While many members of the 2025 draft class did not debut this season, there’s still plenty to take away from those who did. It has become common practice for MLB organizations to hold back pitchers, especially those coming off a full college workload, until after a full offseason. As a result, most of the standout performers this year were position players. Some built on what we highlighted in our pre-draft analysis, while others made noticeable improvements in areas that were previously seen as weaknesses. Many have already shown impressive traits that will be worth monitoring heading into 2026.
Standout Performances from 2025 Draftees
There is a legitimate argument that what Kilby showed in his debut put him in the conversation for best prospect coming out of the 2025 draft class. With the lack of high-end talent, all Kilby did in 18 MiLB games was show why he could be a high-end prospect for the Yankees.
The Yankees felt comfortable enough to assign the 18-year-old to full-season baseball, where he was 2.9 years younger than the average, and he repaid them in a big way. He proceeded to hit .353/.457/.441 with 13 walks and only 11 strikeouts. For good measure, he added 16 stolen bases in 17 attempts, showing that he has the potential to be a dynamic threat in all facets of the game.
Scouting the statline would show that you would want to see more power, but the batted ball metrics showed there is more in the tank.
The early returns on Dax Kilby are not too shabby. pic.twitter.com/64irXECDeZ
— Yankees Prospect Watch (@NYY_Prospects) August 24, 2025
For an 18-year-old with a ton of physical maturity still ahead of him, this is an exciting start. As he matures, he will find more comfort pulling the ball in the air, which will directly lead to more power. Considering he already has the foundation of elite contact & chase skills with above average contact quality and speed, it is not an exaggeration to say we are looking at a potential top 10 prospect in the sport as early as mid 2026.
Andrew Fischer, Milwaukee Brewers
After diving into the data from the 2025 college season, I called my shot on Fischer. When evaluating hitters and imagining what skills translate to the professional level, the three main traits I want to see in a hitter are contact skills, control of the strike zone, and exit velocity. When looking at what Fischer did this spring, he was the best hitter in all of college baseball in the combination of those three categories, and showcased data that was eerily similar to presumed Rookie of the Year, Nick Kurtz.
Expecting Fischer to be half the player Kurtz has shown to be is a little bit of a stretch, but the point is that the skillset that allows Kurtz to be elite, Fischer also possesses. The Brewers were comfortable enough with his profile to start him in High-A, and Fischer showed he belonged right away. He slashed .311/.402/.446 in 19 games. Coming off a college season in which he hit 25 home runs, you would want to see more power, but I believe that skill set will return over time. The ability to showcase an impressive hit tool with a .311 average and really good control of the strike zone gives me a lot of confidence that Fischer will be able to hit at every level of professional baseball.
Wehiwa Aloy, Baltimore Orioles
Coming out of the draft, I had concerns about Aloy. While he was the National Player of the Year in college baseball, he did it by being the best athlete on the field. Aloy featured below-ideal contact and chase rates, and when facing higher-level pitching, tended to struggle. These concerns were no different than the concerns surrounding 2025 Orioles 1st Round pick Vance Honeycutt, who has massively struggled so far in his pro career.
In 20 professional games, Aloy showcased that he was up for the challenge. He finished the season with a .288/.356/.500 slash line with 12 of his 23 hits going for extra bases, including nine doubles. While the aggressive approach at the plate will seemingly always be a part of his game, 25 strikeouts to only eight walks, if he can hit for enough power, while playing above-average defense at shortstop, he will have a long MLB career.
Devin Taylor, Oakland Athletics
Similar to Fischer, Taylor was a hitter post-draft who stood out to me as someone who would outperform their draft selection. He was one of the first names I thought of when writing the Post 1st Round Names to Know, and he has largely lived up to expectations.
The A’s were very comfortable to push Taylor into playing more games than is typical for debuting prospects. He ended up playing 28 games and put up impressive numbers. He finished the season with a .264/.388/.481 slash line with six home runs and five doubles. There are definitely swing and miss concerns, with 37 strikeouts in 28 games, but when you add in 21 walks and impressive power numbers, those swing and miss numbers are okay.
Assuming Taylor can maintain the combination of power and control of the strike zone, he will be a name to remember. The tools are all there to be a power-hitting corner outfielder, and so far he has looked the part.
I did not think Kepley was worth the 2nd round selection the Cubs used on him, but maybe that is why I am currently writing this on my patio and not a scouting director for an MLB org.
When watching Kepley play, I saw a guy who was able to succeed in college baseball in a way that is typical for undersized left-handed hitters, but rarely translates to the professional level. Kepley might have been the fastest player in the draft, so he lived and died on putting the ball on the ground and putting pressure on defenses. In professional baseball, that skillset doesn’t typically work as well, but for Kepley it has.
In 28 games, Kepley finished hitting .299/.481/.433 while walking 25 times and only striking out 15. He also almost matched his home run total with two compared to the three he hit in 61 games at UNC, while also adding three triples. The thing I underestimated about Kepley was his on-base skills, and those have directly translated into professional baseball. This spring, he walked 44 times and was hit by 27 pitches. When you run as well as Kepley, the ability to steal 1st base with 27 hit-by-pitches is a major plus. On top of the 25 walks, he added nine HBPs, which allowed him to use his legs and steal 16 bases.
Kepley may never win an MVP, but the combination of plus centerfield defense, with the speed that allowed him to steal 45 bases in 61 games at UNC, will make him a valuable player. If he can consistently get to first base, he will make a major impact on every game he plays in.
Adapted by Aaron Polcare (@abeardoesart on Bluesky and X)
