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1. SS Eli Willits | 18 | A | 2030

I think I’ve been too low on Willits before digging in for this list. Sure, he looks like a high-floor type more than a high-upside guy, athletically speaking, but baseball is much more than athleticism, and Willits checks every box for getting the most out of his tools. He’s a sparkplug on the diamond and a hard-worker off of it, and as the son of major leaguer Reggie Willits, he’s always had a pretty big edge in terms of learning and working on his game. He’s also a switch hitter at 6’1” 180 pounds, which is not small for a 17-year-old. In 15 Low-A games, he slashed .300/.397/.360 and earned a 128 wRC+. Pretty impressive for him to hold his own jumping into a full-season pro league late in the summer like that. 

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Off the top, I want to point out how this draft and the one before it are great examples of why you should NOT tank in dynasty leagues. Last year’s class was so stacked, you could’ve landed Cam Smith with a pick at the end of round one, as happened in one of my leagues. This year, there’s not much of a difference between the top fifteen or so, and there’s no fast-moving monster among the college bats. 

1. Mariners LHP Kade Anderson

2. Rockies SS Ethan Holliday

3. Marlins SS Avia Arquette 

4. Reds SS Steele Hall

In a class without an obvious bat at the top, Kade Anderson in Seattle represents the best combination of proximity and upside. Easily the top pick in a league where quality pitching is at all hard to find. The shallower the league, the more I’d lean Holliday here. 

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In our 99th episode, Mike Couillard and Jeremy Brewer open by discussing the All-Star happenings along with the latest MLB injuries and transactions. Then we overview the upcoming release of 2025 Topps Chrome, hitting shelves everywhere on July 23. You can find us on bluesky at @cardscategories.bsky.social, @mcouill7.bsky.social, and @jbrewer17.bsky.social. Email the pod at [email protected]. Links to things discussed in the […]

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Off the top, I feel compelled to say that, prospect-wise, I love SS Kayson Cunningham. It’s an unrequited, non-romantic love, just fyi, but he’s the guy I’m walking away with after draft night if I’m anywhere outside the top three or so. 

Oh hey, during the brief but effective pre-game show, Carlos Collazo says Cunningham is his favorite hitter in the draft. Fast hands. Smooth swing. Great energy. Models himself after Lindor. Was Team USA’s shortstop. Let’s get it.

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