Nationals Select Ethan Holliday in Latest Mock Draft, But Race ‘Wide Open’

Review most outside analysts and their mock drafts and a trend emerges — Ethan Holliday tends to go No. 1 overall to the Washington Nationals.

There are plenty of good reasons to take Holliday there. Some consider him the No. 1 overall prospect in the entire draft. He has Major League bloodlines. His father was All-Star Matt Holliday. His brother is Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday.

He’s had great coaching and not just at high school in Stillwater, Okla. His uncle, Josh Holliday, is the head coach at Oklahoma State.

Many signs point toward the younger Holliday joining the Nationals in the DMV so he can be near his older brother. But it’s not so clear cut.

Why Ethan Holliday Might Not Go No. 1 Overall

ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel released his first mock draft earlier his week and he has Holliday going No. 1 overall. He also has Holliday as his No. 3 overall prospect. It’s not unusual for the No. 1 pick to not be the No. 1 prospect. Sometimes need has something to do with it.

He writes that there are other options, both in the college ranks and in the prep ranks. McDaniel’s mind isn’t made up, and to that end, neither is the minds of scouts and general managers, either.

“This one is still wide open and my choice here is more a reflection of ‘I don't quite have enough info to change it from Holliday’ than ‘I'm confident it's going to be Holliday,’” McDaniel wrote.

Per McDaniel, the Nationals aren’t done vetting names yet. That lines up with the mock draft Baseball America did just a couple of weeks ago, which indicated the Nats have interest in other prep options like Eli Willits and Seth Hernandez. The bonus demands of each player could play a role in which player is selected.

The Nationals selected shortstop Seaver King with their first-round pick in 2025. The former Wake Forest star is at High-A Wilmington and having an up-and-down first full professional season. 

Washington’s 2023 first-round pick, outfielder Dylan Crews out of LSU, made his MLB debut last year and is the Nats’ starting right fielder. He is batting under .200 but Washington is committed to his development at the MLB level.

The Nationals went with prep players in back-to-back years before that. In 2022 Washington selected outfielder Elijah Green out of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., The 21-year-old’s development has been slow, and he was just sent back to Florida from High-A Wilmington to work on swing.  

In 2021, the Nationals selected shortstop Brady House from Winder-Barrow High School in Winder, Ga., He is at Triple-A Rochester and is seen as Washington’s third baseman of the future.

In 2020 the Nationals selected pitcher Cade Cavalli out of Oklahoma. The right-hander lost nearly two seasons to Tommy John surgery and is currently at Rochester. Washington expects him to join the Majors at some point this season.

The 2025 MLB draft will be held Sunday and Monday, July 13-14, during All-Star Weekend in Atlanta.