2025 MLB Draft Preview: Dax Kilby scouting report
The 2025 MLB Draft is less than two weeks away — the first round kicks off on July 13, 2025 — so its time to start offering capsule looks at players the Texas Rangers could select with their top picks. The Rangers’ first round pick is at #12, their second round pick is at #52, and their third round pick is at #84.
Leading up to draft day, we will be doing writeups of some of the players who could end up getting selected by the Rangers with one of their first three picks. Today we are looking at Georgia prep infielder Dax Kilby.
Dax Kilby is a 6’3”, 185 lb. lefthanded hitting shortstop out of Newman, Georgia. Kilby is committed to Clemson. He turns 19 in November.
Kilby is a bat-first, hit-over-power prep infielder. He’s described as “polished” as a hitter, with a compact swing and good set up at the plate. He makes good contact, has a good eye at the plate, doesn’t chase, and has what Baseball America describes as “high-quality pitch recognition.” He does not have much power currently, but given his size, he is projected to fill out and potentially get to average or better power in the future.
Kilby has good speed, though one would expect it to diminish some as he fills out. While he’s currently playing shortstop in high school, he isn’t seen as having the arm to handle shortstop as a pro, and where he will land defensively is a question, with second base or left field seen as most likely.
Baseball America has Kilby at #75 on their top 500 list. MLB Pipeline’s draft rankings have Kilby at #62. Keith Law’s top 100 list ranks Kilby at #65. Kiley McDaniel’s top 150 list has Kilby at #51. Fangraphs has Kilby at #50 on their board.
Kilby offers an advanced hit tool and approach along with a build that would suggest that there’s more power to come. If he had the defensive tools to stick at shortstop, or at least a reasonable prospect at sticking at shortstop, he’d potentially be a first round pick. Instead, with the defensive limitations, he’s likely looking going in the second to fourth rounds, assuming he’s deemed to be signable.
Kilby has the type of profile the Rangers look for in their hitters, and so would make sense for Texas in the second round, or as an above-slot guy in the third or fourth rounds.
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