As the college baseball season draws to a close, attention is beginning to shift toward the MLB draft, which is set to occur in mid-July. This timeframe serves as a crucial period for many top prospects, who will prepare to showcase their skills during the upcoming conference tournaments. Performances in these tournaments can have a significant impact on their draft positions, potentially resulting in increases on various draft boards.

A closer examination of recent expert mock drafts offers insights into the current draft landscape. McDaniel's latest projections reveal a top-150 prospect ranking alongside a mini-mock draft outlining predictions for the first 14 picks. This draft class appears to be prep-heavy at the start, with four high school players selected among the first seven picks. Notably, Stillwater High School's Ethan Holliday, the son of seven-time All-Star Matt Holliday and brother of Baltimore Orioles infielder Jackson Holliday, was listed first. However, McDaniel emphasized that the outlook remains fluid, stating, 'this one is still wide open.' Following Holliday, Florida State's Jamie Arnold was projected next, followed by high school pitcher Seth Hernandez from Corona High School, with other college lefties Liam Doyle from Tennessee and Kade Anderson from LSU filling out the early selections.

Mayo's mock draft, which extended to 27 players, showcased a strong emphasis on collegiate pitchers and high school middle infielders. Notably, Mayo's predictions mirrored McDaniel's for the first 11 picks, albeit in a different order. Both analysts opened with Holliday and Arnold, but with Doyle in the third position and Oregon State's Aiva Arquette moving up to fourth. Mayo also highlighted a potential interest from the Colorado Rockies in drafting a college pitcher with the fourth pick, suggesting that if they opt for a hitter, Arquette would be the optimal choice, given his impressive 17 home runs and an OPS over 1.100. Anderson, according to Mayo, slipped to the Pirates at sixth, reflecting historical hesitation teams have regarding right-handed high school players, although he recognized Anderson as one of the top ranked prep prospects in the nation, second only to Holliday.

Reuter's mock draft stood out by not starting with Holliday, instead featuring Arnold in the top position. Reuter justified this selection by asserting that Arnold presents 'the best combination of potential, floor and proximity to the majors' among this year's prospects, indicating he could rapidly progress through the minor leagues. Interestingly, Holliday was not placed in the second or third spots, which were occupied by Arquette and Hernandez instead. Reuter commended Arquette for his impressive junior campaign, citing improved walk and strikeout rates, as well as his transition from second base to shortstop. Regarding Hernandez, Reuter expressed confidence in his potential to emerge as an elite pitching prospect in the near future. Ultimately, Holliday was projected fourth to the Rockies, with Reuter remarking on his prowess as a likely offensive superstar, drawing comparisons to his father’s power-hitting style. A new name appeared fifth in Reuter's mock: Wake Forest's Marek Houston, previously ranked 15th by Mayo, who highlighted Houston's well-rounded skillset as a compelling argument for his top-10 selection. Additionally, UC Santa Barbara’s Tyler Bremner entered the top ten at tenth overall, with Reuter noting Bremner's fluctuating stock but recent upward trajectory, positioning him as a potential pick for the Chicago White Sox, who are expected to take the best player available as they navigate their rebuilding phase.