With the 2025 MLB Draft beginning Sunday, theScore turns the clock back 10 years to redraft the first round from 2015.
Actual pick: Dansby Swanson, SS
Swanson has enjoyed a solid career, but there's no doubt Bregman goes first overall if the D-Backs had to do this again. He would've been a game-changer for the club at either third base or shortstop, just as he was for Houston ... that is, assuming Arizona would have kept him. In real life, the D-Backs dealt Swanson to Atlanta for Shelby Miller months after the draft in what ended up being a disastrous move.
Actual pick: Alex Bregman, SS
Houston received this selection as compensation for failing to sign 2014 first overall pick Brady Aiken. In our redraft, the Astros narrowly miss out on taking one of their real-life franchise cornerstones - but all is not lost. With Bregman off the board, they draft Tucker out of Tampa's Plant High School at No. 2, three spots ahead of where they actually chose him.
Actual Pick: Brendan Rodgers, SS
Rodgers was the 2015 draft's consensus top prospect, so at the time, Colorado getting him at No. 3 seemed like a steal. But aside from one very deserved Gold Glove Award, he's never quite lived up to the hype. Given another chance, there's no way the Rockies let Riley - the real-life 41st overall pick - slip by them. Riley would have likely shifted to first base in Colorado (remember, it's 2015, so Nolan Arenado's still a Rockie) before eventually raking at Coors Field.
Actual pick: Dillon Tate, P
Tate, one of this draft's top two pitching prospects, never made good on his promise and is now a journeyman reliever. Texas could have chosen Happ, then a versatile prospect and now a staple of the Cubs' outfield. In this timeline, perhaps Happ plays a pivotal role in the Rangers' 2023 World Series title.
Actual pick: Kyle Tucker, OF
Having already chosen Tucker second overall, Houston uses the No. 5 pick to grab Swanson, the best infielder on the board. Although he'd likely have moved to third base in deference to Carlos Correa, Swanson sticks in Houston and teams with Correa to bring the Astros multiple championships.
Actual pick: Tyler Jay, LHP
Jay was one of the highest-drafted players in the history of the University of Illinois. Unfortunately, health issues derailed his career, and he didn't reach the majors until 2024. Buehler, now a two-time All-Star who slid to the Dodgers at No. 24 in the real draft, would have been a perfect fit for the Twins here.
Actual pick: Andrew Benintendi, OF
You can reasonably argue that Benintendi hasn't fulfilled his overall promise, and Boston could've taken several players who've had better careers. But Benintendi was also a star of the 108-win Red Sox in 2018, producing a career-best season and playing a major role in their World Series championship - a title that wouldn't have happened without him in left field. So yeah, the Red Sox nailed this pick, and they'd do it again every time.
Actual pick: Carson Fulmer, RHP
The hype around Fulmer coming out of Vanderbilt's pitching factory was very real, but he ended up making just 44 appearances for the White Sox before bouncing through multiple organizations. The South Siders would've been much better off taking Lowe, who would have fit perfectly alongside Tim Anderson and Yoán Moncada in the White Sox infield.
Actual pick: Ian Happ, OF/2B
With Happ already gone, the Cubs grab Mullins out of tiny Campbell University at No. 9. This is a huge jump for Mullins, who lasted until the 13th round in the real draft. The one-time All-Star and Silver Slugger winner's solid all-around game would've been a great fit at Wrigley Field.
Actual pick: Cornelius Randolph, OF
The Phillies reached for Randolph, a high-school outfielder widely projected as a late first-round pick. It didn't pay off. Randolph topped out at Triple-A in 2021, and he's now playing in Mexico. Philadelphia could've picked Cronenworth, a two-way star at Michigan who ended up as a seventh-round pick of the Rays before developing into a two-time All-Star with the Padres.
Actual pick: Tyler Stephenson, C
This isn't to say Stephenson was a bad pick, because he's established himself as Cincinnati's everyday catcher over the last few years. However, Naylor has become the better overall hitter and might have been a better choice given how his power might have played at Great American Ball Park. Plus, Naylor would have been the instant heir to Joey Votto, who could have mentored his fellow Canadian at first base.
Actual pick: Josh Naylor, 1B
With Naylor off the board, the Marlins end Rodgers' fall and snag this draft's top overall prospect at No. 12. It would've been interesting to see how Rodgers' career trajectory might have changed in the Marlins' system, which lacked middle infield prospects at the time.
Actual pick: Garrett Whitley, OF
Baseball America ranked Whitley as its No. 7 draft prospect, but he never panned out, in part due to injuries, and he last played in 2023. Bader, who was the Cardinals' third-round pick, now looks like the much better choice. He likely would've thrived in the Rays' system.
Actual pick: Kolby Allard, LHP
Hayes vaults up 18 slots in our redraft and goes to the Braves over Allard, then a highly touted high-school lefty who's since become a journeyman reliever. With Riley long gone in this redraft, it's Hayes and his Gold Glove-caliber defense that become staples in Atlanta and key contributors to some winning Braves teams.
Actual pick: Trent Grisham, OF
The Brewers would've been elated to have Stephenson fall to them here. At the time of this draft, Jonathan Lucroy was beginning his sudden decline, so there was a need for young catching talent. Milwaukee could have either used Stephenson as trade bait to boost its 96-win 2018 club or developed him into its franchise catcher.
Actual pick: James Kaprelian, RHP
The Yankees took UCLA's Kaprelian and eventually traded him to Oakland for Sonny Gray. In hindsight, selecting and retaining Mountcastle would have been the better choice. He could've solidified first base once Greg Bird's career stalled while adding even more power to a lineup featuring Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.
Actual pick: Brady Aiken, LHP
Cleveland took a chance on Aiken, aware that elbow issues led to his going unsigned after being taken first overall in 2014. That failed physical with Houston proved prescient, as elbow problems ended Aiken's career after 43 minor-league appearances. Given the Guardians' excellent track record of developing relievers, Helsley - a fifth-round pick of the Cardinals out of Northeastern State who's now an All-Star closer - would've been a fine choice here.
Actual pick: Phil Bickford, RHP
Bickford, now a journeyman reliever, was picked in this spot two years after he failed to sign with Toronto as the 10th overall pick. Soroka boasts a far better career despite losing two full seasons to Achilles injuries. There's no way he slips past San Francisco again.
Actual pick: Kevin Newman, SS
Grisham, a two-time Gold Glove winner in center field, owns a lifetime .943 OPS at PNC Park and could've thrived in Pittsburgh. He's also had a better career than Newman, who was never able to repeat his solid rookie season and is now a backup infielder with the Angels.
Actual pick: Richie Martin, SS
In the real draft, Springs - who joined the A's in a trade this past winter - was the Rangers' 30th-round selection. However, he wouldn't slide that far again. The Appalachian State product's 6.9 bWAR is better than all but one of the 18 pitchers chosen in 2015's first round. Martin, the A's real choice, played 170 big-league games over parts of three seasons, all in Baltimore.
Actual pick: Ashe Russell, RHP
Russell, a highly touted high-school arm from Indiana, never advanced beyond the Rookie level and last pitched in 2021. The Royals could've picked Ward, a power-hitting college catcher who's now a staple of the Angels' outfield. His 20-homer bat would've been a welcome addition at spacious Kauffman Stadium, where homers have always been hard to find.
Actual pick: Beau Burrows, RHP
France is another late-round pick (Padres in Round 34) who'd go much higher if these teams could do it again. He's enjoyed a few solid seasons at first base and earned an All-Star nod with Seattle in 2022. Burrows, meanwhile, put up a 10.70 ERA over 11 big-league appearances and now pitches in Mexico.
Actual pick: Nick Plummer, OF
The Cardinals did indeed select DeJong in 2015, albeit in the fourth round. This time, they don't wait and pounce on the 2019 All-Star as soon as possible. Plummer only reached the majors in 2022 - his final professional season - when he hit two homers in 14 games with the Mets.
Actual pick: Walker Buehler, RHP
Buehler, a Dodgers postseason legend, is long gone by the time L.A. picks at No. 24. Instead, the team takes McKenzie, who was briefly a key member of Cleveland's rotation before flaming out over the last few years. Perhaps McKenzie develops more consistency in the Dodgers' system.
Actual pick: DJ Stewart, OF
Save for one brief moment as a Mets cult hero in 2023, Stewart never became the power-hitting outfielder Baltimore envisioned when choosing him here. The O's should've grabbed Sandoval, a real-life 11th-round selection by Houston who's developed into a solid back-end starter for the Angels.
