Kade Anderson's masterpiece in MCWS shows why he should be No. 1 pick in MLB Draft

Per ESPN's "SportsCenter," it was the third complete game shutout by a pitcher in the MCWS Finals since it shifted to a best-of-three format in 2003. Anderson joined Oregon State's Kevin Abel and Arizona's JC Cloney, who also accomplished the feat against Coastal Carolina while managed by LSU manager Jay Johnson.

Per MLB.com, Anderson is the top-ranked college prospect and No. 3 overall in the 2025 class, behind Stillwater HS infielder Ethan Holliday and Corona HS right-handed pitcher Seth Hernandez.

As ESPN baseball analyst Kyle Peterson noted, Anderson's performance against the Chanticleers was particularly impressive considering he wasn't necessarily his sharpest.

"I didn't think he had his best stuff early," said Peterson after the game. He praised Anderson for battling despite struggling with his command, particularly with his fastball."

"When he had to make big pitches, that's when Anderson got better," Peterson said.

Anderson's off-speed pitches were nearly unhittable. He escaped a first-inning jam with a changeup, getting Coastal Carolina outfielder Blagen Pado to swing at the pitch out of the zone to end the inning.

In the top of the fourth, Anderson followed Pado's lead-off double with three consecutive strikeouts, all on off-speed pitches.

The Washington Nationals hold the No. 1 pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. The first round is set for July 13.

In MLB.com's most recent mock draft, the Nationals selected Holiday, while ESPN has them choosing Anderson.

While Washington might not have decided what to do yet, Anderson's stellar outing might have made their decision easier. But even if Anderson doesn't hear his name called first, with another LSU win, he can settle for being a national champion.