Mock Draft Monday 6/30 '25
Work
Work
- MLB Draft ‘25
- NFL Draft Board ‘26
- YouTube Rabbithole
Alright @YouTheReader,
Today’s tune is Rihanna’s Work featuring Drake.
Honestly, I can’t even listen to this song now. It reminds me too much of dollar beers in college and is nauseating. They repeat the word “Work” in the chorus 79 times between the two of them. Very catchy, though. Work was a US Billboard #1 Hit.
On to the sports….
With the MLB Draft just two weekends away, these next two Mondays will feature five college baseball players who are either projected top picks or likely on the Yankees’ radar at the 39th pick…
Ike Irish, C/OF, Auburn
Ike Irish is from Hudsonville, Michigan. His father, Jeff Irish, was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays as a catcher in the 1989 MLB Draft. Ike Irish attended high school at St. Mary’s Prep in Michigan, where he caught them to a 44-0 record in his senior season. As a freshman at Auburn in ‘23, Irish was predominantly the team’s DH while getting limited experience at first and catcher. Irish was named a Freshman All-American as he batted .361 with 50 RBIs in 50 games. He returned as a sophomore in ‘24 as the team’s primary catcher, showing a bit more pop by increasing his home run total from 6 to 14, and earning 1st Team All-SEC honors. This past spring at Auburn was Irish’s best season yet as he hit career-highs in batting average (.364), OBP (.469), and homers (19). In addition to playing 3 seasons of college baseball, Ike Irish also played in the Cape Cod League the past two summers, which typically garners a ton of scouting from teams such as the Yankees. Elite sports name, Ike Irish, will likely be a Top 15 pick in the MLB Draft.
Caden Bodine, C, Coastal Carolina
Caden Bodine is from Haddon Heights, New Jersey. Just outside of Philly, Bodine was considered one of the top high school prospects, but chose to play college baseball at Coastal Carolina. As a freshman in ‘23, Bodine made 44 starts behind the plate and earned Freshman All-American honors. The 1st-year starter batted a career-best .367 with 11 homers while earning the Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year. As a sophomore in ‘24, Bodine made 60 more starts behind the plate and threw out 16 of the 27 base runners that tried to steal. This past season, the Coastal Carolina catcher earned the Buster Posey Award given to the nation’s best catcher. While Bodine’s power and batting average have dipped since his freshman campaign, he’s maintained an elite eye at the dish with a .440 collegiate career OBP. The switching-hitting catcher is heavily lauded for having a great arm and being the best catch-framer of the draft class. Expected to be a 1st Rounder, it would be a big surprise if Caden Bodine falls to the Yankees at #39.
Anthony Eyanson, SP, LSU
Anthony Eyanson is from Lakewood, California. He attended Lakewood High School, where he played football and baseball before focusing on the latter as a senior. During the spring of his senior year, Eyanson threw 85 innings with a 0.50 ERA and 110 Ks. His first stop out of high school was at UC San Diego. After throwing just 29 innings as a freshman, Eyanson went 6-2 with a 3.07 ERA in 82 innings as a sophomore. Before transferring to the LSU Tigers, he also participated in the Cape Cod League in the summer of ‘24. This past season with the Tigers was Eyanson’s best yet as the junior made 18 starts, went 12-2 with a 3.00 ERA, and struck out 152 batters in 108 innings. With his mid-90s fastball and emerging slider as his best pitch, Anthony Eyanson helped LSU win the National Championship. With his developments over the past couple of seasons and work at the Cape Cod League, Eyanson is projected to have jumped into the borderline 1st Round of the draft.
Riley Quick, SP, Alabama
Riley Quick is from Trussville, Alabama. He attended Hewitt-Trussville High School, where he was named the Alabama state Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year as a senior. Quick went 13-1 that season with a 0.92 ERA in 82.2 innings while also receiving college offers to play offensive line as a four-star recruit in football. He decided to play baseball at the premier football school in the country, at Alabama. As a freshman in ‘23, Riley Quick worked out of the ‘Bama bullpen, throwing 22 innings with a 3.68 ERA. After spending that offseason building up to be a starter, Quick needed to get Tommy-John surgery after just one start in ‘24. He returned to the mound this past season as Alabama’s Saturday starter. As the Tide’s workhorse, Quick made 14 starts and went 8-3 with a 3.92 ERA. At 6’6”, Riley Quick throws in the high-90s with heavy sink movement and has a mid-80s slider as a secondary pitch. Given that he has already gotten TJ surgery and has logged fewer innings than most 3rd year starters, teams may view Quick as an unpolished potential starter with stuff that could at least play out of the bullpen. The Yanks in the past have selected quite a few of college pitchers who’ve already had TJ, so it shouldn’t be a hindrance.
Zach Root, SP, Arkansas
Zach Root is from Fort Myers, Florida. During his prep school career at Fort Myers High School, Root went 13-3 with a 2.16 ERA while being named the ‘22 Southwest Florida Baseball Player of the Year. His first stop out of high school was at Eastern Carolina, where he made 20 starts as a freshman, throwing to a 5.33 ERA, but striking out 54 batters in 53.2 innings. After earning AAC All-Freshman recognition, Root improved upon his ERA as a sophomore, as he posted a 3.56 earned run average. He transferred to Arkansas last summer and became their ace. This past season, Root went 9-6 for the Hogs with a 3.62 ERA, striking out 126 batters in 99.1 innings. Throughout his collegiate career, Root has pitched 221.1 innings and only walked an impressive 83 batters. While his low to mid-90s fastball, curveball, and changeup may not be elite, he pitches with a ton of command on the mound. His demeanor on the mound, mixed with his unique delivery, and high leg kick sorta reminds me of a Boomer Wells. Zach Root is projected to be a late 1st Round, early 2nd Round starting pitcher with a backend of the rotation ceiling.
Building A Board ‘26
Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
Jordyn Tyson is from Allen, Texas. He comes from a family of athletes, as his father played football at Florida A&M, his older brother Berron played football at South Alabama, and his other older brother Jaylon was the 20th pick in the NBA Cleveland Cavs in ‘24. Overlooked as a 3-star prospect out of high school, Jordyn Tyson’s first stop in college was at Colorado in ‘22. As a true freshman with the Buffalo, Tyson caught 23 passes for 466 yards while scoring 4 TDs. He also flashed as the team’s special teams, returning a punt for a score on 1 of the 4 opportunities he had as the team’s punt returner. With the overhaul in the coaching staff and WR room in Colorado, Tyson decided to transfer to Arizona State in ‘23. After playing just 3 games with the Sun Devils as a transfer, Tyson injured his knee and redshirted. The redshirt sophomore returned in ‘24 and broke out as a 3rd Team All-American. Tyson caught 75 passes for 1,098 yards and 10 TDs in ‘24 as the Sun Devils’ second-best playmaker behind Cam Skattebo. By the end of Arizona State’s College Football Playoff run, Tyson had emerged as one of the top returning WRs in the country. With Hines Ward as his WR coach, Tyson understands the importance of run-blocking, which is another element to his game that NFL teams will covet.
Sam Leavitt, QB, Arizona State
Sam Leavitt is from West Linn, Oregon. A 4-star prospect out of West Linn High School, Leavitt was named the Gatorade Oregon Football Player of the Year in his senior season, passing for 3,184 yards and 36 TDs. His first stop in college was at Michigan State in ‘23, where he appeared in 4 games off the Spartans’ bench. With a different coaching staff at the helm of MSU in ‘24, Leavitt decided to transfer to ASU. In his first season with the Sun Devils, Sam Levitt was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year as he earned the QB1 role. His 3,328 total yards of offense set a school record by a freshman as Leavitt threw for 2,885 yards and rushed for another 443. He also accumulated 24 passing TDs and 5 rushing TDs while only throwing 6 INTs. Perhaps the best sign of last season was that Leavitt started to develop with more experience. From last November to the College Football Playoff, Leavitt threw for a completion percentage of 64% while throwing to 16 TD to 2 INT ratio. With Cam Skattebo now playing for the New York Football Giants, Arizona State must rely much more heavily on Sam Leavitt’s connection with Jordyn Tyson.
Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami
Rueben Bain Jr. is from Miami, Florida. A 4-star recruit out of Miami Central, Bain Jr. was named South Florida’s top player in ‘22 as he finished high school with an absurd 77 sacks. With offers from all over the SEC, Bain Jr. decided to play for his hometown at The U. As a true freshman in ‘23, Rueben Bain Jr. immediately impressed by earning ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. He finished his first-year campaign with 7.5 sacks, 13 TFLs, and 3 forced fumbles. As a sophomore in ‘24, Bain Jr.’s overall pass rushing numbers took a bit of a dip due to a nagging calf injury, which took place on the opening defensive drive of the season. Despite the injury, Bain Jr. missed just 4 games, contributing with 3.5 sacks, 6 TFLs, and 20 QB Hurries. Not only does Bain Jr. have pass-rushing potential for the NFL, but he graded out as one of the most consistent edge setters in the run game. Expect a much-improved defense from the Miami Hurricanes in ‘25 as Rueben Bain Jr. enters the ‘25 season healthy once again. Plus, NFL bonus points for having an elite pass rusher name.
Chandler Rivers, CB, Duke
Chandler Rivers is from Beaumont, Texas. A somewhat overlooked 3-star prospect out of Beaumont United, Rivers finished his high school career with 25 INTs and 31 total TDs, but was still deemed the 78th best prospect out of Texas. As a true freshman in ‘22, Rivers earned a starting role on the Duke Blue Devils by season’s end and was named the team’s freshman of the year. He finished his first-year campaign with 52 tackles, 2 TFLs, 1 INT, and 6 pass breakups. When he returned to Duke in ‘23 as a sophomore, Rivers was an unquestioned starter at corner as he finished another solid season with 58 tackles, 3 TFLs, 1 INT, and 7 pass breakups. After two productive seasons as an underclassman, Chandler Rivers received national attention for his play in ‘24. The junior CB was voted the team’s defensive MVP and earned 3rd Team All-American status from the Associated Press. He finished ‘24 with 54 tackles, 7.5 TFLs, 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles, 3 INTs, 8 pass breakups, and received the 2nd highest defensive grade amongst CBs from PFF College. As he returns to Duke for his senior season in ‘25, Chandler Rivers is one of the most complete CBs in the nation, and his willingness to tackle could make him quite the slot corner in the NFL.
Gennings Dunker, OT, Iowa
