ASU matches school record with nine picks in first ten MLB Draft rounds
2025 was a breakout year for Arizona State Baseball. The Sun Devils returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021—marking a major milestone in the Willie Bloomquist era—while boasting the nation’s 29th-ranked offense in runs scored. They also led the Big 12 with 12 All-Conference selections, including four First Team and two Second Team honors.
It was a season defined by depth and star power—talent that took center stage during the 2025 MLB Draft on July 13th and 14th.
Nine Sun Devils were selected, tying a school record for most picks in the first ten rounds, a feat previously matched only by ASU’s 1981 College World Series championship team. ASU also tied CWS semifinalist Arkansas for the most players drafted through ten rounds and finished tied for third nationally in total picks—reaffirming its place as a powerhouse pipeline to the pros: MLBU.
Here’s a look at the Sun Devils selected—and what their paths to the majors might look like:
Brandon Compton (Miami Marlins, Pick 46)
Compton was the first Sun Devil off the board—and for good reason. His elite raw power stood out not only at ASU but also at the MLB Combine, where he produced the top three and five of the top seven exit velocities ever recorded since the event began in 2021 (116.9, 116.6, 116.4 mph).
Compton slashed .310/.401/.568 with a .969 OPS, 23 home runs, and 105 RBIs over two seasons at ASU. He broke out as a freshman, earning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year after leading all conference freshmen in most major offensive categories.
Compton took a step back in his sophomore year, but MLB teams draft on upside—and he has plenty. The Marlins selected him in the second round, adding a much-needed bat to an organization thin on outfield talent. With no outfielders ranked among their top six prospects, Compton has a clear path to the majors—if he can adjust at the plate and regain his freshman form.
Ben Jacobs (Detroit Tigers, Pick 98)
In recent years, ASU has been known more for producing MLB-ready bats than arms—but Ben Jacobs may be shifting that narrative.
Jacobs led the Big 12 in strikeouts this season, ranking 43rd nationally, with a 13.49 strikeouts per nine innings (K/9) rate that placed 11th in the country. Over two years at ASU, he tallied 222 strikeouts in 150 innings with a 4.99 ERA.
Jacobs joins the Tigers as a third-round pick, entering an organization that’s quietly become a pitching factory. Detroit has developed standout arms recently—Tarik Skubal won last year’s AL Cy Young, Casey Mize earned his first All-Star nod, and Jackson Jobe ranked as high as No. 25 on MLB’s Top 100 Prospects list. Cracking Detroit’s rotation won’t be easy, but Jacobs’ polished three-pitch mix offers plenty of upside, and the Tigers are well-equipped to maximize it.
Lucas Kelly (Seattle Mariners, Pick 182)
Kelly was dominant for much of 2025 at ASU, showcasing the hardest fastball on the roster, topping out at 100 MPH. That velocity will be the focal point of his development moving forward.
In his lone season with the Sun Devils, he struck out 34 over 26.2 innings with a 4.05 ERA. Amid a stretch of inconsistent bullpens, Kelly stood out as a steady, reliable presence.
Now, like Jacobs, he joins a pitching-rich organization in Seattle. With T-Mobile Park among the most pitcher-friendly in baseball and arms like Bryan Woo, Andrés Muñoz, Logan Gilbert, and George Kirby already thriving, Kelly enters an ideal environment. If he can sharpen his secondary pitches, he has a real chance to become the Mariners’ next success story.
Isaiah Jackson (Los Angeles Angels, Pick 229)
After years of high expectations, Jackson broke through in a big way in 2025—showcasing the complete player scouts always believed he could be.
Long known for his glove, questions lingered about whether his bat would catch up. He answered emphatically, launching 18 home runs with 68 RBIs while slashing .310/.402/.630 and posting a 1.032 OPS—after failing to crack .800 in his first two seasons.
Jackson enters a shaky but intriguing situation with the Angels. Known for fast-tracking prospects—like Christian Moore and Nolan Schanuel—Los Angeles also ranked as MLB’s worst farm system in March, suggesting a clear path to the majors. And with success stories like Mike Trout, Taylor Ward, and Jo Adell, it remains a promising landing spot for outfielders.
Jack Martinez (Arizona Diamondbacks, Pick 243)
Martinez is the only Sun Devil—and one of just two players from ASU, Arizona, or GCU—who will stay local, as the Diamondbacks take a chance on ASU’s Saturday starter. It was his first season in Tempe after transferring from Louisiana-Lafayette.
Martinez’s mid-90s fastball and sharp changeup made him one of the Big 12’s top strikeout pitchers, tying for second in strikeouts while logging 77.1 innings and anchoring ASU’s rotation.
Martinez joins a familiar organization, following in the footsteps of fellow ASU pitcher Merrill Kelly, who boasts a 3.76 ERA and 857 strikeouts over 940+ career innings. Despite Kelly’s success, the Diamondbacks’ current rotation remains unstable, and looking ahead, only two pitchers rank among their top 12 prospects. Martinez aims to be Arizona’s next Kelly-esque success story.
Kyle Walker (Houston Astros, 246)
ASU took a chance on Walker this past season, after a 2024 that saw Walker post a .508 OBP at Grambling, Walker was able to translate that success over at ASU, once a plug-and-play bottom bat, to ASU’s leadoff spark plug, and an everyday second baseman by midseason.
Walker slashed .352/.449/.546 with a .995 OPS to seven home runs and 30 RBIs, while his 70 runs were second in the Big 12, one behind first.
Fittingly, Walker joins a franchise whose greatest player—Jose Altuve—is a 5’6″ second baseman. At 5’9″, Walker is slightly taller and enters an Astros organization that has won 84+ games every season since 2015 (excluding 2020), consistently retooling with homegrown talent. Altuve is now 35, and if Walker can tap into similar power, his elite bat-to-ball skills could one day make him a worthy successor to the future Hall of Famer.
Kien Vu (Cincinnati Reds, Pick 264)
Vu delivered one of the best offensive seasons in recent ASU memory in 2024, slashing .413/.497/.793 with a 1.291 OPS, 14 home runs, and 56 RBIs—flashing tools across all five phases of the game.
He took a “step back” in 2025, hitting .354 with a 1.059 OPS while battling injuries, but added a new dimension with 21 stolen bases, including a school-record six in one game.
Had this been a pitcher heading to Cincinnati, there might be more buzz given the Reds’ recent success developing arms. But with a spotty track record on position players—names like Nick Senzel and Rece Hinds falling short at the big-league level—there’s some uncertainty. Still, the Reds’ young core and focus on the future give Vu a real opportunity to carve out a role.
Will Koger (San Diego Padres, Pick 280)
The Padres saw promise in ASU reliever Will Koger, who took over closing duties at times this past season after spending most of his college career at Louisville.
Koger features a mid-90s fastball and a sharp curveball—two tools San Diego likely considers projectable. Despite logging just 18.1 innings with 17 strikeouts and a 6.38 ERA in 2025, his 6’3″, 205-pound frame and raw stuff earned him a ninth-round selection.
San Diego has often used prospects as trade assets rather than long-term investments—ten of their top 14 prospects from last year are now with other teams. While that raises questions about their developmental track record, homegrown arms like Adrian Morejon and Robert Suarez have become All-Stars. Koger faces a challenging path but remains a promising talent in the Padres’ system.
Matt King (Pittsburgh Pirates, Pick 293)
King was the final Sun Devil selected in the 2025 draft, but arguably the most valuable to ASU’s success this past season. Named Co-Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, his transfer from UTSA proved to be a career-defining move, setting the stage for a breakout season that launched him into early-round draft territory.
He topped the Big 12 this season with a .403 batting average, complemented by a .464 OBP, .593 slugging percentage, seven home runs, and 55 RBIs.
Now, King joins a Pirates organization desperate for a developmental breakthrough. Despite years of rebuilding, Pittsburgh has consistently failed to turn top positional picks like Henry Davis, Ke’Bryan Hayes, and Nick Gonzales into reliable producers. With little offensive talent at the big-league level and few standout bats in the system, King has a real chance to break that trend.
UNDRAFTED
Jacob Tobias, Nu’u Contrades, Josiah Cromwick, Jonah Giblin, Sean Fitzpatrick, Tyler Meyer, and Colin Linder went undrafted. Contrades still has a year of eligibility and could return to ASU, while the others are likely candidates to sign as undrafted free agents.
