The way-way-too-early look at 2025 MLB Draft targets for the Orioles

With the first round draft order being set this week, let's start looking ahead to the 2025 MLB Draft.

Written by: Nick Stevens

Why am I writing about the 2025 MLB Draft before Christmas? Why not?

The top of the first round will be set this week at the winter meetings with the draft lottery taking place on Tuesday evening. We already know that the Baltimore Orioles will be selecting 19th overall in the first round. They have also received a Competitive Balance Round B pick, and could receive early round comp picks depending on where and for how much Corbin Burnes and Anthony Santander sign.

Even without receiving the PPI (Prospect Promotion Incentive) pick from what should have been Colton Cowser winning 2024 AL Rookie of the Year honors, the Orioles will be very busy early on in the draft.

Last year, my first draft piece came in February, the week before the start of the 2024 college baseball season. I profiled 5 way-too-early targets for the Orioles at pick 22: high school LHP Cam Caminiti, high school OF/LHP Noah Franco, TCU shortstop Anthony Silva, Tennessee RHP Drew Beam, and current Orioles prospect and 2024 draft pick shortstop Griff O’Ferrall.

Nailed it, yet again (remember the Jake Cunningham mock draft?)

If you are in the Patron section of our Discord, check out the #MLBDraft channel for a link to my 2025 MLB Draft notes where I’ve been compiling data and info on nearly 50 draft-eligible prospects already, with plenty more on the way.

For now, let’s run through my 2025 way-way-too-early look at possible targets for the Baltimore Orioles at pick 19 in 2025.

OF Nick Dumesnil, California Baptist

6’2”/205, RHH

The players discussed are in no particular order, but Nick Dumesnil goes first because of his 80-grade first name.

Dumesnil erupted onto the scene as a sophomore in 2024, hitting .362 with a .440 OBP, 1.142 OPS, 19 home runs, and 19 doubles. While he walked just 20 times in 271 plate appearances, he struck out just 35 times.

The mid-major prospect carried his successful sophomore campaign over to the Cape Cod League this summer, proving he could hit against the big boys. On the Cape, Dumesnil hit .311 with 4 home runs and 12 doubles. There was an uptick in strikeouts but also the walks. He also swiped 26 bags.

Per scouting reports, Dumesnil has an aggressive approach and has had some trouble with breaking balls out of the zone, but he put up an in-zone contact rate of 90% with elite bat speed numbers. He made an adjustment this year, lowering his hands just a bit, which resulted in much improved contact rates.

Every public report agrees- Dumesnil is a potential five-tool prospect with power to all fields and the speed and athleticism to handle centerfield at the next level while being a menace on the basepaths. There’s tremendous upside with the Cal Baptist product who has already started his 2025 campaign on a high note with a few home runs this fall, including a 110 mph, 449-foot blast in a fall scrimmage. Very real possibility he plays himself well into the first round if he can take another step forward this year.

Current ranks: Future Stars Series- 20th overall, Baseball America- 15th overall, MLB Pipeline- 35th overall, Prospects Live- 20th ranked college prospect.

OF Ethan Conrad, Wake Forest

6’4”/200, LHH

Infielder Seaver King went from D2 product to Wake Forest to Washington Nationals first round draft pick last year. Ethen Conrad could follow that same path in 2025, but with a journey leading him to Baltimore instead of Washington.

The 20-year-old 1B/OF spent his first two seasons at Marist College in New York. He will play at Wake Forest in 2025. In 55 games with Marist this year, Conrad hit .389 with 9 home runs, 18 doubles, and 13 triples. Four of those triples came in one game. He also stole 17 bases and walked nearly as many times as he struck out (32/27 K/BB).

He appeared in 30 games in the Cape Cod League this summer, hitting .385 with a pair of home runs and 19 stolen bases.

Per Joe Doyle at Future Stars Series, Conrad has “plus raw power in the tank” with “lefty-lefty sliders low-and-away being just about the only hole in his swing at this stage.” As noted by Prospects Live, Conrad has an aggressive approach but he mashes fastballs, handles spin well, and has an “advanced offensive profile.”

He has a big test ahead of him, but if Conrad can tear up the ACC as many expect he will, the former Marist product will find himself firmly in the first round. With plus speed, the ability to play all three outfield spots along with first base, and bursting at the seams with raw power, he presents an intriguing and fun option for the Orioles.

Current ranks: Future Stars Series- 19th overall, Baseball America- 42nd overall, MLB Pipeline- 23rd overall, Prospects Live- 11th ranked college prospect.

3B/OF Henry Ford, UVA (6’5”/220, RHH)

2B/3B Henry Godbout, UVA (6’2”/190, RHH)

I was only going to go with three on this way-too-early look because it’s December and things will drastically change between now and the 2025 MLB Draft, but I’m going to lump the two Henry’s from UVA together to close this one out. After both Griff O’Ferrall and Ethan Anderson were taken out of UVA in the 2024 draft, why not.

Ford will be a draft-eligible sophomore who started out as a catcher, played mostly first base with some third base as a freshman, and will look to transition to the outfield in 2025. Showing strong defensive abilities in right field this year will provide a big boost to his draft stock.

Another “off the charts makeup” guy, Ford slammed 17 home runs as a freshman with an 18% strikeout rate. He also has Team USA experience, a common trait among Orioles draft picks.

A tall, physical specimen with a powerful swing, Ford is a potential middle-of-the-order bat with an enormous ceiling if he can handle right field and clean up his swing decisions. There are some chase issues but solid in-zone contact rates and when he does make contact, it’s damaging with plus-exit velos and a 24% barrel rate.

Ford and Godbout were high school teammates at Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennesse and reunited in Charlottesville. The Orioles could have three picks in the Top 30-35 range. If they want to go extremely UVA heavy, the opportunity should present itself.

Per Prospects Live, Godbout is one of the top fastball hitters in the country, whiffing just 5% of the time against fastballs in 2024. Per Baseball America’s Peter Flaherty, Godbout hit .556 against fastballs 93+ mph. He also boasted an 86% contact rate. He’s been tagged as one of the premier pure hitters in the game. Defensively, his long-term projection appears to be as a second baseman.

Godbout tapped into his power more this past season, racking up 9 home runs in 51 games, 6 more than he had as a freshman in 5 fewer plate appearances. He hit. 372 with a .472 OBP and 1.117 OPS. There was also the very impressive K/BB line- 29 walks/20 strikeouts.

A solid defender up the middle with a plus hit tool, growing power, and off the charts makeup, Henry Godbout would be a high floor pick with what I think could be a higher ceiling than his former teammate O’Ferrall.

Henry Ford’s rankings: Future Stars Series- 18th overall, Baseball America- 65th overall, MLB Pipeline- 32nd overall, Prospects Live- 8th ranked college prospect.

Henry Godbout’s rankings: Future Stars Series- 39th overall, Baseball America- 31st overall, MLB Pipeline- 31st overall, Prospects Live- 15th ranked college prospect.

Stay tuned throughout the season for more college baseball/MLB Draft coverage as we try and find some of the top potential matches for the Orioles down in the collegiate ranks.

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