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13h ago

Nationals Weigh LSU Lefty and Holliday’s Prep Bat for No. 1 MLB Draft Selection

Interim GM Mike DeBartolo must align scouting evaluations with bonus-pool limits as the first three rounds kick off in Atlanta tonight.

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Zach Neto, left, shakes hands with a fan after being selected by the Angels with the 13th pick of the 2022 MLB baseball draft, Sunday, July 17, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong )
Eric Hines signed to play baseball at the University of Alabama at ACA Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2025.

Overview

  • Mike DeBartolo, elevated to interim general manager after Mike Rizzo’s ouster, holds full authority over Washington’s top draft decision.
  • LSU left-hander Kade Anderson arrives off a College World Series title run, while Stillwater shortstop Ethan Holliday carries major-league pedigree as son of Matt Holliday.
  • Each candidate brings distinct signing-bonus demands under MLB’s slot-based bonus structure, with the Nationals holding the draft’s fourth-largest allotment.
  • Following Washington at No. 1, the Angels, Mariners, Rockies and Cardinals will make picks 2–5 and calibrate their own strategies around bonus-pool constraints.
  • Since the 2012 introduction of slot pools, this draft remains a critical talent pipeline, forcing clubs to balance proven college arms against high-upside prep bats.