Two weeks back, we jumpstarted our 2025 college prospects coverage with a breakdown of the top-10 draft-eligible players to target in dynasty formats. With that came two bonus selections to extend the list to 12, in addition to a handful that “just missed” the cut. Today, we’ll dive into some college prospects who did not make the top 10, but are already making the case to be day one picks come July. Three players will be highlighted today, all of which should be very much on your radar for this year’s first-year player drafts.
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Gavin Kilen, 2B, Tennessee
Playing his first two seasons at Louisville, Kilen transferred to reigning National Champion Tennessee this past offseason in advance of his draft year. So far, the results have been absurd. Through 13 games, Kilen is slashing .511/.623/1.200 with seven home runs, three triples, four doubles, 24 runs, 19 RBI, and three steals in just 45 at bats. That’s more than one extra-base hit per game. Meanwhile, he has drawn 14 walks to just three strikeouts, which jumps off the page after walking just seven times in 54 games all of last season. The quality of competition is a major factor here in the early portion of the 2025 campaign, but Kilen has made it clear he has the potential to go in the top-20 selections of the first round. Kilen will solely play second for the Vols despite being the primary shortstop at Louisville, a trend that will likely continue into pro ball due to a fringey arm. His standout tool is the bat-to-ball skills with a 55-grade hit tool, but the raw power is average at best with the wooden bat. Kilen has logged over 100 plate appearances on the Cape each of the last two summers, hitting just two home runs in 52 games for a paltry .358 slugging percentage. His knack for finding the barrel allows him to tap into more in-game power at the college level, but those paying a first-round-pick price in FYPD have to believe he’s capable of 15-plus bombs someday as he isn’t a major stolen base threat. For his career, Kilen is a .326/.382/.565 hitter with a minuscule 8.4 strikeout rate and a concerning 6.7% walk rate, even after his selective start to 2025.
https://x.com/BaseballAmerica/status/1895597949411053798
Liam Doyle, RHP, Tennessee
The No. 2 Volunteers are playing great baseball. With a 13-0 start, it’s no surprise they make up two-thirds of today’s prospect highlights. Some of the performances in Knoxville have simply been too loud to ignore. As for Doyle, he represents another offseason transfer after pitching his first two years at Ole Miss and Coastal Carolina. Three schools in three years, imagine if Van Wilder was still partying it up today. Sheeeesh. Doyle came to Tennessee as a package deal with fellow Rebel Andrew Fischer, who is also a top prospect for the 2025 MLB Draft. Doyle has always had stuff, but the results have been lacking.
2023 Coastal Carolina: 3-1, 4.15 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 56.1 IP, 20 BB, 69 K
2024 Ole Miss: 3-4, 5.73 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 55.0 IP, 21 BB, 84 K
And then, his first three starts of 2025 at Tennessee: 2-0, 0.61 ERA, 0.61 WHIP, 14.2 IP, 34 K, 3 BB
In three outings, Doyle has produced a 34-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He currently owns a 20.9 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9. His fastball has a ton of life, sitting in the mid-90s and seemingly acting as a rising heater that dominates up in the zone. He also throws a low-80s slider, hard cutter, and changeup, with the slider standing out as the top secondary offering at present. However, the secondary stuff has been developing well during his time in Knoxville, and it’s becoming more and more clear that Doyle is a first-round arm. Seeing as he’s currently ranked as the No. 75 overall draft prospect per MLB Pipeline, that’s something to circle, underline, and highlight all the things you can do with writing utensils prior to FYPD season.
https://x.com/PitchingNinja/status/1890782518267302216
Marek Houston, SS, Wake Forest
Alright, time to leave Knoxville and the SEC altogether. How about some ACC ball? Houston has been steadily developing across his three years with the Demon Deacons, improving from a .220/.328/.307 freshman batting line to a .326/.434/.516 clip last year. He’s always been a hit over power type while providing excellent defense and range at shortstop. Houston has the tools to play the position at the next level, and defends well across the entire infield should his bat not develop enough to make him an everyday player. That said, Houston’s offense has taken a jump each of the last two years, and he now looks poised to be an impact bat in the Wake Forest lineup. Through 14 games as a true junior, Houston has slashed .407/.522/.759 with five homers, four doubles, and eight steals in 54 at bats. Last season, he totaled eight homers, 16 doubles, and four steals in 221 at bats. The offensive improvements for Houston are obvious, but can he impact the baseball with the wood after revamping his approach this past offseason? This past summer on the Cape, Houston slugged .329 with two extra-base hits in 114 plate appearances. Those results helped force fall adjustments, but drafters will have to gamble as it relates to his ability to be an impact bat at the next level.
https://x.com/PeterGFlaherty/status/1892772569872494899
That’s all for this week, Razzball fam! It’s great to be back. As always, I’m happy to take this conversation into the comments section or on Twitter, where you can find me @WorldOfHobbs.
