Every MLB player's love for the game was instilled or nurtured by a family member. Sometimes, those family members can offer first-hand advice because they know what it takes to make it in the Majors.
Such is the case for Ethan Holliday and Eli Willits. Holliday's father, Matt, was a seven-time All-Star over 15 seasons while Eli's father, Reggie, spent six seasons with the Angels. On Sunday night, their sons became first-round Draft picks: Willits was selected 1st overall by the Nationals, while Holliday went with the No. 4 pick to the Rockies.
But they are just a couple of the many incoming pros with famous family connections to baseball or elsewhere. Here's a look at those notable 2025 draftees, in order of when they were selected. (You can see our full Draft coverage here.)
DAY 1 (Sunday)
Player: Eli Willits, SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton HS (Okla.) (No. 5 prospect)
Drafted: 1st overall, Nationals
Relative: Reggie Willits (father, 6 MLB seasons)
Reggie Willits played in 414 games over six seasons, all with the Angels. His best season came in 2007, when he batted .293 and had a .391 on-base percentage in 136 games. He’s one of nine players in the past 70 years to collect at least 800 at-bats without a home run. Willits currently serves as associate head coach at the University of Oklahoma, a role in which he has served for three seasons.
Player: Ethan Holliday, SS, Stillwater HS (Okla.) (No. 1 prospect)
Drafted: 4th overall, Rockies
Relative: Matt Holliday (father, 15 MLB seasons), Jackson Holliday (brother, Orioles second baseman)
Ethan joined Jackson, the first overall selection by the Orioles in 2022, as a top five pick, but both brothers will be chasing the accolades and accomplishments earned by their father for a while, and Ethan's legacy will be particularly entwined with dad's. Matt Holliday was a seven-time All-Star, had 316 career home runs and 1,220 RBIs, and he won the World Series with the Cardinals in 2011 while playing in two others, but he was also a 7th-round pick by these same Rockies in 1998 and had five incredible offensive seasons there from 2004-08 during which the club won their only National League pennant.
Player: Tate Southisene, SS, Basic HS (Nev.) (No. 39 prospect)
Drafted: 22nd overall, Braves
Relative: Ty Southisene (brother, Cubs' No. 29 prospect)
Older brother Ty, a second baseman, was a fourth-round pick by the Cubs in 2024 and is currently with Single-A Myrtle Beach.
Player: Brady Ebel, SS, Corona HS (Calif.) (No. 64 prospect)
Drafted: 32nd overall, Brewers
Relative: Dino Ebel (father, Dodgers’ third-base coach)
Dino Ebel has coached with the Angels and the Dodgers, where he’s been third-base coach since 2019. He coached third for Team USA in the 2023 World Baseball Classic and will reprise that role in 2026. He played seven seasons in the Dodgers organization, reaching Triple-A.
Player: Quentin Young, 3B/OF, Oaks Christian HS (Calif.) (No. 37 prospect)
Drafted: 54th overall, Twins
Relatives: Dmitri Young (uncle, 13 MLB seasons), Delmon Young (uncle, 10 MLB seasons)
The Young brothers each recorded more than 1,100 hits and 100 homers in the big leagues. Dmitri was the No. 4 overall pick in the 1991 Draft and was an All-Star with the Tigers (2003) and Nationals (2007). Delmon, the No. 1 overall selection by the Rays in 2003, was the runner-up American League Rookie of the Year in '07.
Player: Cade Obermueller, LHP, Iowa (No. 53 prospect)
Drafted: 63rd overall, Phillies
Relative: Wes Obermueller (father, 5 MLB seasons)
Wes Obermueller played in five seasons for three MLB teams, winning six games for the Brewers in 2004. He also pitched a season in Japan and one in Korea. Like his son, he played collegiately at Iowa and is now the Hawkeyes’ director of player development.
Player: Cam Leiter, RHP, Florida State (No. 114 prospect)
Drafted: 65th overall, Dodgers
Relatives: Kurt Leiter (father), Al Leiter (uncle), Mark Leiter (uncle), Jack Leiter (cousin), Mark Leiter Jr. (cousin)
This is the definition of a baseball family. Mark Leiter and Al Leiter pitched for nearly 30 combined seasons in the Major Leagues, with Al making two All-Star teams and helping the Marlins win the 1997 World Series. Mark Jr. and Jack are continuing the legacy as current players, and Kurt reached Double-A for the Orioles.
Player: Ethan Hedges, 3B, Southern California (No. 159 prospect)
Drafted: 77th overall, Rockies
Relative: Tim Hovland (uncle, former professional beach volleyball player)
Hovland earned more than $1 million while playing beach volleyball for two decades. He was inducted into the Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2024.
Player: Josh Owens, SS/OF, Providence HS (Tenn.) (No. 89 prospect)
Drafted: 84th overall, Rangers
Relative: Jeremy Owens (father, former Minor League outfielder)
The elder Owens was an 8th-round pick in 1998 and spent 10 seasons in the Minors with the Padres, Red Sox and Rays, followed by eight more in indy ball.
Player: RJ Austin Jr., SS, Vanderbilt (No. 112 prospect)
Drafted: 93rd overall, Orioles
Relatives: Reggie Austin (father, 3 NFL seasons), Jay Austin (cousin, 1 MLB season)
Reggie played three seasons in the NFL with the Bears from 2000-02. There’s baseball lineage in the Austin family, too, with Jay taken by the Astros in the second round of the 2008 Draft.
Player: Kaeden Kent, SS, Texas A&M
Drafted: 103rd overall, Yankees
Relative: Jeff Kent (father, 17 MLB seasons)
Jeff Kent had an excellent MLB career from 1992-2008, hitting 377 home runs with an .855 OPS as a second baseman, while he was a five-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger Award winner and the 2000 NL MVP for the Giants. Kent had a borderline Hall of Fame case, receiving 46.5 percent of the vote (75 percent needed to be elected) in his final year of eligibility in 2023.
DAY 2 (Monday)
Player: Landon Hodge, C, Crespi Carmelite HS (Calif.) (No. 164 prospect)
Drafted: 106th overall, White Sox
Relative: Traviss Hodge (father, two-time MLB Draft pick)
Traviss was drafted in the 34th round by the Pirates in 1998 and in the 26th round by the Dodgers the following year, although he never reached the big leagues.
Player: Micah Bucknam, RHP, Dallas Baptist (No. 131 prospect)
Drafted: 112th overall, Blue Jays
Relative: Lyndsie White (cousin, former U.S. National Women's Rugby team)
White was an All-American rugby player at Appalachian State and was selected to play for the USA Collegiate All-American team in 2013.
Player: Lorenzo Meola, SS, Stetson (No. 183 prospect)
Drafted: 116th overall, Giants
Relative: Tony Meola (cousin, former Team USA goalkeeper)
Tony Meola played in 100 soccer games for the United States, including two World Cups. He was drafted by the Yankees out of high school in 1987 but opted for the pitch over the diamond. He won an MLS Cup with Kansas City in 2000.
Player: Aiden Jimenez, RHP, Arkansas
Drafted: 158th overall, Royals
Relatives: Jason Jimenez (father, 1 MLB season), Ken Hottman (grandfather, 1 MLB season)
Aiden's dad and maternal grandfather had remarkably similar careers on paper -- both spent eight seasons in pro ball and appeared in exactly six Major League games (Hottman in 1971, Jimenez in 2002).
Player: Bruin Agbayani, SS, Saint Louis School (Hawaii) (No. 234 prospect)
Drafted: 179th overall, Twins
Relative: Benny Agbayani (father, 4 MLB seasons)
A five-year MLB veteran, Agbayani is best remembered for his four years in Queens, where he emerged as a linchpin for the Mets teams of the late ’90s -- including the 2000 team that won the NL pennant.
Player: Logan Sauve, C, West Virginia
Drafted: 200th overall, Athletics
Relative: Jeff Sauve (father, 2 MiLB seasons, 2 NFL seasons)
The elder Sauve carved out a solid career as a dual-sport athlete. After playing both baseball and football at Clemson, he pitched in the Red Sox farm system in 1995 and 1996 -- then went on to be a kicker in the NFL, spending time on the rosters of Green Bay and Washington.
Player: Isaiah Jackson, OF, Arizona State (No. 214 prospect)
Drafted: 229th overall, Angels
Relative: Andre Jackson (brother, 3 MLB seasons)
Andre Jackson played parts of three seasons with the Dodgers and earned his first and only Major League victory with the Pirates in 2023. He was drafted out of Utah in 2017 and still plays professionally, making 39 appearances in Japan in the last two seasons.
Player: Isaiah Barkett, 2B, Stetson
Drafted: 296th overall, Giants
Relative: Andy Barkett (father, 1 MLB season)
Andy Barkett played 11 years professionally and appeared in 17 games with the 2001 Pirates. He batted .304 across 46 big league at-bats. Barkett won a World Series ring in 2018 as the Red Sox's assistant hitting coach.
Player: Isaac Lyon, RHP, Grand Canyon
Drafted: 302nd overall, Mariners
Relative: Brandon Lyon (father, 12 MLB seasons)
A 37th-round pick in the 1997 Draft, Lyon carved out a successful 12-year career as a relief arm -- a successful transition after spending his first two years in the Majors as a starting pitcher. He pitched to a 4.16 ERA while spending time with six different teams.
Player: Brady Counsell, SS, Kansas
Drafted: 303rd overall, D-backs
Relative: Craig Counsell (father, Cubs manager)
Brady will begin his pro career with one of his dad's former clubs. Craig Counsell played 16 years in the Majors, racking up 1,208 hits as an infielder while winning a World Series with the 1997 Marlins and 2001 D-backs. His baseball career was only getting started, as Craig managed the Brewers for nine years from 2015-23 and has been the Cubs manager since 2024.
Player: Rod Barajas Jr., C, Saddleback College (CA)
Drafted: 326th overall, Giants
Relative: Rod Barajas (father, 14 MLB seasons)
Barajas Jr. has followed in his father's footsteps as a backstop. Rod Barajas played parts of 14 seasons with the D-backs, Rangers, Phillies, Blue Jays, Mets, Dodgers and Pirates. He was a .235 career hitter with a .691 OPS. He was also part of the 2001 World Series champion Diamondbacks and went 2-for-5 in the Fall Classic with a home run.
Player: Eli Jerzembeck, RHP, South Carolina
Drafted: 331st overall, Cubs
Relative: Mike Jerzembeck (father, 1 MLB season)
After suffering a freak injury when he was hit on the pitching elbow by a Jorge Posada throw, Mike Jerzembeck appeared in three games for the Yankees in 1998 with a 12.79 ERA. He missed all of 1999 and 2000 due to shoulder and elbow surgeries and was released midway through 2001.
Player: Grant Jay, C/OF, Dallas Baptist (No. 170 prospect)
Drafted: 362nd overall, Mariners
Relative: Joey Jay (grandfather, 13 MLB seasons)
Jay won 99 games over 13 MLB seasons. He played in both All-Star games in 1961, including the first to end in a tie. That season, he won 21 games for the Reds and finished fifth in NL Cy Young voting. Jay won 21 games again in 1962.
Player: Jake Casey, OF, Kent State
Drafted: 442nd overall, Blue Jays
Relative: Sean Casey (father, 12 MLB seasons)
Sean Casey was a three-time All-Star in his 12 MLB seasons, posting a career .302/.367/.447 slash line with 1,531 hits. The Mayor was a beloved Red, spending eight of his 12 seasons in Cincinnati. Casey is currently an analyst with MLB Network.
Player: Noah Edders, RHP, Troy
Drafted: 451st overall, Cubs
Relative: Mostafa Edders (father, professional soccer player)
Mostafa Edders, a native of Morocco, played for his home country’s national team from 1985 to 1993. He’s now the director of coaching for the Green-White Soccer Club in Mount Pleasant Township, Ill.
Player: Conner Ware, LHP, LSU
Drafted: 463rd overall, Mets
Relative: Bryson Ware (brother, Phillies Minor Leaguer)
Ware's older brother was an 8th round pick in 2023 and is currently with High-A Jersey Shore.
Player: Owen Puk, RHP, Florida International
Drafted: 531st overall, Nationals
Relative: A.J. Puk (brother, current D-backs reliever)
A.J. Puk, currently on the 60-day injured list, is in his sixth MLB season and one of baseball’s top relievers. Between the Marlins and Diamondbacks last season, he struck out 88 batters in 71 ⅓ innings with a 3.15 ERA in 62 games.
Player: Anson Aroz, C, Oregon
Drafted: 585th overall, Dodgers
Relative: Aaron Semas (uncle, Professional Bull Riders, Inc. founder)
Semas helped found Professional Bull Riders, Inc., serving on the organization’s board for more than 10 years. He retired as “one of the most consistent and toughest bull riders” in the sport, earning a spot in the PBR Hall of Fame.
Player: Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek, SS, Southern California
Drafted: 614th overall, Yankees
Relative: Mark Grudzielanek (father, 15 MLB seasons)
Mark Grudzielanek collected 2,040 hits in his 15-year MLB career. He made the All-Star team in his second season in 1996 with the Expos and won his first and only Gold Glove award as a 36-year-old for the Royals in 2006.