The Atlanta Braves shocked everyone paying attention in the 2025 MLB Draft when they didn’t take a pitcher with any of their first three picks. Instead, they took three stud shortstop prospects, one of whom is the franchise’s likely new top position player prospect.
The Braves had not taken a non-pitcher with their first pick in the draft since Shea Langeliers in 2019.
Here is our breakdown of every Atlanta Braves pick in the 2025 MLB Draft.
Early Rounds: A Trio of Shortstops
Round 1 (No. 22): Tate Southisene, SS, Basic HS (Nevada)
Tate Southisene Scouting Report: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 60 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50
*Per MLB Pipeline
The Braves opened their draft with 18-year-old Tate Southisene out of high school. Southisene is a high-upside prep shortstop who projects as an athletic defender with a really well-rounded toolset. Though newer to playing shortstop full-time, his athleticism and high baseball IQ could help him stick at the position or transition smoothly to second base or center field.
MLB.com had Southisene ranked as the 39th overall prospect and wasn’t widely considered to be a first-round pick. Southisene played center field at Basic High School in Nevada while his brother Ty Southisene handled shortstop duties. The Southisene brothers held down the two most athletic and defensively demanding positions for one of the top high school teams in the country. Ty was drafted by the Cubs last year, and Tate took over shortstop. He’s capable of playing anywhere he is needed.
Tate Southisene 2025 High School Stats: Southisene played 32 games in his senior year at Basic HS in Nevada. In 129 plate appearances, he had nine home runs, nine doubles, and three triples. All of those extra-base hits contributed to his incredible .903 SLG.
Tate hit a remarkable .495 in his senior year and ended his high school career with the same number. His 50 hits and 14 walks led to a .589 on-base percentage. Opposing pitchers must have been sick of dealing with this guy because he was hit by a pitch 11 times in just 32 games.
Southisene’s 14 walks were four more than his 10 strikeouts on the season. He drove in 33 runs, which is just over one per game. He scored 50 times or in 39% of his plate appearances.
Round 2 (No. 60): Alex Lodise, SS, Florida State
Alex Lodise Scouting Report: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 45 | Overall: 50
Lodise brings an impressive collegiate resume out of Florida State. He will be 22 when the 2026 season begins and has three NCAA seasons under his belt. Not only did Lodise win the ACC Defensive Player of the Year Award, but he also took home the Dick Howser Trophy, which is baseball’s version of the Heisman Trophy, as the top player in college baseball.
Alex Lodise 2025 NCAA Stats: Lodise does reportedly have some holes in his swing and can chase breaking stuff. However, last year he made noticeable improvements. He reduced his strikeout rate from 25% the year before to just 20% in 2025. Lodise slashed .394/.462/.705 with 17 homers, 18 doubles, and three triples. He also added six stolen bases without getting caught once.
Round 3 (No. 96): Cody Miller, SS, East Tennessee State
Cody Miller’s selection capped the Braves’ early infield spree. He was unranked by MLB.com prior to the draft. Miller has a rocket arm, is a versatile defender, and cranked up the hit tool last season. He hit four combined homers in his first two years of college, slugging .400 in 2023 and .426 in 2024. Last season was a different story as Miller crushed 18 homers and 15 doubles in 58 games!
He hit .331/.430/.623 and swiped 27 bags this season with East Tennessee State. Miller is the fourth-highest draft pick out of ETSU in the school’s history. Once he faced stiffer competition in the Cape Cod League, he slashed .261/.333/.449, registering three homers, four doubles, 10 RBI, and 8 SB (3 CS) in his 20 games there.
Rounds 4–10: Returning to Pitching—and More Infield Depth
Round 4 (No. 127): Briggs McKenzie, LHP, Corinth Holders HS (NC)
McKenzie is a projectable lefty with the polish to move quickly. His arsenal features a lively fastball, a sharp curve, and a promising changeup. Some scouts compare his early development to Max Fried’s path.
Round 4C (No. 136): Dixon Williams, 2B, East Carolina
A well-rounded hitter with sneaky power, Williams posted a .299/.451/.561 line with 14 home runs and 22 steals. This pick made three of the first four Braves picks middle infielders. While some analysts and scouts say Williams profiles as an everyday second baseman, he’s 6’1″, 200+ pounds, and showed a lot of power and patience at the plate. Williams blasted an extra-base hit every 7.89 at-bats last year. He walked 49 times while striking out just 47 times in 291 PAs.
Round 5 (No. 157): Conor Essenburg, OF, Lincoln-Way West HS (IL)
A two-way high school star, Essenburg stood out for his bat speed and raw power. MLB Pipeline graded Essenburg’s RUN with a 45. We’ll see if his speed plays in the outfield of a Major League club. But Essenburg wasn’t drafted for his ability to run fast.
Rounds 6–10:
- Landon Beidelschies (LHP, Arkansas): Power lefty with a fastball up to 97 and a good slider.
- Zach Royse (RHP, UTSA):
- Carter Lovasz (RHP, William & Mary):
- Logan Braunschweig (OF, UAB): Elite speed and contact-oriented bat.
- Kade Woods (RHP, LSU)
Rounds 11–20: Arms, Depth, and Lottery Tickets
The Braves leaned heavily into pitching depth in the later rounds:
- Colin Daniel (RHP, Alabama Birmingham): Starter profile with good control.
- Jay Woolfolk (RHP, Virginia): Former reliever turned starter with a plus slider.
- Logan Forsythe (RHP, Louisiana Tech):
- Mathieu Curtis (RHP, Virginia Tech):
- Dallas Macias (OF, Oregon State)
- Nico Wagner (RHP, West Valley College)
- Brody Fowler (RHP, North Greenville)
- Aiven Cabral (RHP, Northeastern)
- Ryan Heppner (RHP, British Columbia)
- Hayden Friese (OF, Western Carolina)
Final Thoughts
Atlanta is addressing a lack of prospect depth in position players. Toolsy, athletic middle infielders with the ability to play all over the field – and with power – are good seeds to plant on the farm.
Stay tuned to Talkin’ Tomahawk for more Braves draft coverage, prospect updates, and all things Atlanta baseball.
How did the Braves do in this draft? Any late-round picks you love? Let us know in the comments!
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