Chicago Cubs Select Wake Forest OF Ethan Conrad in the First Round of the 2025 MLB Draft

Conrad spent two seasons at Marist University before joining the Demon Deacons in 2025. Unfortunately for the 21-year-old outfielder, a season-ending shoulder injury that required surgery limited him to just 21 games at Wake Forest. However, in those games he slashed .372/.495/.744 with seven home runs, 27 RBIs, and 30 runs scored. 

At Marist, Conrad's stats were just as impressive. Over two seasons, Conrad slashed .359/.425/.587 with 12 home runs, 84 RBIs, 38 stolen bases, and 27 doubles in 103 games of competition. Despite the lack of a full draft-year season, Conrad's upside is very clear from the numbers. 

According to MLB Pipeline as their 28th ranked draft prospect, Conrad has a simple lefty swing with a gap-to-gap approach at the plate. He led the NCAA in triples in his final season at Marist, showing his ability to be electrifying on the bases with the ball in play. He stands at a strong 6'3" and 220 lbs. and has enough strength to hit for average power. He is prone to chasing pitches outside of the zone, but he has the hand-eye coordination to compensate for some of the downside. Conrad also profiles more as a corner outfielder but could play centerfield in a pinch. 

Ideally, Conrad will sign and join either Low-A Myrtle Beach or High-A South Bend after some time in the Arizona Complex League. Once he's ready for minor league ball, he will surely get every opportunity to prove himself in the remainder of 2025.