The College World Series looks much different than it did a year ago, with none of the 2024 participants securing a trip to Omaha in 2025. A new wave of talent will compete for a national championship, and that talent includes a handful of premier MLB Draft prospects.
LSU, Oregon State, Arizona, and Arkansas all have projected first-round picks on their rosters, with the potential for more teams to see a prospect sneak into the first round depending on what kind of final impression is made.
Other notable draft prospects, including Tennessee’s Liam Doyle and Florida State’s Jamie Arnold, fell short of the College World Series with super regional losses. Their seasons are over, but a handful of highly-touted prospects still have a chance to move up draft boards in Omaha.
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Here’s a look at the top 10 MLB Draft prospects to watch in the College World Series.
MORE: Who is in the 2025 College World Series?
Best MLB Draft prospects in College World Series 2025
1. Kade Anderson, P, LSU
LSU might not have players with the profile of Paul Skenes or Dylan Crews as the program aims for its second title in three years, but Kade Anderson could find himself in the conversation for the No. 1 overall pick come July.
Anderson is poised to finish the season as the nation’s strikeout leader, sitting one behind Liam Doyle at 163, and his ability to develop pitches beyond his fastball has transformed him into one of the top prospects in the draft. Anderson enters the College World Series with a 3.58 ERA and 1.10 WHIP, navigating a loaded SEC well and limiting walks. His ERA jumped after a rough start against West Virginia in the super regionals, but a bounce-back performance in Omaha could keep him as the frontrunner to be the first pitcher off the board.
Helping Anderson’s case is that he has just two collegiate seasons under his belt and isn’t yet 21 years old, so his upside is especially high compared to other college arms. He is projected as the No. 2 overall pick to the Angels in SN’s mock draft.
2. Aiva Arquette, SS, Oregon State
Oregon State had three future first-round picks in its lineup when it won the 2018 College World Series. There might not be a No. 1 overall pick like Adley Rutschman (or Travis Bazzana) in this group, but SS Aiva Arquette won’t be far behind.
The Washington transfer has mashed in his only season in Corvallis, batting .354 with 18 home runs and a 1.124 OPS this season. Arquette has also seen his strikeout rate improve season-by-season at the college level, so his trajectory continues to point upward. At 6-5, he could ultimately move to second base, but his arm could allow whichever team drafts him to stick him on the left side of the infield.
Arquette is a potential top-five pick in July’s draft and is currently projected to come off the board at No. 6 overall to the Pirates in Sporting News’ mock draft.
MORE:Â SN expert predictions on who will win the 2025 College World Series
3. Brendan Summerhill, OF, Arizona
Arizona got hot at the right time, finishing strong with a terrific Big 12 Tournament and only suffering one loss on the way to a College World Series bid. While pitching led the late-season charge for the Wildcats, Summerhill helped set the tone offensively all season long. A pure contact hitter, Summerhill is hitting .358 with a 1.062 OPS despite only carrying four home runs to Omaha.
Whichever team drafts him will work to develop that power, but Summerhill’s bat-to-ball skills have organizations listening — and the success of A’s rookie Jacob Wilson serves as a reminder not to overthink players who simply know how to make contact. SN’s mock draft projects Summerhill to land with the Athletics at No. 11 overall.
4. Wehiwa Aloy, SS, Arkansas
Arkansas SS Wehiwa Aloy took a chance by jumping from Sacramento State to the SEC ahead of 2024, and it paid off. After a solid debut season in Fayetteville, Aloy has truly broken through in 2025, batting .348 with 20 home runs and a 1.101 OPS. While strikeouts have popped up as a concern at times, Aloy’s improved bat-to-ball skills and excellent power have turned him into a projected first-round pick and boosted Arkansas’ national championship hopes.
Defensively, Aloy has a chance to stick at shortstop but could be versatile enough to settle at second or third base, depending on where his major league team needs his bat. Aloy is projected to come off the board at No. 21 overall to the Astros in SN’s mock draft.Â
5. Gage Wood, P, Arkansas
Arkansas P Gage Wood is a test case in what MLB teams are looking for early in the draft. His raw numbers don’t pass the smell test, carrying a 5.02 ERA into the College World Series, but his ability to miss bats will intrigue teams. Wood has an excellent mark of 15.7 strikeouts per nine innings, and control isn’t much of an issue, either, at 2.2 walks per nine.
When Wood has gotten hit, he’s been hit hard. Wood, however, has many of the same attributes that made Alabama’s Ben Hess a first-round pick in 2024 despite an inflated ERA. It wouldn’t be surprising to see a team with strong belief in its development system bet on Wood’s swing-and-miss ability and add him to their system, particularly if he continues to finish the season strong.
Wood is projected to land with the Guardians at No. 27 overall in SN’s mock draft.
6. Zach Root, P, Arkansas
Wood’s potential will intrigue teams, but Zach Root still has a chance to be the first Arkansas pitcher off the board, whether as a late first-round pick of compensatory/competitive balance pick.
Root has been the ace of Arkansas’ pitching staff in 2025, posting a 3.59 ERA and 119 strikeouts across 92.2 innings in a loaded conference. He’s allowed only seven home runs despite facing plenty of power bats in the SEC. Root doesn’t rely heavily on his fastball, so he likely won’t be the type of pitcher who blows it by hitters at the next level, but his ability to throw multiple effective pitches should make him a fairly safe bet to develop quickly as long as he avoids control issues.
Like Wood, Root has a real chance to elevate his stock in Omaha and put himself in the first-round conversation. Root is projected to be taken No. 33 overall by the Red Sox in SN’s mock draft.
7. Patrick Forbes, P, Louisville
Forbes is cut from the same cloth as Wood in one sense, as his fairly underwhelming raw numbers — at least for a potential first-round pick — are overshadowed by tremendous peripherals.
The Louisville ace has a 4.36 ERA over 66 innings this season, but he’s missing bats with a 14.6 strikeout per nine rate. Forbes actually hasn’t gotten hit too hard, allowing seven home runs, but control has popped up as a major issue at times. The right-hander is issuing 4.5 walks per nine innings, and that is something any team that drafts Forbes is going to have get under wraps once he’s in their system.
Forbes isn’t likely to land in the first round, barring a dominant College World Series, but he would be an intriguing arm just outside of the first. Forbes is projected to come off the board at No. 39 overall to the Yankees in SN’s mock draft.
MORE:Â SN’s latest first-round MLB Mock draft ahead of CWS
8. Caden Bodine, C, Coastal Carolina
Pitching has powered Coastal Carolina’s run to the College World Series, but the Chanticleers’ top MLB Draft prospect is catcher Caden Bodine. Bodine has done nothing but hit at a high level since arriving at Coastal Carolina, posting a 1.065 OPS as a freshman, and he’s batting .332 with five home runs and a .952 OPS in 2025.
Bodine makes plenty of contact and rarely strikes out, so whichever team drafts him has a strong base to work with, but developing his power stroke could take time. Bodine hit only five home runs in 2025, and he’s had a hard time recapturing the power he flashed as a freshman. It’s worked out fine, but with questions about his long-term defense behind the plate, Bodine might need to become a more complete hitter to help a major league club.
9. Anthony Eyanson, P, LSU
Anthony Eyanson has been just as effective as teammate Kade Anderson in Baton Rouge. He transitioned exceptionally well after transferring from UC San Diego to LSU ahead of 2025. Eyanson boasts a terrific 2.74 ERA with 142 strikeouts through 98.2 innings, allowing just six home runs. He shut down a talented Arkansas lineup during the regular season and could have the chance to do so again in Omaha to elevate his draft stock.
At this point, Eyanson is more likely a second-round pick than a first-round pick. Command issues have popped up at times, and he doesn’t rely too heavily on his fastball. If he continues to get outs on college baseball’s biggest stage, however, he’s going to command the attention of more MLB scouts.
10. Charles Davalan, OF, Arkansas
The Canadian-born Davalan has made a smooth transition from Florida Gulf Coast to Arkansas, batting .355 with 14 home runs and a 1.030 OPS in 61 games with the Razorbacks next to Aloy. Davalan’s small frame, at just 5-9, could limit his power outlook long-term, but he has flashed excellent contact ability this season and is athletic enough to play the outfield well.
Aloy is fully expected to be Arkansas’ highest-drafted position player, but Davalan should land in the second round and can solidify the second round as his likely floor with a strong showing in Omaha.Â
