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FCL Nationals Eli Willits during a game against the FCL Marlins on Aug. 18, 2025. (Photo/Tom DiPace)

With a July draft, many teams are conservative with their assignments for recently selected players. Many pitchers coming off serious workloads from the spring won’t be activated at all. A number of high-profile high school players won’t play in official games either, but instead will take part in unofficial leagues like the bridge and continuation leagues.

Below are notes on all top-30 players who have made official debuts, plus a few standout debuts of players beyond that. 

Players are listed with their overall draft selection. All stats referenced include games through Aug 27.

The first overall pick had a strong first impression in pro ball when he tallied a three-hit game in his debut with Low-A Fredericksburg. Willits has only played five games but it’s been smooth sailing. He has a hit in each game (all singles) to go with three walks and one strikeout. He had just three whiffs on 36 swings (8% miss rate) in his first 17 plate appearances and has done a nice job putting the ball on a line back up the middle. Willits is one of just five hitters in the Carolina League playing in his age-17 season. The other four are Brady Ebel (Brewers), Stiven Martinez (Orioles), Juneiker Caceres (Guardians) and Kevin Garcia (Brewers). 

4. Ethan Holliday, SS, Rockies

Level: Low-A Fresno

Performance: 9 G, 42 PA, .222/.333/.278, 11.9 BB%, 40.5 K%, 83 wRC+

Holliday got some work in Colorado’s continuation camp in Arizona before being assigned to Low-A Fresno on Aug. 12. He doubled in each of his first two games with Fresno and had multi-hit efforts in two of his first four games. Strikeouts and whiffs have been a piece of his game so far, and while strikeouts stabilize quicker than anything else for hitters, he’s still shy of the roughly 60 plate appearance threshold for strikeout rate. Unsurprisingly, Holliday has played all of his games at shortstop, where he has made two errors through nine games.

7. Aiva Arquette, SS, Marlins

Level: High-A Beloit

Performance: 17 G, 74 PA, .226/.338/.323, 14.9 BB%, 23 K%, 97 wRC+

Arquette was the lone college hitter selected in the top 10 of this year’s draft. The Marlins had him skip Low-A entirely and assigned him to High-A Beloit on Aug. 5. He’s been solid in that stretch while serving as the team’s starting shortstop. Arquette’s swing decisions have been good and he’s also done a solid job hitting the ball to all fields. His first pro home run came on Aug. 15 when he got a slider on the outer third in a 2-2 count and went with the pitch to the opposite field and just cleared the right field fence. 

13. Gavin Kilen, SS, Giants

Level: Low-A San Jose

Performance: 10 G, 43 PA, .205/.279/.282, 7.0 BB%, 11.6 K%, 59 wRC+

The Giants made Kilen the second college bat off the board after Aiva Arquette when they took him with the 13th overall pick. He played just 10 games with Low-A San Jose—splitting his defensive reps at shortstop and second base—and it was slow going before he hit the injured list. He does have a pair of extra-base hits to the pull side with a double and a triple, but has been a bit trigger happy with his swing decisions with a 27% chase rate. Kilen’s increased selectivity this spring with Tennessee was a key reason he took a step forward offensively. Seeing where those swing decisions settle in as he gets more pro reps will be important for projecting his offensive upside. 

16. Marek Houston, SS, Twins

Level: Low-A Fort Myers/High-A Cedar Rapids

Performance: 18 G, 86 PA, .299/.372/.364, 9.3 BB%, 20.9 K%, 114 wRC+

The Twins started Houston at Low-A Fort Myers. He blitzed through the level in 12 games with a .370/.424/.444 slash line and was promoted to High-A Cedar Rapids on Aug. 18. His production in six games at High-A has been more muted, but overall his numbers are rock solid. He’s tied for second among all 2025 draftees with 23 hits, and a vast majority of those (18) have been of the singles variety and grounders to the opposite field. Houston has also been effective on the bases and is 7-for-8 in steals. 

18. Kayson Cunningham, SS, D-backs

Level: Low-A Visalia

Performance: 5 G, 14 PA, .304/.333/.304, 4.2 BB%, 33.3 K%, 82 wRC+

The D-backs have had a lot of success with smaller pure hitters, and got a great version of that profile in Cunningham—perhaps the best pure hitter in the 2025 class. He’s only played in five games with Low-A Visalia, but his debut is one he’ll want to forget. Cunningham went 1-for-5 with three strikeouts and made three errors at shortstop. Two of those were errant throws on relatively routine groundballs and the third was a sharp chopping groundball he attempted to backhand on the in-between hop that ate him up. He bounced back in his second pro game with a three-hit effort.

19. Ike Irish, C/OF, Orioles

Level: Low-A Delmarva

Performance: 11 G, 45 PA, .300/.378/.400, 8.9 BB%, 24.4 K%, 134 wRC+

Irish was assigned to Low-A Delmarva on Aug. 12 and has played 11 games. The No. 2-ranked college hitter in the class has hit well in his first stretch of pro games. He has three different multi-hit efforts to go with a home run and a double. His homer was against a low fastball that he yanked out to the pull side. Drafted as a catcher, Irish has spent most of his defensive innings at first base (35.2) and right field (17) so far. He has just three innings and a single game behind the plate. 

20. Andrew Fischer, 1B/3B, Brewers

Level: High-A Wisconsin

Performance: 11 G, 45 PA, .275/.356/.325, 11.1 BB%, 28.9 K%, 98 wRC+

Fischer got some exposure in the bridge league—where Brewers coaches praised his routine and professionalism—and was then assigned to High-A Wisconsin on Aug. 14. He had multi-hit efforts in his first two games, but has gone just 6-for-31 (.194) with 12 strikeouts and four walks in his eight subsequent games. Fischer played first base for Tennessee this spring, but the Brewers drafted him as a third baseman and all of his defensive innings have come at the hot corner so far. He has not made an error in 30 defensive chances and has made a few standout plays—including one diving grab on a 5-3 groundout to his glove side—and shown a strong throwing arm. 

22. Tate Southisene, SS, Braves

Level: Low-A Augusta

Performance: 5 G, 21 PA, .300/.333/.500, 0.0 BB%, 52.4 K%, 139 wRC+

Southisene is another first-round prepster to get his pro career started officially, though—like Cunningham—he’s played in just five games so far. The Braves assigned him to Low-A Augusta on Aug. 18 and he went 4-for-16 with a pair of extra-base hits in his first four games. He got both those hits in an Aug. 24 game where he was a homer shy of the cycle and went 3-for-5. His triple was a deep fly ball to the left-center warning track against an 87-mph cutter, and his double was a similar location against a 94-mph fastball that Southisene got his hands extended on nicely. He’s played three games at shortstop and one at second base, with two errors in 14 defensive chances at shortstop. Both errors came on bobbled groundballs where Southisene was shifted up the middle behind the second base bag.  

Other Notable Debuts

56. Kane Kepley, OF, Cubs

Level: Low-A Myrtle Beach

Performance: 18 G, 88 PA, .369/.534/.508, 18.2 BB%, 11.4 K%, 214 wRC+

Kepley has arguably been the most impressive debut hitter thus far. He leads all draftees with 24 hits, 33 total bases and 12 steals. His 1.042 OPS is the second best of any hitter with at least 50 plate appearances behind only Mason Neville (more on him below) and he’s reached base safely in all 18 games he’s played in. His plate discipline was a standout trait for him as North Carolina’s leadoff hitter this spring and that has carried over to his initial pro sample as well, with 16 walks and just 10 strikeouts. He’s played 11 games in center field, four games in right field and gotten into the lineup three times as the DH.  

114. Mason Neville, OF, Reds

Level: Low-A Daytona

Performance: 14 G, 52 PA, .348/.423/.630, 9.6 BB%, 28.8 K%, 186 wRC+

Neville ranked as the No. 59 prospect in the class, but the Reds managed to sign him for just under $700,000 in the fourth round. He was assigned to Low-A Daytona on Aug. 7 and has hit the ground running with plenty of extra-base damage. Neville has one home run, two triples and six doubles in his first 14 games and has done a nice job getting the ball in the air and to the pull side to take advantage of his power and strength. He has enough power to homer to all fields and the lone home run he has so far was a deep opposite field blast to left-center against a 92-mph sinker. 

168. Joey Volini, LHP, Marlins

Level: Low-A Jupiter/High-A Beloit

Performance: 4 G, 6.1 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.79 FIP, 10 K, 1 BB

Only 12 pitchers from the 2025 class have thrown at least five innings in official pro games so far. Volini is one, and he’s been the best performer of that group. He’s pitched exclusively out of the bullpen in four games—two with Jupiter and two with Beloit—and has allowed just two hits, one walk and no runs with 10 strikeouts. The physical lefty has continued to show a deep pitch mix and has recorded at least one strikeout with each of his main offerings: a fastball, slider, curveball and changeup.

205. Paxton Kling, OF, Rangers

Level: Low-A Hickory/High-A Hub City

Performance: 13 G, 58 PA, .380/.431/.580, 10.3 BB%, 19 K%, 185 wRC+

Kling’s physical tools and athleticism is some of the most exciting of any player mentioned in this piece. That makes his strong debut all the more exciting. If he’s able to continue building off the momentum of his strong spring season with Penn State, he has real upside given his speed, raw power and ability as a defender in any outfield position. He had a 1.001 OPS in 10 games with Low-A Hickory before earning a promotion to Double-A Hub City on Aug. 23. In his first two games with Hub City, Kling went 2-for-7 with a double, three walks and two strikeouts. Kling has been a line drive and fly ball machine so far. Of his first 36 balls in play, 28 (77.6%) were either line drives or fly balls. 

277. Logan Braunschweig, OF, Braves

Level: High-A Rome

Performance: 16 G, 60 PA, .346/.433/.423, 11.7 BB%, 13.3 K%, 165 wRC+

Braunschweig ranked as the No. 228 player in the class as a priority senior who boasted 70-grade running ability and on-base skills with Alabama-Birmingham. The Braves signed him to just a $2,500 bonus in the ninth round and he’s played well exclusively in High-A so far. Braunschweig has continued to employ an approach that leads to lots of contact and groundballs and low line drives slapped to the opposite field. He narrowly missed an oppo homer to the left-center gap in a game against Greenville on Aug. 8, and all three of his extra-base hits have come on opposite-field batted balls. 

408. Carson Laws, RHP, Marlins

Level: Low-A Jupiter/High-A Beloit

Performance: 6 G, 6.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1.51 FIP, 11 K, 3 BB

Laws was an effectively wild reliever for Texas State with a big arm and plenty of strikeouts. The Marlins took a shot on him in the 14th round and signed him to a $150,000 bonus. He’s been more effective than wild as a late-inning reliever with Low-A Jupiter and High-A Beloit in his first six appearances. Laws has faced 24 batters and struck out 11 of them (a 45.8 K%). While his 12.5% walk rate is still a below-average mark, it would be a significant step forward from the 18.5% walk rate he posted in college this spring. Laws has sat around 95 mph and touched 97 with his fastball, which has been a great swing-and-miss pitch at the top of the zone so far.

442. Jake Casey, OF, Blue Jays

Level: Low-A Dunedin

Performance: 19 G, 68 PA, .283/.441/.566, 13.2 BB%, 20.6 K%, 180 wRC+

Casey turned in a breakout senior season with Kent State and parlayed that into a $150,000 bonus with the Blue Jays in the 15th round. He’s been one of the better performers in the 2025 class in early stages with Low-A Dunedin with a nice blend of patience, power and speed. Casey already has three home runs (only Athletics second rounder Devin Taylor has more), two triples and two doubles to go with solid plate discipline. All three of his home runs have come to the pull side, as he’s continued to show his knack for elevating to right field against pro pitching. He’s also gone 4-for-5 in steals while playing all three outfield positions. 

518. Luke Nowak, OF, Royals

Level: Low-A Columbia

Performance: 11 G, 46 PA, .417/.543/.611, 17.4 BB%, 13 K%, 226 wRC+

Nowak was a top-100 senior sign target thanks to his contact skills and speed. He has looked far too polished for the Low-A competition he’s facing as a 22-year old in his first 11 games. Nowak has tallied a hit in nine of those games, has walked eight times compared to just four strikeouts and is tied with Braves shortstop Alex Lodise with seven doubles—leading all draftees. He’s spent most of his time in left field but has games in center and right as well.Â