Chicago Cubs First Round Draft Pick’s Background

The Chicago Cubs selected Ethan Conrad with their first pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. The 21-year-old outfielder from Wake Forest fell to the Cubs at 17 after suffering a shoulder injury during the collegiate season. Conrad got mixed reviews ahead of the draft, but the Cubs are continuing a trend that has been working for them so far, and the club is hoping that Conrad can become a contributor for years to come.

Chicago Cubs Select Ethan Conrad With 17th Overall Pick

Most of the Chicago Cubs’ major league team is enjoying a break in the middle of the season. Except for All-Stars Pete Crow-Armstrong, Kyle Tucker, and Matthew Boyd, the rest of the major league squad is sitting back after a first half that saw the team jump out to first place in the NL Central and emerge as one of the top contenders for the pennant this fall. The present is looking good for the Chicago Cubs, but the focus on the future took shape during the 2025 MLB Draft when the Cubs took Conrad with the 17th pick in the first round.

Conrad, a 21-year-old from New York who played his college ball at Marist and Wake Forest, fell to the Chicago Cubs at 17 after injuring his shoulder this season. According to MLB Draft insiders, Conrad was tenth on the Cubs’ board, and when they had the opportunity to take the outfielder, they jumped on the chance and made him their next top prospect. Conrad hopes to join the list of recent first-rounders drafted by the Chicago Cubs who made it to the big leagues quickly. Cam Smith is with the Astros, and Matt Shaw, Cade Horton, and Jordan Wicks are on the Cubs’ active roster.

Getting to the big league as quickly as possible is a stated goal of Conrad, who said at his media availability after the draft, “That’s definitely the goal for me, is just to get up there as quickly as possible. I think the quicker that I can get up there and be helping out the Cubs’ big league team is going to be super special, and I’m just looking forward to making that happen as soon as possible.”

Reaction To the Selection

The Chicago Cubs had Conrad tenth on their board, and getting him at 17 appears to be a big win. His current shoulder injury and college-level age may have hindered his draft status, making him available for the Cubs to take. Jim Callis was a fan of the pick. The MLB Draft expert said of Conrad, “A lot of upside on this guy. He’s one of the more well-rounded players in the college class. He can get aggressive at the plate, but makes a lot of contact. He could be an above-average hitter for average and power if it all comes together, and a chance to play center field.”

Within the organization, Chicago Cubs VP of scouting Dan Kantrovitz had glowing things to say about Conrad, saying, “We feel like he’s a potentially dynamic talent. There’s an increasing slug component there. I think he’s somebody who can turn a double into a triple with his speed. And I think he’s somebody that is going to be able to put pressure on a defense in a number of different ways. He’s still filling out. He’s still getting stronger. But his decision-making, his ability to make contact, his ability to hit for damage, really all three of those pillars are there. And we think he’s just getting better across the board.”

The decision to take Conrad in the first round and then double up with another outfielder, Kane Kepley, in the second round has ramifications for the MLB trade deadline that comes up in a couple of weeks. With a full outfield at the major league level and a pair of budding prospects in the outfield, the Chicago Cubs may be positioning themselves to use top-rated prospects Owen Caissie and/or Kevin Alcantara as trade chips to make a deal, and then replenish the outfield farm system with the newest crop of players from this draft class.

It’s going to be interesting to see how these moves impact the deadline and how it plays out over the next couple of weeks. For now, the focus can be on the selection of Ethan Conrad with the 17th pick in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft. His support group, the team’s front office, and the fanbase are going to be anxious to see how the 21-year-old outfielder progresses in the Chicago Cubs organization. They hope that he can make the majors soon, just like the last four first-round picks the Cubs have made.