The case for and against the Angels selecting each of the top 4 draft prospects

When selecting at the top of the draft like the Angels will be in the 2025 MLB Draft during the All Star festivities in Atlanta, there is no such thing as a bad prospect. Each of the draftees garnering the attention of Perry Minasian and his scouting department are the best of the best in this year's class, and who gets picked really comes down to organizational philosophy.

For the top four draft prospects, these are the pros and cons of each as attention begins to focus in on the draft.

The case for and against the Angels selecting each of the top 4 draft prospects

Ethan Holliday - SS, Stillwater High School

The case for Ethan Holliday

Simply put, Ethan Holliday is the best prospect available to be selected in this year's draft (and he seems to know it after his recent appearance at The Big A). He profiles as a shortstop or potentially a third baseman (which the Angels obviously prefer with Zach Neto manning shortstop), and brings a clean, smooth power stroke from the left side of the plate.

Scouts view him as a superior prospect than his brother, Jackson, who was drafted #1 overall in 2022 and is posting an OPS+ of 104 so far this season. Ethan Holliday is simply a prospect so good he is worth abandoning your plan for.

The case against Ethan Holliday

The three main reasons the Angels likely will not select Holliday are due to him being a positional prep prospect. The Angels have clearly valued college prospects who are near-ready for MLB, and Holliday is the opposite of that as the earliest we'd possibly see him debut would be in 2027. As a high schooler who is already committed to playing college ball at Oklahoma State, the Angels would also likely have to pay above slot value, which they appear keen to avoid in the first round this season. The Angels are also favored to be taking a pitcher, so if Holliday falls to #2 there is a strong chance the Halos will pass on the best prospect in the class.

Kade Anderson - LHP, Louisiana State University

The case for Kade Anderson

Ranked as the best pitcher in the draft this season, Kade Anderson is a natural fit for the Angels at #2. The case for him was on full display during the College Baseball World Series, where Anderson went to a new level and dominated the competition as he guided the Tigers to a championship. Similar to Reid Detmers, Anderson projects as a starter but has the floor of an elite reliever given his solid arsenal and ability to consistently find the strike zone.

The case against Kade Anderson

This comes down to two things, the first being the aforementioned Detmers comparison. While no Halo fan is complaining about Detmers being one of the best relievers in baseball, it is not what they had hoped for when the team selected him in the first round. The difference now is they are selecting second overall rather than tenth like when they selected Detmers. The second, and more concerning, reason is that Anderson really only had one full season as a starter in college. And yes, he was amazing, but there is more risk to him than one would expect.

Seth Hernandez - RHP, Corona High School

The case for Seth Hernandez

Seth Hernandez, for my money, is the best pitcher available for selection in the 2025 MLB Draft. He offers four plus pitches, has touched triple digits with his fastball, and can pound the strike zone no matter what he is throwing. He has had one of the most dominant high school careers in recent memory, and if the Angels truly wish to add a potential ace to their organization alongside José Soriano, Seth Hernandez should be the selection at #2.

The case against Seth Hernandez

High school pitchers are notoriously harder to project in the draft, and Hernandez is no exception despite his dominance. There is the same slot value argument that Holliday would bring up, as the Angels would surely have to pay up for the Vanderbilt commit to sign on with the Angels.

Jamie Arnold - LHP, Florida State University

The case for Jamie Arnold

This is a simple argument, as Jamie Arnold has dominated the ACC for two seasons now, posting a sub-3.00 ERA in both. Despite a rocky freshman season, Arnold still racked 327 strikeouts in his career as a Seminole, and there is little doubt he will be, at the very least, and middle-of-the-rotation arm. And with the Angels, he could be filling that role as soon as 2026.

The case against Jamie Arnold

The case against selecting the Florida State ace is that his ceiling just is not as high as the other options at #2. While the Angels may not value that as much as his ability to advance through the minor leagues quickly, it is worth noting as the Halos likely will not be selecting this high in the draft for a long time.

While the Angels could go in a dozen different directions with the second pick, these four names are all somewhat realistic choices for Perry Minasian and Co. at number two, and all come with pros and cons but would all be exceptional additions to an already exciting young core in Anaheim.

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