Kade Anderson to Nats, Liam Doyle to Angels in ESPN's 2025 MLB Mock Draft 2.0

LSU left-handed starter Kade Anderson went first to the Washington Nationals while Tennessee southpaw Liam Doyle slotted second to the Los Angeles Angels in the latest MLB mock draft from ESPN's Kiley McDaniel.

Anderson, who turns 21 on July 6, has gone 11-1 with a 3.44 ERA (1.07 WHIP) over 18 starts for LSU this season. He's struck out 170 batters over 110.0 innings.

"The conversation around who will go No. 1 continues to be wide open and will be until draft day, but Anderson's strong finish to the season has him looking like the slight favorite over Ethan Holliday as the top pick," McDaniel wrote.

"Seth Hernandez and Eli Willits are also getting looks here, and I'm sure there are internal conversations about a couple of other options, but Anderson and Holliday are seen as the most likely selections."

MLB.com has Anderson ranked third on its list of draft-eligible prospects.

"With a quick arm and athletic delivery, Anderson provides plenty of strikes," the scouting report reads in part. "There's still projection remaining in his slender 6-foot-2 frame, and his uptick in stuff this spring could make him a No. 2 starter. He also comes with a high floor as a lefty with four effective offerings and pitchability."

Anderson had Tommy John surgery in April 2022 and missed the 2023 season. He was a reliever and part-time starter for LSU in 2024 before joining the rotation full-time in 2025.

Obviously, he's done quite well in his first full year as a starter, so much so that he could be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Anderson will continue to get a chance to showcase his talents as LSU continues its run in the College World Series.

As for Doyle, he's fared quite well for Tennessee this year, going 10-4 with a 3.20 ERA (0.99 ERA). Over 19 games (17 starts), Doyle has struck out 164 batters over 95.2 innings.

He's the pick at No. 2 for McDaniel, but that selection seems quite fluid.

"When in doubt, judge a team based on what it has done, and the Angels like to save on a quick-moving college player with their first pick," Doyle wrote.

"Despite his excellent season, Doyle's interest seems to have a major hole in it. While there's believed to be real interest in him at No. 2, teams picking behind the Angels think Doyle could slide all the way to No. 9 of No. 10."

MLB.com ranks Doyle ninth overall on its prospect list.

"While he throws his fastball nearly two-thirds of the time, Doyle has four effective pitches after switching to using an upper-80s splitter as his changeup," the report reads in part.

"Despite his dominance this spring, there are concerns about his ability to succeed as a starter at the next level because he has an unorthodox delivery and constantly throws with maximum intent. He does provide consistent strikes and has held his stuff deep into games and throughout this season."

The 21-year-old Doyle played at Coastal Carolina in 2023 before heading to Ole Miss in 2024 and then Tennessee in 2025. He saved his best for last in college and now has a great chance to be a top-10 pick and perhaps even higher.