepath menace. His bat speed is top-notch, though the swing plane is more suited for line drives to the gaps than fly balls over the fence. His speed is double-plus, if not better. He's had home-to-first times clocked between 4.05-4.15 seconds on the regular, displaying an incredible second gear and he has the makings of a very difficult out. That speed translates to center field, where he figures to stick long-term with strong route-running, instincts, and a strong arm. There's a lot to love here and it would not be a shock to envision this profile in the first round in 2025. He is younger for the class at 18.1 years old and is committed to attending Vanderbilt.
10. LHP/1B Kruz Schoolcraft, Sunset (OR)
Height: 6’8
Weight: 215
b/t: L/L
Draft Day Age: 18 yr 2 mo
Commitment: N/A
Hometown: Beaverton, OR
A gangly, uber-projectable southpaw from Oregon, Schoolcraft reclassed from the 2026 class and now projects as one of the best two-way players in the class. There's more upside on the mound right now, as the 6'8, 215 pound lefty has exquisite body control and projects to throw much harder as he grows into his frame. He's primarily sat in the low-90s, though he's maxed out at 97 MPH, with tons of extension down the hill and a heater that jumps on hitters quickly. He'll miss a bevy of bats during outings with it thanks to a lower release and hop at the top of the zone. He had a grip change with his slider that now sits in the mid-80s with cutter-esque firmness and an ability to command it gloveside, though he's experienced some growing pains with landing it for strikes. The change-up has high upside, too, as it tumbles heavily from right-handed bats and features great feel and velocity separation. As he learns to sync up his frame more, expect more strikes. He's also a power-hitting first baseman with legit feel for the barrel and loud power potential given the projection. Schoolcraft is a recent commit to Tennessee and if he doesn’t see his named called on draft day; Rocky Top can expect a day one Superstar-level talent in their weekend rotation and everyday lineup.