In a move that could reshape both college baseball and the MLB pipeline, the Detroit Tigers made headlines on Sunday by selecting Florida Gators baseball commit Jordan Yost with the 24th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. Yost, a highly talented high school player from Tampa, Florida, had pledged to join the University of Florida’s powerhouse baseball program, but the Tigers’ decision to draft him in the first round now raises the question of whether he’ll forgo college to begin his professional career.
Jordan Yost comes from a baseball family. His older brother, Hayden Yost, is currently an outfielder for the Florida Gators, making Jordan’s commitment to Florida seem like a natural path. However, the Tigers’ first-round selection of the younger Yost shows how highly the organization values his potential, despite his relatively recent emergence as a top prospect.
Yost’s rise in the baseball world has been nothing short of remarkable. Just months ago, he was not widely considered a high-profile draft target. In fact, he was absent from most of the major summer showcase circuits where scouts typically get early looks at top high school talent. But according to MLB.com’s scouting reports, Yost’s transformation over the past year has propelled him into elite prospect territory. His development, both physically and as a player, has been rapid.
“The Florida prepster is a late bloomer who didn’t do much on the summer showcase circuit and wasn’t considered much of a prospect at all until recently,” MLB.com noted in its analysis. “Added physicality in the fall has led to better results in his senior year at Sickles High School in Tampa, leading to teams showing a lot more interest in the early rounds.”
At Sickles High School, Yost turned heads throughout his senior season. With added strength and an improved approach at the plate, he began to produce at a level that forced scouts to take notice. His ability to hit for both average and power, combined with solid defensive skills, made him one of the fastest risers in this year’s draft class.
Ranked as the No. 50 overall prospect in MLB.com’s Top 250 rankings, Yost still managed to land in the first round, indicating that Detroit sees something special in him. The Tigers have a history of taking calculated risks on high-upside high school players, and Yost fits that mold perfectly. His potential for further growth, given his late-blooming status, likely made him an appealing target for Detroit’s scouting department.
Now, the Tigers will have to sign Yost away from his commitment to Florida, a decision that could go either way. Some players prefer to honor their college pledges to develop further, while others choose to start their pro careers immediately. Regardless of what Yost decides, the Tigers’ pick has already altered the landscape of both the 2025 MLB Draft and Florida’s recruiting class.
For now, all eyes are on Jordan Yost to see whether he’ll wear a Gators uniform next spring or begin his journey in the professional ranks with Detroit.