MLB Draft: Top 30 Dynasty FYPD Rankings

The order of these rankings will inevitably change a lot between now and when most first-year player drafts are held in January/February. However, I know there are some of you who draft right away this summer, and those who play in open universe leagues might also find this useful. 

It's an odd class for fantasy, as the college hitting crop is weak, and there's arguably one or zero high school hitters who would be in consideration for the top prep hitter in a normal year. However, the prep hitting class is deep, particularly with potential shortstops, and the college pitching class includes between four and six really exciting pitching prospects. This draft also includes one of the best prep pitchers of the last decade.

I am breaking this initial set of rankings into tiers, and all of these tiers, including the top tier, are fluid heading into my update to the top 400 prospect rankings later this month (I'll be working to get it done ASAP, likely either late this week or early next week). Within the tiers, I wouldn't try to talk you out of taking the last player in the tier as the first player from that tier.

I'll be doing a mock FYPD with some fellow analysts on Wednesday's Prospect Podcast, and I'm excited to see how that goes, as I have no idea how the rest of the fantasy industry is approaching this class.

TIER ONE

1. Ethan Holliday, 3B/SS, COL

This is an incredible landing spot for Holliday. The younger brother of Jackson and son of Matt, Ethan Holliday comes from a baseball family and has been on the national radar for a few years because of it. The biggest difference between Jackson and Ethan is that Ethan is more likely to be power-over-hit and slide to third base, while it was Jackson's hit tool and ability to stick up the middle that stood out. Both Holliday brothers bat from the left side, and Ethan, who is listed at 6-foot-4, is at least three inches taller than his brother and has broader shoulders. It's hard to project how fast Holliday will be in 3-to-5 years, but he probably won't be as fast as his older brother. The big selling point is Holliday's power potential. He could hit 30-plus homers annually at peak while being a .270 hitter who gets on base at a strong clip. Jackson reached the majors as a 20-year-old, less than two calendar years after getting drafted, and Ethan could be on a similar timeline.

2. Eli Willits, SS, WAS

The son of Reggie Willits, who hit zero home runs with 40 steals in 414 games in the majors from 2006-11 with the Angels, Eli is a prep shortstop from Oklahoma who is the youngest true prospect in this year's class, as he won't turn 18 until December. The switch-hitting Willits is a plus runner and has a chance to develop a plus hit tool. He's a better hitter from the left side and the most notable question, particularly for his fantasy prospects, is how much power he'll tap into in the coming years. He's the type of player who might be a 10-homer hitter in a pitcher's park and a 15-20 homer hitter in a bandbox, so the landing spot matters. He'll be young for the complex league this year and young for Single-A (or High-A) next year, so he'll be graded on more of a curve early on, which could also result in him being a massive riser if he exceeds expectations. A fair median outcome would be an everyday shortstop who bats leadoff and is a strong contributor in average/OBP, runs and steals.

3. Steele Hall, SS, CIN

Hall is one of the younger players in the class after reclassifying, as he turns 18 a couple weeks after the draft. A no-doubt shortstop from Alabama, the 6-foot Hall is a great athlete with 70-grade speed and the actions to stick at the six. The quality of his hit tool and future power are tougher to project, but he's added 15-20 pounds of muscle this year and has a chance to be a 20-homer hitter at peak. Hall has great bat speed but struggles a bit with secondary stuff, which isn't uncommon for a player his age. His speed gives him a very high ceiling if he can max out as a hitter, and his defense gives him a chance to be an everyday player who hits near the bottom of the order even if he's not much of an offensive producer.

4. JoJo Parker, 3B/2B/SS, TOR

Parker may slide to second or third base, but his hit and power tools are up there with any prep shortstop in the class. A twin from Mississippi whose brother Jacob could be a Day 2 pick, Parker is a 6-foot-2, 195-pound lefty hitter with a chance for above-average power and an above-average hit tool. He's a fringe-average runner, so he'll need to come close to maxing out as a hitter to profile as a top-10 fantasy option at second or third base. Parker had a strong senior season and could just be scratching the surface of his offensive potential. The fact he bats from the left side is a nice bonus.

5. Kade Anderson, LHP, SEA

The hierarchy of college starters typically evolves throughout the spring, and this year it was Anderson who rushed up draft boards as he struck out double-digit batters in seven of his nine starts for LSU in April and May. Anderson had Tommy John surgery in April 2022 and returned to action as a midweek starter and weekend reliever as a freshman before breaking out this year while leading the nation in strikeouts as a draft-eligible sophomore. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound lefty touches 96 mph with his low-90s fastball that has great movement, and it's his full arsenal of above-average to plus offerings that overwhelms hitters. His curveball, slider and changeup, all of which will flash plus, move in different directions while coming out of the same arm slot, which has allowed him to toy with college hitters. Anderson had a 3.60 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 170:30 K:BB through 110 innings in 2025. Given that he was limited to 38.1 innings in 2024, he'll probably wait until 2026 for his pro debut, but he could move quickly to the majors from there. Things could have played out any better than Anderson landing in Seattle.

TIER TWO

6. Seth Hernandez, RHP, PIT

A hard-throwing prep righty from California with a massive ceiling and extreme risk, Hernandez is the clear top high school arm in the class and has been for some time. He has prototypical size (6-foot-4, 190 pounds), a mid-90s fastball that has touched triple digits in the past, three quality secondary offerings including a plus changeup and plus curveball, and better control than is typical for a high schooler with such an electric arsenal. Even when teams nail the pick with a top prep righty (recent examples include Andrew Painter and Jackson Jobe), Tommy John surgery often comes calling around the time they're ready for primetime, and in other cases injuries or poor command derail their careers before they sniff the big leagues, so there's good reason a prep righty has never been selected first overall. Still, Hernandez's upside is such that he'll be a first-round pick in dynasty first-year player drafts.

7. Jamie Arnold, LHP, ATH

Arnold may have the best combination of track record and recent performance among this draft's crop of pitching prospects. A 6-foot-1, 188-pound southpaw who spent his entire college career at Florida State with a strong 2023 Cape Cod League showing mixed in, Arnold has been a top two ACC pitcher in back-to-back seasons and his stuff keeps getting better, with his fastball now sitting in the mid-90s (touches 97 mph). Arnold's slider is one of the best pitches in the land, working as a finishing pitch to both righties and lefties. The biggest knock when comparing Arnold to fellow southpaw Kade Anderson is that Arnold's arsenal isn't as deep, with his third-pitch changeup lagging behind as an average offering. His low three-quarters arm slot elicits comparisons to Chris Sale. He threw 190.1 innings and logged a 6.6 percent walk rate over the last two seasons, so the quality of his changeup is the only question mark as he enters pro ball.

8. Tyler Bremner, RHP, LAA

Bremner, a 6-foot-2 righty, logged a 6.1 percent walk rate and a 35.8 percent strikeout rate as a junior at UC Santa Barbara, and he looked like a top-two round draft prospect as a sophomore as well. Perhaps the most relevant part of Bremner's season is how he finished, striking out double-digit batters in six of his last seven starts. His fastball averaged 95.2 mph this year with 19.2 inches of induced vertical break and one of the three flattest approach angles in the draft, so it's a monster pitch. Bremner also throws one of the best changeups in the class and his walk rate was one of the lowest of the top college arms in the class, although he was facing the weakest competition. His slider lags behind as an average to above-average offering. He's got an athletic, 190-pound frame and hasn't thrown more than 88.2 innings in a season, but if he can handle a full pro workload, there's no reason he can't develop into a No. 2 or No. 3 starter who moves quickly to the majors.

9. Kyson Witherspoon, RHP, BOS

Witherspoon is arguably the best college righty in the class, boasting several plus pitches while logging a 5.9 percent walk rate in a career-high 95 innings this year for Oklahoma. He has a starter's delivery and has impressed with his ability to hold mid-90s fastball velocity deep into starts. In addition to his plus fastball, Witherspoon's slider, cutter and curveball each show plus potential while his changeup lags behind. He took a big step forward with his control this spring after impressing last summer in two Cape Cod League starts (1.00 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 10:0 K:BB in nine innings). Witherspoon has good size at 6-foot-2, 206 pounds and won't turn 21 until a month after the draft.

10. Ike Irish, LF/RF/DH/C, BAL

A lefty-hitting catcher/right fielder from Auburn, Irish arguably has the best combination of hit and power from the college ranks in this year's class. The same could have been said of Henry Davis back in 2021, so it doesn't guarantee anything for Irish, and like in 2021, this is a down year for college hitters. Irish had an .871 OPS with a wood bat on the Cape in 2024 and slashed .364/.469/.710 with 19 home runs, 11 steals and a 37:33 K:BB in 55 games as a junior. His 108.1 mph 90th percentile exit velocity, 80.3 percent contact rate and 22.5 percent chase rate were all very strong marks relative to his peers. Defensively, Irish could potentially stick behind the plate, but he played 45 games in the outfield corners and just 12 games at catcher this year after fracturing his scapula when hit by a pitch in March. At his best, Irish has a plus arm, and he could potentially be fast-tracked as a corner outfielder.

11. Gage Wood, RHP, PHI

Wood showed loud stuff as a reliever his first two years at Arkansas while logging FIPs in the 3.00s and ERAs in the 4.00s and moved to the rotation as a junior. He suffered a shoulder impingement early in the year that cost him two months but dominated down the stretch, culminating in a 19-K no-hitter in the College World Series against Murray State -- just the third no-hitter in CWS history. For the season, Wood logged a 3.82 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 69:7 K:BB in 37.2 innings across 10 starts. The 6-foot, 205-pound righty sat 96 mph (touched 98) with his fastball this spring and the pitch also has excellent movement, making it arguably the best fastball in the class. A plus curveball is his best secondary, while his slider and changeup lag behind as fringe-average, seldom-used offerings. Wood seemingly has the command to start, but he has yet to prove he can handle a starter's workload and he'll have to find a reliable third pitch at some point.

12. Aiva Arquette, SS, MIA

A 6-foot-5 infielder from Hawaii, Arquette made noise as a sophomore at Washington (.959 OPS) and held his own with a wood bat in the Cape Cod League last summer (.793 OPS) before hitting his way into the top 10 of the draft this year after transferring to Oregon State. Arquette slashed .353/.462/.647 with 18 home runs, seven steals and a 50:39 K:BB in 64 games as a junior while playing all his games at shortstop — he saw time at third base and second base with Washington and on the Cape. Still, he didn't do his damage in the SEC or ACC and was good, not great (23.9 K%), during his toughest test on the Cape. Arquette's combination of capable defense at a premium position and the ability to hit for average and power stand out in a weak crop of college hitters, but he doesn't have a particularly high fantasy ceiling relative to the typical top college hitter in a class.

TIER THREE

13. Liam Doyle, LHP, STL

If the draft were held in March, Doyle may have been the first pitcher off the board, but he gave up 16 earned runs while walking nine in 21 innings over his final five starts and it became easier to nitpick his secondary offerings and control. A 6-foot-2 lefty who pitched for three schools in three years, closing his college career at Tennessee, Doyle's fastball is one of the best pitches in the class, sitting in the mid-90s while touching 99 mph with excellent movement from a deceptive release point. Doyle threw his fastball two-thirds of the time and may not end up with a plus secondary offering. He also throws close to max effort, which, combined with his so-so secondaries and 8.3 percent walk rate leads some evaluators to see a potential future in relief. Doyle's 95.2 innings this year were easily a career high, topping the 65 innings he threw in 2023 combined between Coastal Carolina and the Cape Cod League.

14. Andrew Fischer, 1B, MIL

Fischer went from Duke to Ole Miss to Tennessee en route to totaling 56 homers while playing for a different school in each of his three college seasons. A lefty-hitting/righty-throwing first baseman/designated hitter, Fischer will go as far as his bat takes him. He slashed .341/.497/.760 with 25 home runs, a 21.6 percent walk rate and a 14.4 percent strikeout year with the Volunteers this spring. He rarely chases (15.1 percent), and his 78.6 percent contact rate was passable. Fischer sits in a crouched stance and looks to launch homers to the pull-side. He had an .827 OPS in the Cape Cod League last summer despite an unlucky .231 average, as he was able to control the zone (9:14 K:BB) while hitting three home runs in 19 games with a wood bat. Fischer may end up sitting against lefties at the highest level, but he should hit enough to play on the strong side of a platoon.

15. Ethan Conrad, LF/CF, CHC

A big-bodied outfielder with power and speed, Conrad's one issue is a propensity to chase, but he's made it work so far. His natural lefty swing is geared for opposite-field power, which could cap his power output despite the fact he has plus raw power. Perhaps his top datapoint is a .920 OPS with a 15 percent strikeout rate with a wood bat in the Cape Cod League last summer. Conrad slashed .372/.495/.744 with seven home runs, an 18.6 percent walk rate and a 14.4 percent strikeout rate in his 21 games at Wake Forrest this spring. He had season-ending shoulder surgery alter diving for a ball in March and probably won't make his pro debut until 2026. He could end up in center field or left field, and first base is also a long-term option, especially if he comes close to reaching his offensive ceiling.

16. Slater de Brun, CF, BAL

The only aspect of de Brun's game that isn't exciting is his power potential, but he could be a valuable fantasy outfielder even if he hits just 10-15 homers per year. A lefty-hitting center fielder from Oregon who is committed to Vanderbilt, de Brun is one of the fastest Day One players in this class (70-grade speed) and the best pure hitting outfielder in his high school class. He isn't a slap hitter, but there isn't much buzz that he could sneakily turn into a 20-homer threat, even relative to past sub-5-10 examples like Corbin Carroll and Jett Williams (de Brun is listed at 5-foot-9). Even so, a potential leadoff hitter who steals 30-plus bases annually is a high-upside FYPD prize in dynasty leagues.

17. Billy Carlson, SS, CHW

A 6-foot-1, 185-pound prep shortstop from California, Carlson has a chance to be a five-tool player, but it's his hit and power tools that currently lag behind. He's a no-doubt shortstop and above-average to plus runner who may get faster as he adds muscle. Carlson used to be a two-way player with a mid-90s fastball on the mound and his arm is a weapon at shortstop. Currently more of a line-drive hitter than an over-the-fence masher, Carlson's hit tool is ahead of his power, but he's got a projectable frame and good bat speed, so it's possible he develops into a 20-25 homer hitter who hits in the top third of a lineup, but a more realistic outcome would be for him to be an everyday shortstop who hits in the bottom third of a lineup while stealing 20-plus bases per year.

18. Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP, SD

While at high school in Oregon, Schoolcraft worked as a slugging first baseman and power lefty starter, but his future in pro ball is on the mound. Standing 6-foot-8, 215 pounds, Schoolcraft already touches 97 mph and could touch triple digits in a couple years. His fastball lacks ideal movement, but he has two quality secondaries in his slider and changeup. Despite his long levers, Schoolcraft's control projects to be good enough for him to start. In a couple years, he could be a top five pitching prospect in baseball if everything goes well from here.

19. Gavin Fien, 3B, TEX

It's all about power with Fien, who has a strong combination of hitting and power potential with a plus arm. A physical 6-foot-3, 200 pound prep third baseman from California, Fien hits from the right side and possesses plus raw power. He's not overly athletic and should only get bigger and slower into his mid-20s, but the Rangers announced Fien as a shortstop. It's more likely he slides to third base down the road. Fien could develop into a middle-of-the-order run producer in four or five years.

20. Charles Davalan, LF/2B, LAD

A 5-foot-9, lefty-hitting outfielder from Montreal, Davalan really improved his stock after transferring from Florida Gulf Coast to Arkansas for his draft-eligible sophomore season. He slashed .346/.433/.561 with 14 home runs, 10 steals, an 11 percent walk rate and an 8.5 percent strikeout rate this year despite the steep jump in competition. Davalan only managed a .722 OPS with one home run in 21 games on the Cape with a wood bat last summer, but he changed his setup and his stock took off this year with the Razorbacks. In addition to what may be a plus hit tool, Davalan has above-average speed and a good enough approach to potentially lead off in the big leagues. He's a better fantasy prospect than a real life one, as his fringe-average arm will likely limit him to left field or second base.

21. Daniel Pierce, SS, TB

A hard worker and coach's son who should be able to stick at shortstop, Pierce should get to the majors, but his eventual offensive impact is to be determined. He is a plus runner, which would be of use in fantasy even if he's hitting in the bottom third of a lineup. However, there's a chance he develops into a good enough hitter that he could hit top third on a second-division team. Evaluators are split on whether he's hit-over-power or power-over-hit, but everyone agrees he's probably not going to be plus in either department.

22. Josh Hammond, 3B/SS, KC 

While Hammond's future is likely as a power-hitting third baseman, he is a rare prep two-way player who could actually maintain his two-way play in pro ball for a year or two before having to leave one aspect behind. A shortstop/right-handed pitcher from North Carolina, Hammond's bat took a jump late in his high school career as he got into better shape and showed off easy plus raw power. At 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, Hammond will still need to stay on top of his conditioning, but he has 25-plus homer upside and may end up developing an average or better hit tool. He is likely done pitching, but at his best he showed a plus mid-90s fastball and plus slider on the mound.

23. Kayson Cunningham, 2B, ARI

Cunningham is already 19 and likely to move off shortstop to second base, but he bats from the left side and is arguably the best pure hitter in this entire class. Standing a strong, sturdy 5-foot-9, Cunningham has plus speed and projects to have a plus hit tool, but there's no projection remaining, so he could slow down in the coming years. His power lags behind his premium hit tool, and there's not much evidence he'll grow into more than 10-15 homer power. The Texas product has a mature approach and could move quickly to High-A, given his age and skill set.

24. Sean Gamble, LF/2B, KC

An athletic lefty hitter from Iowa who played all four years of high school at IMG Academy in Florida, Gamble has five-tool potential although his eventual defensive home is unclear. He's hit-over-power now, but he could continue to fill out his 6-foot-1 frame while adding pop, so there's a chance he's eventually a 20-homer hitter with plus speed. Gamble can play a decent center field and a good second base, with corner outfield and shortstop also long-shot possibilities. He turned 19 a week before the draft, which combined with his experience playing premium competition at IMG, should lead to high expectations in the lower levels of the minors. Gamble's lack of weaknesses gives him a sneaky high fantasy ceiling.

25. Brady Ebel, 3B, MIL

Ebel can flat out hit. A lefty-hitting prep infielder from California, Ebel is hit-over-power, but he has plenty of untapped power potential, as he currently hits the ball on the ground too often and has plenty of room to fill out his 6-foot-3, 195-pound frame. He probably doesn't move well enough to stick at shortstop, but Ebel has an above-average arm and could provide defensive value at third base. There's a chance his lack of speed and propensity to hit the ball on the ground will result in him being an empty batting average without the offensive impact to play regularly at third, but Ebel doesn't turn 18 until a couple weeks after the draft and could improve significantly in the coming years. If he gets assigned to Single-A before 2026, that would be a big vote of confidence from his new organization.

26. Gavin Kilen, 2B, SF

Kilen has two summers on the Cape with OPS south of .750 and managed nine home runs in 100 games his first two years at Louisville. However, he transferred to Tennessee for his junior year and slashed .357/.441/.671 with 15 home runs and a 27:30 K:BB in 53 games this spring to push his name into the Day One mix. His only standout tool has long been his ability to make contact, as his defense is stretched at shortstop and he projects to just be OK at second base. He also lacks above-average speed. This spring's power explosion changes Kilen's projection, as he could now conceivably provide enough offensive impact to make up for his shortcomings.

27. Dax Kilby, 2B/LF, NYY

Kilby probably isn't a shortstop, but he can do everything that matters in fantasy. A lefty-hitting high school infielder from Georgia, Kilby is at least an above-average runner and could be an above-average or better hitter. Once he fills out his projectable 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame, there could be 20-homer power too. Second base and left field are his most likely defensive homes, so Kilby will need to hit, but he has 20/20 upside in fantasy while potentially providing a positive batting average/on-base percentage.

28. Devin Taylor, LF, ATH

Taylor hasn't faced the greatest competition in the Big Ten, but he's had an OPS over 1.080 all three years at Indiana and slashed .296/.397/.510 in 29 Cape Cod League games in 2024. His command of the zone predictably improved each year, culminating in an 11.2 percent strikeout rate and 19.3 percent walk rate as a junior. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound lefty hitter has fringe-average or worse tools, save for his hit and power tools, which could both be above average or better. This is important, as he'll be limited to left field, so he needs to provide offensive impact. His showing on the Cape should help alleviate concerns over the mediocre pitching he faced at Indiana.

29. Mitch Voit, 2B, NYM

Voit was a two-way player his first two years at Michigan before needing internal brace surgery last July. Since then, he's focused solely on hitting and broke out with a .346/.471/.668 slash line, 14 home runs, 14 steals and more walks (40) than strikeouts (34) in 56 games this spring. Unlike many college second basemen, Voit actually has a chance to be a positive there defensively in pro ball, thanks to his plus speed and plus arm. He hasn't faced great pitching in the Big Ten, so it's tough to say how legitimate his junior numbers were, but he has a chance to do a little bit of everything in fantasy.

30. Quentin Young, 3B/RF, MIN

The 6-foot-5 Young is the nephew of Delmon and Dmitri Young and he has the loud tools to live up to that lineage. His 115.4 mph max exit velocity led all high school participants at the MLB Draft Combine, and his 33-degree average launch angle was one of the highest of the event. There may be some holes in his swing, which features several moving parts that will probably receive some maintenance in pro ball, so this is firmly a power-over-hit profile until further notice. Young also has one of the best arms among this year's prep position players, and he is likely to move off shortstop to either third base or right field. He is a good runner too, but it's possible he slows down as he fills out his projectable 215-pound frame.