FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas shortstop Wehiwa Aloy and pitcher Gage Wood are expected to headline a historic group of Razorbacks in the 2025 Major League Baseball draft.
The MLB Draft will be Sunday at 5 p.m. from Atlanta. It will be broadcast on ESPN and MLBNetwork.
Coverage of the first round and more will be carried on ESPN Arkansas 99.5 in Fayetteville, 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home. It will also be online at HitThatLine.com.
Both are projected as first-round picks and several current teammates, signees and transfers also likely to be selected. There’s also high school players committed to the Hogs that may have to make a choice.
Aloy, who won the prestigious Golden Spikes Award and was named SEC Player of the Year, enters Sunday’s draft after hitting .350 with 24 home runs and 76 RBIs.
His performance this season has drawn widespread attention from major league scouts, with most mock drafts listing him as a likely first-rounder and some projecting him as a possible top-10 pick.
According to MLB.com, Aloy is a candidate for the Atlanta Braves at No. 22 overall, while USA TODAY’s mock draft has him going to the Chicago Cubs at No. 17, citing his power, athleticism and leadership.
Right-hander Wood has also drawn significant interest from scouts with his high-velocity fastball and sharp slider. He posted a 2.12 ERA over his last eight starts, including a no-hitter in the College World Series.
The Razorbacks have never had two players selected in the first round of the same draft. Wood and Aloy could make history and give Hogs coach Dave Van Horn an extra weapon in the recruiting game.
“To have two guys who could go that high, it’s a credit to how hard these kids have worked and what we’re building here,” Van Horn said.
The Razorbacks’ presence in this year’s draft extends beyond Aloy and Wood. Left-hander Zach Root, a transfer from Florida, compiled a 3.18 ERA and struck out 102 batters in 87 innings.
“Arkansas gave me the opportunity to compete at the highest level,” Root told Alex Martin with the Fort Meyers News-Press.
Other draft-eligible Razorbacks include incoming freshman pitcher McLane Moody from Fort Smith Northside and Fayetteville shortstop Landon Schaefer and outfielder Justin Thomas. Transfer pitcher Aiden Jimenez, infielder Parker Coil and outfielder Justin Thomas Jr., are also on major league teams’ draft boards.
The 2025 MLB draft is being conducted with the league’s new lottery system for the third year, which determines the order of the first six picks among non-playoff teams. The Washington Nationals hold the top selection, followed by the Los Angeles Angels and Seattle Mariners (NCAA.com; ESPN).
Arkansas’ recent success, including a College World Series berth last month, has added to Van Horn’s toolbox to make the Razorbacks a destination for top talent.
The draft always brings annual uncertainty about which players will sign professional contracts and which will return to chase a national championship.
“It’s a good problem to have, but it’s a problem nonetheless,” Van Horn says almost every year.
Despite the potential losses to the draft, Arkansas’s recruiting class is expected to remain among the nation’s best, with several top prospects indicating they could enroll if not selected early.
