6 early candidates to be 2025 Marlins first-round draft pick

The third annual MLB Draft Lottery was cruel to the Miami Marlins. They entered the lottery with as good a chance as any team to land the No. 1 overall pick. Instead, Miami got one of the worst possible outcomes, dropping all the way down to seventh in the 2025 draft order. You can watch the Fish On First staff's reaction to the news here.

The draft is still seven months away and a lot can change between now and then, but the Marlins are unlikely to have the opportunity to land consensus top prospects like Ethan Holliday, Jace LaViolette and Jamie Arnold. Their amateur scouting department should be setting their sights a bit lower.

Let's discuss six draft-eligible players—three each from the college and high school ranks—who could realistically be available to the Marlins in the 2025 MLB Draft.

Cam Cannarella, CF, Clemson

The Marlins have been searching for their everyday center fielder of the future. They have several promising options in their farm system already, but none of them can be fully relied upon. Clemson’s Cam Cannarella has the potential to contend for that job someday.

Cannarella is a 6’0”, 180-pounder who is coming off a stellar sophomore season for the Tigers. He almost led Clemson to the College World Series. Cannarella slashed .337/.417/.561 with 83 hits, sixteen doubles, three triples, eleven home runs, 60 RBIs, 34 walks and a .978 OPS. He was also a Third-Team All-American by NCBWA.

Cannarella has some of the best bat-to-ball skills in the 2025 draft class and combines it with plus speed. He’s an excellent defensive outfielder who can make some incredible plays and has a ton of range. The left-handed hitter does need to fill out his frame and add more solid weight to his frame. His exit velocity and hard-hit percentage leave a lot to be desired, but his in-zone whiff rate is 8.3%, which means he rarely misses pitches over the plate.

Max Belyeu, OF, Texas

Another outfielder who could be an option for the Marlins with the seventh overall pick is Max Belyeu. In 2024, he was named the Big 12 Player of the Year in Texas’ final season in the Big 12.

Belyeu is a 6’2”, 210-pound Lone Star State native. He led a stout Texas Longhorns roster that included nine players who were named to the All-Big 12 teams. Belyeu slashed .329/.423/.667 with 69 hits, fifteen doubles, a team-high eighteen home runs, 56 RBIs and a 1.090 OPS.

At the plate, Belyeu has a great combination of hit and power tools. Coming out of high school, he was more hit over power, but the rising junior has improved the latter during his time in Austin. This past season, Belyeu’s hard-hit percentage was 48%, and his EV95+LA10-30° rate was 25.8%.

Aiva Arquette, INF, Oregon State

Aiva Arquette is a 6’5”, 220-pound infielder. Drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 18th round of the 2022 MLB Draft, Arquette honored his commitment to the University of Washington and has since transferred to Oregon State.

The Hawaii native was one of the top players in the Pac-12 in 2024. Arquette slashed .325/.384/.574 with 68 hits, fourteen doubles, twelve home runs, 36 RBIs and a .959 OPS. He was also named to the Pac-12 All-Conference Team.

Arquette is a well-rounded ballplayer and one of the best athletes in this draft class. He has a fluid swing and consistently makes loud contact to all fields with his 56% hard-hit percentage. Arquette also has a solid 17.5 K% and a .357 BABIP.

Xavier Neyens, 3B/OF, Mount Vernon (WA)

Age: 18 | Height: 6’4” | B/T: L/R

Oregon State commit Xavier Neyens is a large 18-year-old. He already possesses big power potential as he demonstrated while participating in many summer events.

Power is not the only trait Neyens brings to the table. He has a good eye at the plate and a smooth lefty swing. Being able to stay calm in the box allows him to have a better feel for the barrel compared to other large, slug-first bats. His natural leg kick allows him to stay on time and square up the baseball to flash elite exit velos. High school players of this size usually have some strikeout issues, but the power and approach Neyens has shown at such a young age should prevail.

Neyens projects to be in a corner infield or corner outfield role when he gets to the pros. His long-term success or lack thereof will come down to player development.

Eli Willits, SS, Fort Cobb-Braxton (OK)

Age: 17 | Height: 6’1” | B/T: S/R

Eli Willits is one of the top high school shortstops in a relatively deep class and one of the youngest (17 years and seven months old on draft day). The Oklahoma native is committed to the Sooners, but will be coming to the pros if drafted in this range.

A crafty shortstop with a great approach from both sides of the box, he has more of a laid-back swing that utilizes quick hands to reach all quadrants of the zone. Willits is currently more advanced from the left than the right side, which is common for young switch-hitters. He will get every shot to stick at shortstop as he has a plus arm and very agile feet. Combine these skills with a plus running grade and you can be looking at a complete five-tool player as he continues to grow into his frame and gain power.

POBO Peter Bendix and amateur scouting director Frankie Piliere have a history of selecting high school shortstops within the top two rounds, like they did last year with Carter Johnson. Willits could be next in line.

Billy Carlson, SS/RHP, Corona (CA)

Age: 18 | Height: 6’1” | B/T: R/R

The two-way, Southern California native has cemented himself as a potential first-round pick. Carlson has a bazooka of an arm, getting up to 95-97 mph on the mound and throwing darts across the diamond. He has shifty feet at shortstop and projects to stick there if focuses on being a position player.

Carlson bears some resemblance to top Tampa Bay Rays prospect Carson Williams. Although his current power production doesn't match what Williams has shown in the minor leagues, a compact right-handed swing with an excellent barrel path through the zone allows Carlson to pull the ball well and in the air.

Combining three average pitches with a projectable bat and glove, the Marlins could look to experiment with Carlson as both a pitcher and hitter. I believe his best path is to commit to being a position player where he'd be a high-floor prospect with the potential to develop into a league-average bat at the next level.

Carlson will be 19 on draft day, which is atypically old for a prep prospect, but that shouldn't scare away the Marlins who made 19-year-old PJ Morlando their top pick in 2024.