Looking at the three top names the Nationals can take first overall
With the Nationals selecting first overall, it feels appropriate to look at some of the top names in the 2025 Draft. Heading into the season, there are three players who rise above the rest in Ethan Holliday, Jace Laviolette, and Jamie Arnold. However, this is a fluid situation, and the race for the number one pick feels more fluid than most years. The spring season will tell us a ton.
The biggest name on the list is Ethan Holliday, the son of MLB star Matt Holliday, and the brother of Orioles youngster and former number one pick Jackson Holliday. He is the number one prospect on the MLB Pipeline draft rankings. Ethan is build more like his dad than his smaller brother, with a 6’4 200 pound frame at just 17 years old. He plays shortstop now, but projects as a third baseman long term. Holliday’s biggest selling point is his immense raw power. He has already posted exit velocities above 110 MPH, a rarity for someone that young. Holliday can grow into legitimate 30 plus home run power, and also displays a patient approach at the plate.
He is also very marketable, and would create a super fun Beltway rivalry between himself and his brother in Baltimore. The thing stopping Holliday from being a consensus top pick is a tendency to swing and miss. During the summer showcases, he had some strikeout issues. It is not to the level of former Nats top 5 pick Elijah Green, but it is something to monitor.
The best college hitter in the class is Jace Laviolette. He is the top prospect according to Baseball America. Laviolette put up monster numbers at Texas A&M last season. While Laviolette is an outfielder, his profile is similar to Holliday in a lot of ways. He is a power over hit player who has a good enough hit tool. Laviolette is a 6’6 behemoth with huge power, and moves gracefully for his size. In some ways, he is similar to James Wood as well, also possessing an advanced approach. This spring will be huge for Laviolette. If he manages to cut down on the swing and miss while keeping his prodigious power, he has the potential to be a big favorite to go number 1. With massive upside and SEC pedigree, Laviolette has a chance to make a huge splash and force the Nationals hand.
The top pitching prospect in the 2025 draft is Jamie Arnold of Florida State. Like most high octane lefties with a low arm slot do, Arnold draws comparisons to Chris Sale. His mid 90’s fastball generates massive swing and miss numbers due to its flat approach angle. Hitters simply can’t pick up the pitch out of his hand. Despite the funky mechanics, Arnold throws plenty of strikes and his stuff holds up well deep into outings. He also has a wipeout slider that is a devastating weapon particularly against left handed hitters.
In practices this winter, Arnold has been throwing his changeup more often, and it has flashed plus potential. While Arnold may not have the raw velocity of a Paul Skenes, he could have a similar rise to the top of draft boards. Arnold shares some similarities with last years fifth pick, Hagen Smith. However, Arnold is more refined and his changeup is further along than Smith.
These are the three top names that Nats fans should be watching heading into the spring season. In a draft without a Bryce Harper type prospect, there are plenty of other guys who could rise up boards and make a case to be the first pick with a strong season. The draft will be a big subplot to the Nats season that we will cover here on Federal Baseball.