Fort Myers High alum and Arkansas ace Zach Root will hear his name called during the 2025 MLB Draft taking place in Atlanta on July 13 and 14. The first day will include rounds 1-3, while the second day will feature rounds 4-20.
He’ll look to join Cape Coral’s Shane McClanahan (31st overall, 2018), Mariner’s Mike Zunino (3rd overall, 2012), and Bishop Verot’s Hudson Boyd (55th overall, 2011) and Bobby Borchering (16th overall, 2009) as the area’s first-round picks this century.
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Here’s more on Root and where he may be selected.
Draft History: Southwest Florida’s All-Time MLB Draft picks from Collier and Lee County, FGCU and FSW
Zach Root a reliable Razorback
Jun 14, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks starting pitcher Zach Root (33) walks off the mound during the second inning against the LSU Tigers at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images
Transferring from East Carolina after his sophomore year, the lefty made things happen in Fayetteville for Arkansas. He went 9-6 with a 3.62 ERA, striking out 126 over 99 1/3 innings pitched and helped the Razorbacks make the College World Series. He had a WHIP of 1.18, which led to him being First Team All-SEC and a Second Team All-American by Perfect Game. His 126 strikeouts ranked fifth in Division I.
Root’s success stems back to high school, when he was named the 2022 Southwest Florida Baseball Player of the Year by The News-Press and Naples Daily News. Root finished with a 6-2 record and a 1.50 ERA in 51 1/3 innings in his senior season for Fort Myers, conceding just 24 hits and 11 earned runs with 96 strikeouts.
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Root pitched two seasons for the Pirates. He earned ACC All-Freshman Team honors going 3-3 record with a 5.33 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 53.2 innings, including 13 starts in 20 appearances. As a sophomore, he posted a 6-2 record with a 3.56 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 68.1 innings. He issued only 21 walks and limited opposing hitters to a .228 batting average.
Root of Success: Fort Myers senior pitcher has been lights out, attracting MLB scouts
Zach Root has opportunistic arsenal
Arkansas’ Zach Root (33) throws a pitch during game one of the NCAA baseball tournament Fayetteville Super Regional between Tennessee and Arkansas held at Baum-Walker Stadium on Saturday, June 7, 2025.
Whichever club drafts Root is going to get an arm with a five-pitch mix right away: fastball, sinker, slider, changeup, and curveball.
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After transferring from East Carolina, his slider became elite, generating lots of swings and misses with a lot of break from the left side. Deciphering his changeup and sinker is tough, considering they look nearly identical upon release.
Despite usually sitting in the mid-90s, the fastball got up to 99 MPH in the Fayetteville Regional against Tennessee, something clubs will certainly love considering his ability to spot up with the off-speed mix.
Who will draft Zach Root?
Arkansas pitcher Zach Root (33) looks to throw a pitch during a NCAA baseball game against Georgia in Athens, Ga., on Friday, April 11, 2025.
According to Baseball America’s latest mock draft released on July 9, Root’s been linked to the Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, and the Seattle Mariners. The New York Yankees are linked to Root in a handful of mock drafts.
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If the Braves are committed to getting a college arm, they could go the way of Root, who would ultimately project out as a starting pitcher.
The Padres have one of the better farm systems in baseball, headlined by a pair of left-handers in Kash Mayfield (No. 3 prospect) and Boston Bateman (No. 5). The Mariners only have one left-handed arm inside their top 30 prospects in Brandyn Garcia (No. 14), along with just one southpaw on the big league roster.
Here are the ultimate landing destinations for Root in a variety of mocks:
Baseball America (July 9): 35th overall, Seattle Mariners
ESPN (June 30): 34th overall, Detroit Tigers
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MLB.com (June 13): 39th overall, New York Yankees
Sporting Tribune (July 8): 39th overall, New York Yankees
Prep Baseball Report (July 9): 34th overall, Detroit Tigers
How to watch thre MLB Draft
TV channel for Rounds 1-3: MLB Network (Channel 279 on Xfinity, 213 on DirecTV, 1634 on Prism, 517 on Hotwire, 152 on DISH) and ESPN (403 on Xfinity, 206 on DirecTV, 331 on Prism, 140 on DISH)
Streaming for Rounds 1-3: Fubo, ESPN+, MLB.com
Online (for all rounds): MLB.com
Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X: @NP_AlexMartin. For the best sports coverage in Southwest Florida, follow @newspresssports and @ndnprepzone on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Fort Myers alum, Arkansas lefty Zach Root to be picked in 2025 MLB Draft