7 Draft Targets the Phillies Shouldn’t Pass On in 2025

The Major League Baseball Draft came up on us quickly this season. It feels like the season just started, and we are already about to be at the All-Star break. Now the Draft starts this Sunday, so it’s time we talk a bit about some prospects that the Phillies should target. Many experts are saying that the first two rounds have the potential of producing stars for every team that selects them. 

Round 1 is a difficult one to estimate, so I’ll give three solid options that may or may not be available when the Phils pick at 26. Since all three are possibilities at 26, I’ll tell you a little about all three of them. There are many similarities in all three players, but there is one common thread for all three first-round possibilities: these are the most polished, athletic group of prospects projected at the bottom of the first round in almost a decade.

Xavier Neyens, 3B, Mount Vernon HS (WA)

Xavier Neyens is one of the top high school bats in the country and probably the best prep hitter to come out of Washington since Corbin Carroll. He hit .455 with power, speed, and polish, then backed it up all summer at showcase events like the Area Code Games and the High School All-American Game. He’s always had a good swing, but as he got older, bulked up, and the power started showing up, his stock took off.

He hits left-handed with a very solid approach to all fields and has a firm feel for the strike zone. He got a bit outside himself and swung through balls a bit after a long summer schedule, and he was up and down this spring, but the tools are still all there. He’s 6’4″ with a good arm and soft hands, so third base is in play long term. For the Phillies, Neyens fits as a first-round bat with middle of the order potential and the kind of upside that’s hard to find typically at pick 26.

Alec Blair, CF, De La Salle HS (CA)

Alec Blair checks every box when it comes to raw athletic talent. He’s a 6’6″ outfielder from De La Salle, the same school that produced Kyle Harrison. He was a legit recruit in both basketball and baseball, and after shaking off an ankle injury this spring, he hit .446 with 14 extra-base hits and 15 steals. The swing is still a little raw, but the upside is massive. While raw and with tons of room to grow, if he fills out, the power could be special. He’s been compared to top MLB prospect Bryce Eldridge for the combination of size and raw power, though he has a bit more athleticism.

Blair runs well, covers a lot of ground in center, and his arm would also play in right. He’s committed to Oklahoma to play both baseball and basketball, so signing him won’t be simple, but that’s the kind of bet you make on a first-rounder, especially a talent like Blair. The Phillies say they want more high-upside athletes in the system. Blair fits that mold and then some.

Sean Gamble, 2B/OF, IMG Academy (FL)

Sean Gamble has been on the Phillies’ radar for a while. He left Iowa to train year-round at IMG Academy, the same baseball powerhouse that produced the Nationals’ breakout star James Wood and has done nothing but ball out since. A strong left-handed bat, with a very smooth swing, and he’s starting to tap into real power. He gave pitchers fits all summer at the top showcase events and just keeps getting better.

He’s a plus runner with a strong arm and looks comfortable in center, but there’s a real chance he could stick at second or maybe even short. Either way, the bat plays, and the versatility is a bonus. He’s got that same polish and edge you saw in Bryson Stott, and the Phillies should be all over him. He may be a stretch at this position, and if all others are not available, he is an exceptional option.

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In the second round, there isn’t a huge drop-off in talent level, but the signability is a bit of an issue, especially since the Phillies like to draft high school talent early in the draft. There are 2 targets that the Phils should be looking at.

Brock Sell, OF, Tokay HS (CA)

Brock Sell is the best high school bat to come out of Central California in years. He showed out at all the major events last summer, including the Area Code Games and the High School All-American Game. This spring started a little slow, but once he found his timing again, the bat-to-ball skills stood out. His swing is short, quick, and clean. He can turn around velocity and started showing considerably more pop late in the season.

He’s also a plus runner and a true center fielder with range and instincts. Sell hit .425 and stole 34 bases this year, proving he can impact the game in more than one way. He’s committed to Stanford, so he won’t come cheap, but the Phillies should take that shot. He’s a well-rounded high school hitter with tools, upside, and a chance to stay up the middle. That’s second-round material.

Josh Hammond, 3B, Wesleyan Christian Academy (NC)

Josh Hammond is the son of High Point head coach Joey Hammond, and he’s been around the game his whole life. He played both ways at Wesleyan Christian in North Carolina and helped lead them to a state title this spring, hitting .471 with six home runs and showing why he’s now in the first-round conversation. He’s touched 96 on the mound and pitched for Team USA last summer, but his future is clearly at the plate. Most draft boards have him in the 20 to 35 range, right in the Phillies’ second-round window.

Hammond brings serious power from the right side with the kind of bat speed that should translate to 20 to 25 homers a year. He’s trimmed down and looks more athletic than he did when he was pitching full-time. He’s not a shortstop, but third base looks like a good fit with his arm and agility. The Phillies could still develop him as a two-way option, but even if they don’t, the bat alone is worth the pick. There’s a lot to like here.

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In the third round, there is one person I saw play in the SEC quite a bit this year, and his versatility stood out for the Georgia Bulldogs this season. That is something that is becoming increasingly more valuable for pitching staffs in today’s game.

Brian Curley, RHP, University of Georgia

Brian Curley turned down the Pirates last year and transferred from VCU to Georgia. He proved that he belonged in the SEC, starting 2024 in the bullpen and moving into the rotation by March, and quickly became Georgia’s ace. Over 66 innings, he struck out 85, held hitters to a .179 average, and showed he could thrive against top competition.

His fastball sits 94 to 97 mph and touches 100. He holds that velocity deep into games and pairs it with a sharp mid-80s slider, a cutter, and a slower curve. Curley’s tough mental makeup, stamina, and rising stock make him a strong fit for the Phillies in the third round. He’s built like a starter and has already shown he can handle a jump in competition.

Though he’ll get a chance to prove himself as a starter in pro ball, Curley projects more as a power reliever at the next level. He lacks size and pitches with considerable effort, which at times has resulted in control issues. His fastball does lack movement, so he needs to work in the mid-90s and up in the zone to keep it off barrels.

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Brandon Gomez, LHP, Santa Clara University

Likely a later round pick, but he provided depth to a Santa Clara University pitching staff that has a large frame and controls both sides of the plate well. He had a 4.4:1 strikeout to walk ratio while at Santa Clara University and was durable in his three seasons as a Bronco.

While his stats won’t jump off the page at you, he was the only pitcher for the Santa Clara Broncos last year to throw a complete game in a very competitive WCC conference. Gomez is a pitcher that can be picked up in the later rounds and has a ceiling as a 4th starter, and is versatile enough to work out of the pen as well. The Phillies have proven that bullpen depth, especially from lefties, is a huge issue, and Gomez will provide that.

Maturity and hard work are the hallmarks of his game, a fact that his head coach, Rusty Filter, reiterated when I asked about him. “Gritty” is a word that kept coming up, and what defines Philly sports more than the word gritty?

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