Nationals win first pick in MLB Draft Lottery, Blue Jays fall three spots

Washington, you are on the clock.

The Nationals won MLB’s Draft Lottery on Tuesday, securing the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft. 

Washington has selected first twice in franchise history, landing stalwarts Stephen Strasburg in 2009 and Bryce Harper in 2010.

The Toronto Blue Jays had the fifth-best odds (7.48 per cent) of winning the first-overall selection, but had their pick drop to eighth.

Toronto has never picked first in the MLB Draft.

The Miami Marlins had the most significant drop. They were tied with the best odds but fell to the seventh pick.

The draft lottery was introduced ahead of the 2023 season and determines the top six selections between the 18 clubs that don’t make the post-season. The remaining picks are sorted by winning percentage.

The Chicago White Sox and the Athletics were ineligible to receive the top selection through the lottery, thanks to MLB’s CBA, which prevents teams from selecting in the lottery in back-to-back years as a revenue-sharing payor, or in three straight years as a revenue-sharing payee. The two were locked into the 10th and 11th overall picks based on that rule.

The Cleveland Guardians won the 2023 lottery with just a two per cent shot at the top pick. They used the selection on Oregon State infielder Travis Bazzana.

The 2025 draft is expected to be a strong class and is headlined by MLB-pedigree infielder Ethan Holliday, Texas A&M standout Jace Laviolette and Clemson star Cam Cannarella.

Here is how the first round in the MLB Draft will play out.

1. Washington Nationals
2. Los Angeles Angels
3. Seattle Mariners
4. Colorado Rockies
5. St. Louis Cardinals
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
7. Miami Marlins
8. Toronto Blue Jays
9. Cincinnati Reds
10. Chicago White Sox
11. Athletics
12. Texas Rangers
13. San Francisco Giants
14. Tampa Bay Rays
15. Boston Red Sox
16. Minnesota Twins
17. Chicago Cubs
18. Arizona Diamondbacks
19. Houston Astros
20. Atlanta Braves
21. Baltimore Orioles
22. Milwaukee Brewers
23. Kansas City Royals
24. Detroit Tigers
25. San Diego Padres
26. Philadelphia P{Hillies
27. New York Mets
28. Cleveland Guardians
29. New York Yankees
30. Los Angeles Dodgers

More to come.