Potential Nats #1 Pick Ethan Holliday Scouting Breakdown

Great news! The Nationals are now picking first in the 2025 MLB draft. Although there is an entire high school/college season to go between now and the All-Star Break (when the amateur draft happens), many people believe that the Nationals are likely to select Ethan Holliday from Stillwater, Oklahoma. Holliday is 17 years old, the younger brother of the Baltimore Orioles (and former no.1 pick himself), Jackson Holliday. Holliday is considered a bigger and stronger version of his brother.

Holliday is already 6'4", 210 pounds, and, like his brother, is a natural right-hander who hits left-handed. His scouting grades are a 50-hit tool with a 65-grade power. He is a 50 runner with a 55 arm, giving him an overall grade of 60. His strengths are his power and his above-average arm in the infield. He has more power than Jackson but not the same hit tool.

Even at the dimensions listed above, Holliday is still in the midst of growing and filling out his big frame and projects to have his dad's build more than his brother does. His swing is considered to generate above-average power, good leverage, and a solid amount of bat speed. Scouts claim that there is a tendency to swing and miss that needs to be corrected, but he should develop into a batter who could potentially generate over thirty home runs in a season and still be able to get on base at an above-average level.

Holliday moves well for his size but has average top-end speed. He is a shortstop at the moment but is expected to move to third base at some point in the future because of his size (he's already bigger than most current MLB shortstops) and projection for further physical growth. His arm and power will profile extremely well at the hot corner as well. If he is indeed the name that gets called first next summer, Nats fans can feel free to get excited about another high-end prospect joining the franchise.