The MLB Draft is just hours away from beginning, and while there isn't a clear-cut No. 1 overall selection, there are several intriguing storylines to follow. What will the Washington Nationals do with the No. 1 overall pick after firing GM Mike Rizzo? What will the Baltimore Orioles do with their four early picks and abundance of bonus pool money to spend? Another one to follow is where the sons of several MLB fathers end up.
There are names MLB fans know in the draft who don't have familial ties, but this year's draft, even more than in previous years, is just dominated by sons of fathers who played Major League Baseball. Many of these fathers even had strong careers.
With that in mind, here's a look at all of the MLB sons to look out for and who their fathers (and in some cases other relatives) are.
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Who are the top MLB legacy prospects in the 2025 Draft?
MLB Draft Prospect | Father |
|---|---|
SS/3B Ethan Holliday | OF Matt Holliday |
RHP Cam Leiter | RHP Kurt Leiter |
SS Kaeden Kent | 2B Jeff Kent |
SS Brady Counsell | 2B Craig Counsell |
1B Max McGuire | 1B Mark McGuire |
C Austin Pierzynski | C A.J. Pierzynski |
OF Manny Ramirez Jr. | OF Manny Ramirez |
OF Jake Casey | 1B Sean Casey |
1B Carsten Sabathia | LHP C.C. Sabathia |
From Matt Holliday to Jeff Kent to Manny Ramirez to C.C. Sabathia, there are some extraordinarily talented fathers whose sons are in the draft. If the sons of these fathers can come close to accomplishing what their fathers did, the teams that select them will be thrilled.
How these MLB sons compare to their famous fathers
The biggest-name prospect on this list is Ethan Holliday, who could easily go No. 1 overall. His brother and former No. 1 overall pick, Jackson, might not be as big as Matt, but Ethan certainly is. Ethan projects as more of a slugger than Jackson, and could easily be the big bopper Matt was.
Cam Leiter's father is Kurt Leiter, a fellow pitcher who did not make it to the majors. His uncle, Al, made two All-Star teams in his career, and his cousins Jack and Mark Jr., are currently in the majors. Cam is a flamethrower who can hit the upper 90s with his fastball, much like Jack for the Texas Rangers. How his secondary pitches progress, though, could determine how successful of a MLB career he has.
Kaeden Kent burst onto the scene this season by doubling his career home run total, and he's prioritized pulling the ball in the air. The odds of Kaeden being as good a hitter as his father, Jeff, are incredibly slim, but there certainly is a chance that he'll be a solid hitter as a middle infielder. That alone is valuable, as we saw with Jeff.