Image courtesy of © Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The dust has settled on the 2025 MLB Draft Lottery. It was a solid outcome for the Twins, who should have a bonus pool upwards of $16 million to play with when we get to next July. The No. 3 spot is a fascinating place to pick. There’s a consensus top prospect, in Roch Cholowsky, and kind of a consensus second choice in prep shortstop Grady Emerson. What of the rest?
For this thought exercise, I’m going to try to rank the prospects the Twins might take based on their talent, recent performance, and fit with the organization. This ‘ranking’ will change significantly over the course of the amateur season, so I’m using it as a checkpoint for my thinking here in December.
For the purposes of this writeup, we’re going to assume Roch Cholowsky is going number one to the White Sox, and Grady Emerson is going number two to the Rays. Let’s rank the five next most likely options. Will this look silly in July 2026? Absolutely; that’s part of the fun.
1. Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama, R/R, 21
.316/.421/.636 (127 wRC+), 12.5 BB%, 24.2 K%, 18 HR, 17 SB (94%)
Lebron is a premier athlete and one of the few prospects in this class who has the combination of tools and talent to push Cholowsky at the top of the class. He pummels stuff up in the zone, with maximum exit velocities north of 110 mph. There are warts in the hit tool, with some swing-and-miss (particularly breaking stuff down and away) and an aggressive approach. Defensively, it’s a plus arm and at least above-average defense at short. He’s sticking there. If Lebron irons out the hit tool concerns, it’s superstar potential for a prospect who draws rave reviews for his leadership and makeup.
2. Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech, R/R, 21
.333/.468/.693 (151 wRC+), 18.3 BB%, 14.5 K%, 19 HR, 10 SB (91%)
Smaller amateur players are often dinged by pro organizations, but there’s no doubting Burress’s insane production at Georgia Tech. He’s hit 44 home runs in two seasons for the Yellow Jackets, with legit bat speed and strong high-end exit velocities, despite being listed at 5-foot-9. It’s a plus arm and solid defense from a prospect who could start his pro career in center field, but he may end up in a corner. Regardless of the defensive home, he’s been the most consistently productive college player in the past two seasons, by a wide margin.
3. AJ Gracia, OF, Virginia, L/L, 21
.293/.449/.558 (126 wRC+), 20 BB%, 12.6 K%, 15 HR
This selection will likely put some Twins fans off, just because he’s a left-handed-hitting corner outfielder, but there’s a ton to like. The value here is in the offensive profile, and Gracia will have to mash to deliver, as he’s not bringing more than average speed and defensive tools. Gracia is an on-base machine, though, walking 20% of the time in 2025. It’s good bat speed and a swing built to lift the ball, but Gracia combines it with excellent bat-to-ball skills. Between the well-rounded hit tool and an outstanding approach, this is one of the best hit/power combos in the class.
4. Cam Flukey, RHP, Coastal Carolina, R/R, 21
101.2 IP, 3.19 ERA, 2.68 FIP, 28.5 K%, 5.8 BB%
Flukey might not seem like an obvious fit, but a monster season could vault him into contention (and the Twins love drafting from the Carolinas). Standing at 6-foot-6, Flukey boasts a polished four-pitch mix. It’s headlined by a fastball that sits 93-95 mph, but has been as high as 98 mph with outstanding ride. He dots it for strikes, too. Flukey made strides with both control and command in 2025, walking only 5.8% of opposing hitters. There are very few weaknesses in a profile that you could see starting a playoff game within a few seasons.
5. Mystery GuyÂ
Prior to the 2022 draft, Jackson Holliday was a fringe first-round prospect. Prior to the 2023 college season starting, Paul Skenes was ranked in the teens on many lists, significantly lower than Chase Dollander. It’s likely that there’s at least one name in the mix at three that we aren’t yet talking about. If you have a prospect in mind, throw their name in the comments.
Other Names Considered:Â Jacob Lombard, Liam Peterson, Sawyer Strosnider, Chris Hacopian, Tyler Bell, Ace Reece