LA Angels will still pick higher in 2025 MLB Draft despite White Sox losing 100 games

The Angels may be worlds better than the White Sox this season, but that will not matter when it comes to settling the order of the 2025 MLB draft.

Despite rolling to a historically bad season that could end with the all-time loss mark, the White Sox will not have a pick inside the top 10 in next year's draft thanks to the new CBA rules. The A's will also be ineligible, but the Angels somehow have a worse record than Oakland, so Los Angeles would've likely been given a better pick regardless.

The White Sox, however, considered to be a "large market" because they do not benefit from MLB's revenue-sharing plan, cannot pick inside the top 10 in consecutive years. So it's possible the worst season the sport of baseball has ever seen will end up with a less-than-ideal draft selection.

With this in mind, the Angels have an even better chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick for the first time since 1995 when they drafted Darin Erstad out of the University of Nebraska. Erstad had a marvelous MLB career, playing 11 of his 13 seasons with the Angels, with whom earned three Gold Gloves, two All-Star nods and one Silver Slugger. He was also part of the 2002 World Series team, batting .352 during that postseason stretch (25-for-71).

Los Angeles had one other No. 1 overall pick in franchise history, taking Danny Goodwin in the 1975 MLB Draft out of Southern University. Goodwin spent seven years in the big leagues, including three with the Angels. He was a .236 career hitter as a role player for the Angels, Twins and A's.

Fast-forwarding to 2025, who could join Erstad and Goodwin among Angels history as a potential No. 1 overall pick? The Halos are ranked towards the bottom in several MLB farm system rankings, and they are desperate for more stars to blossom. Caden Dana and Christian Moore have proved themselves as hopeful anchors for the future of Los Angeles, but Angels fans need to see more development across the board.

Ethan Holliday, from Stillwater, OK, is becoming the popular name to be taken No. 1 in 2025. The younger brother of former No. 1 pick Jackson Holliday and the son of MLB All-Star Matt Holliday, Ethan is drawing similar buzz to his sibling.

Standing at 6-foot-4, 195 pounds, the highly-regarded shortstop prospect checks off every scout's box when it comes to size, talent and project-ability.

Two other names drawing big-time attention are both college outfielders. Jace LaViolette (Texas A&M) and Cam Cannarella (Clemson) seem to be the next two surefire picks.

LaViolette was named an All-American by several media outlets after batting .305 with the Aggies in 2024 with 29 home runs, 78 RBI and 87 runs scored. Cannarella was a .337 hitter this past season alongside 30 extra-base hits, 60 RBI and some mind-boggling defensive plays in the outfield.

If the Angels opt to go for a pitcher, UC Santa Barbara's Tyler Bremmer and Florida State's Jamie Arnold would be the guys to look into the most. Arnold, a left-hander, maintained a 2.98 ERA in 105 2/3 innings this past year with the Seminoles and logged 159 strikeouts.

UC Santa Barbara is no stranger to pitchers getting taken in the first round. The Gauchos saw Dillon Tate go in the first in 2015 and Michael McGreevery get taken in 2021. For Bremmer, the right-hander handed out 104 strikeouts in 88 2/3 frames with a sub-0.90 WHIP in 2024.

Los Angeles may not get the No. 1 pick in 2025, but with the White Sox definitely out of their way, the likelihood of landing this luxury has increased greatly.