Photo by: Seth Seebaugh / Wake Forest Athletics
Ethan Conrad Drafted 17th Overall by the Chicago Cubs
7/13/2025 8:01:00 PM | Baseball
Conrad becomes the seventh pick in the first round for Wake Forest over the last three years.
ATLANTA – The Chicago Cubs selected Wake Forest baseball's Ethan Conrad with the 17th overall pick in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft on Sunday.
"Ethan is a five-tool player, who is a gamer," head coach Tom Walter said. "This is a great pick by the Chicago Cubs. Ethan will be a guy who will play in the big leagues for a long time and is a potential All-Star. His bat-to-ball skills are elite and he is just scratching the surface of his power potential."
Conrad is the 15th Demon Deacon all-time taken in the first round of the draft and ninth in the last five years, joining Marek Houston (2025), Chase Burns (2024), Nick Kurtz (2024), Seaver King (2024), Rhett Lowder (2023), Brock Wilken (2023), Ryan Cusick (2021) and Jared Shuster (2020).
Additionally, he is the seventh top 20 pick in the last three seasons for the Demon Deacons.
FIRST ROUND DEACS
The Saugerties, N.Y. native is the 27th Demon Deacon selected over the last five seasons. He is also the sixth Deac selected by the Chicago Cubs all-time.
WAKE FOREST ATTENDEES DRAFTED BY EACH TEAM
Before being sidelined with a season-ending injury, Conrad slashed .372/.495/.744 in 21 games for the Demon Deacons.
Conrad jumped onto the scene on Opening Weekend with a 3-for-4 effort against Marist, roping a pair of doubles with three RBI. He followed that performance with a 2-for-3 contest against Long Island, bashing two more doubles for four RBI against the Sharks.
The junior had a stretch of five homers in six games from March 2 to March 11, including a pair against Notre Dame in his first ACC series.
2025 MLB Draft
Day one of the draft is currently live and airing nationally on MLB Network and ESPN. Day two will begin at 11:30 a.m. on Monday and can be streamed on MLB.com and the MLB App.
Follow The Deacs:
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
"Ethan is a five-tool player, who is a gamer," head coach Tom Walter said. "This is a great pick by the Chicago Cubs. Ethan will be a guy who will play in the big leagues for a long time and is a potential All-Star. His bat-to-ball skills are elite and he is just scratching the surface of his power potential."
Conrad is the 15th Demon Deacon all-time taken in the first round of the draft and ninth in the last five years, joining Marek Houston (2025), Chase Burns (2024), Nick Kurtz (2024), Seaver King (2024), Rhett Lowder (2023), Brock Wilken (2023), Ryan Cusick (2021) and Jared Shuster (2020).
Additionally, he is the seventh top 20 pick in the last three seasons for the Demon Deacons.
FIRST ROUND DEACS
| Name (Year) | Pick | Team |
| Ethan Conrad (2025) | 17th | Chicago Cubs |
| Marek Houston (2025) | 16th | Minnesota Twins |
| Chase Burns (2024) | 2 | Cincinnati Reds |
| Nick Kurtz (2024) | 4 | Oakland Athletics |
| Seaver King (2024) | 10 | Washington Nationals |
| Rhett Lowder (2023) | 7 | Cincinnati Reds |
| Brock Wilken (2023) | 18 | Milwaukee Brewers |
| Ryan Cusick (2021) | 24 | Atlanta Braves |
| Jared Shuster (2020) | 25 | Atlanta Braves |
| Will Craig (2016) | 22 | Pittsburgh Pirates |
| Allan Dykstra (2008) | 23 | San Diego Padres |
| Matt Antonelli (2006) | 17 | San Diego Padres |
| Kyle Sleeth (2003) | 3 | Detroit Tigers |
| Mike MacDougal (1999) | 25 | Kansas City Royals |
| Bret Wagner (1994) | 19 | St. Louis Cardinals |
The Saugerties, N.Y. native is the 27th Demon Deacon selected over the last five seasons. He is also the sixth Deac selected by the Chicago Cubs all-time.
WAKE FOREST ATTENDEES DRAFTED BY EACH TEAM
| Team | # | Most Recent | Highest Overall Pick |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 11 | 2024 | 22 (2016) |
| New York Yankees | 10 | 2008 | 68 (2000) |
| Atlanta Braves | 9 | 2021 | 24 (2021) |
| Baltimore Orioles | 8 | 2019 | 111 (1996) |
| Detroit Tigers | 8 | 2024 | 3 (2003) |
| Washington Nationals | 8 | 2024 | 10 (2024) |
| Chicago White Sox | 7 | 2023 | 49 (2017) |
| Cleveland Guardians | 7 | 2023 | 188 (2023) |
| Cincinnati Reds | 7 | 2024 | 2 (2024) |
| Chicago Cubs | 6 | 2025 | 17th (2025) |
| Oakland Athletics | 6 | 2024 | 4 (2024) |
| Los Angeles Angels | 6 | 2024 | 51 (1983) |
| Seattle Mariners | 6 | 2023 | 36 (1986) |
| San Francisco Giants | 6 | 2019 | 115 (2012) |
| Boston Red Sox | 6 | 2011 | 219 (1993) |
| Minnesota Twins | 5 | 2025 | 16 (2025) |
| Colorado Rockies | 5 | 2023 | 46 (2023) |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 5 | 2022 | 55 (2002) |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 5 | 2021 | 66 (2003) |
| Tampa Bay Rays | 5 | 2022 | 55 (2002) |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 5 | 2018 | 19 (1994) |
| San Diego Padres | 5 | 2017 | 17 (2006) |
| Houston Astros | 5 | 2012 | 399 (2012) |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 4 | 2023 | 18 (2023) |
| Kansas City Royals | 4 | 2023 | 25 (1999) |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 4 | 2023 | 245 (1970) |
| New York Mets | 4 | 2017 | 99 (2007) |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 3 | 2021 | 101 (2021) |
| Miami Marlins | 2 | 2002 | 1163 (2002) |
| Texas Rangers | 1 | 2003 | 166 (2003) |
| Total | 163 | 2025 | 2 (2024) |
Before being sidelined with a season-ending injury, Conrad slashed .372/.495/.744 in 21 games for the Demon Deacons.
Conrad jumped onto the scene on Opening Weekend with a 3-for-4 effort against Marist, roping a pair of doubles with three RBI. He followed that performance with a 2-for-3 contest against Long Island, bashing two more doubles for four RBI against the Sharks.
The junior had a stretch of five homers in six games from March 2 to March 11, including a pair against Notre Dame in his first ACC series.
2025 MLB Draft
Day one of the draft is currently live and airing nationally on MLB Network and ESPN. Day two will begin at 11:30 a.m. on Monday and can be streamed on MLB.com and the MLB App.
Follow The Deacs:
GoDeacs.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
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