The 2025 MLB Draft is officially underway, and the Cubs have made their first-round selection. With the 17th overall pick, they picked Wake Forest outfielder Ethan Conrad. In most mock drafts, Conrad was not projected to go this early. He is a very intriguing prospect as he is ranked as the #28 overall prospect in this draft, but he only played in 21 games this season. He was forced to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery after getting hurt diving for a ball in March. Regardless of how many games Conrad played, he produced substantial numbers in his time playing.
Cubs Draft Wake Forest Outfielder With the 17th Overall Pick
Ethan Conrad is 6’3”, weighing in at 220 pounds, so he is a built player. Conrad both hits lefty and is a lefty in the field. As mentioned above, he had limited playing time this previous season at Wake Forest but put up splendid numbers. He slashed .372/.495/.710 with a 167 wRC+ through the 21 games played. Although this is a small sample size, it is tough to ignore these numbers. This production wasn’t a one-year thing, as last spring with Marist, he slashed .389/.467/.704 while also leading all Division I in triples with 13. Conrad has shown that he has all the tools needed to perform well and put up eye-popping numbers.
With the 17th pick of the 2025 #MLBDraft, the @Cubs select OF Ethan Conrad from Wake Forest University. pic.twitter.com/3IdsFRZmqf
— MLB (@MLB) July 13, 2025
Ethan Conrad is a player who can do it all to some degree. In his short season this year, he produced seven home runs in only 21 games. Scouts have noted that although he will be able to provide at least average power, he struggles to hit balls in the air to his pull side at times. Conrad is a player who likes to chase pitches but makes up for it with his superb hand-eye coordination. Over time, he has shown flashes of speed, tallying four stolen bases in his shortened season. Scouts have said that in the field and on the base path, he will have at least solid speed. Additionally, he has spent a good amount of time at first base but is more than capable of playing in the outfield, especially on the corners. Overall, Conrad has the potential to be a really good player in the majors if or when his time comes.
Main Photo Credit: © Brett Davis-Imagn Images
