Photo by: Seth Seebaugh / Wake Forest Athletics
Six from Wake Forest Baseball Selected in 2025 MLB Draft
7/14/2025 7:01:00 PM | Baseball
The Demon Deacons are the first team in MLB Draft history with multiple first-round picks in three-straight drafts.
ATLANTA – Highlighted by multiple first-round picks for the third-straight year for the first time in MLB Draft history, six members of Wake Forest baseball were selected in the 2025 MLB Draft.
In the first round, the Demon Deacons went back-to-back with the Minnesota Twins selecting shortstop Marek Houston with the 16th overall pick and the Chicago Cubs selecting outfielder Ethan Conrad with the 17th overall pick.
Houston and Conrad are the 14th and 15th Demon Deacons taken all-time in the first round of the draft and eight and ninth in the last five years, joining Chase Burns (2024), Nick Kurtz (2024), Seaver King (2024), Rhett Lowder (2023), Brock Wilken (2023), Ryan Cusick (2021) and Jared Shuster (2020).
On Day 2, Cam Nelson (138th to the Colorado Rockies), Joe Ariola (213th to the Arizona Diamondbacks), Logan Lunceford (375th to the Los Angeles Dodgers), and Jack Winnay (388th to the Boston Red Sox).
DEMON DEACONS SELECTED IN THE 2025 MLB DRAFT
DEMON DEACONS SELECTED ON DAY 2 OF THE 2025 MLB DRAFT
Cam Nelson | OF | Baltimore, Md. | 5th Round, 138 Overall | Rockies
Battling injuries throughout the season, Nelson slashed .318/.489/.485 as a sophomore in 27 games, raising his batting average 155 points from his freshman season.
The Baltimore native went 3-for-4 at the plate, finishing a triple away from the cycle in the final game of the series at Florida State, including launching his first career home run against the Seminoles to help the Deacs secure the road series.
Nelson was huge in Wake's series win at Stanford, driving in multiple runs in all three games against the Cardinals. He finished the series going 4-for-10 (.400) with seven RBI, four runs scored, a double and six walks.
FROM HEAD COACH TOM WALTER
"I have no doubt Cam would have been an All-Conference player for us next year and we hate to lose him but Colorado gave him an offer he couldn't refuse. He is a plus defender with a plus arm and a plus run tool. If the bat continues to develop, he will be a fast mover through the Rockies organization."
Joe Ariola | LHP | Malverne, N.Y. | 7th Round, 213 Overall | Diamondbacks
Ariola struck out 40 batters in 24.2 innings as a junior, including a dominant outing against Princeton in his third start of the year. The Malverne native struck out eight Tigers in 3.2 hitless innings.
Over the course of four appearances at the end of April and the beginning of May, Ariola allowed just one hit over 4.1 innings with three strikeouts.
The junior kept the Deacs within striking distance in the NCAA Knoxville Regional Final with 2.0 innings of one-run relief, striking out a trio of Volunteer hitters.
FROM HEAD COACH TOM WALTER
"Great pick by the Diamondbacks. Joe has huge upside and could find himself in a big league bullpen very quickly. He has four plus pitches, and his fastball plays up. I can't wait to see what Joe does at the next level."
Logan Lunceford | RHP | Harrah, Okla. | 12th Round, 37th Overall | Dodgers
Lunceford earned ACC Pitcher of the Week honors after a dominant 13-strikeout performance against St. John's on Feb. 21. In addition to his 13 strikeouts, Lunceford allowed just one hit over 5.1 innings, with 21 of the 58 strikes he threw resulting in whiffs.
He matched his career high of 13 strikeouts in his first ACC start against Notre Dame to earn the win.
The Harrah, Okla. matched a career high with 7.0 innings pitched against Miami. Lunceford allowed just three hits, keeping the Hurricanes off the board with eight strikeouts.
Lunceford returned to form with a shutdown performance against Florida State, pitching a three-hit shutout with nine strikeouts across 5.2 innings of work.
FROM HEAD COACH TOM WALTER
"Logan Lunceford will make a great Los Angeles Dodger. The Dodgers are known for their development of pitchers and Logan's unique fastball quality will be a big asset. As his feel for his off speed pitches grows, so will his role in the organization."
Jack Winnay | UTL | Newton, Mass. | 13th Round, 388 Overall | Red Sox
Winnay hit safely in 20 of the last 22 games, and rode a season-high 12-game hit streak entering the final game of the Knoxville Regional.
His 15 homers tied him for the Wake Forest lead on the year. He finished a triple short of the cycle, recording the second four-hit game of his career with a double, home run and a pair of singles at Louisville.
FROM HEAD COACH TOM WALTER
"I am beyond thrilled for Jack. To get to play for his beloved Red Sox is a dream come true and one that he has worked incredibly hard to earn. Jack's versatility and his power make him a valuable asset and someone who could move very quickly in the organization."
DEMON DEACONS SELECTED ON DAY 1 OF THE 2025 MLB DRAFT
Marek Houston | SS | Nokomis, Fla. | First Round, 16th Overall | Twins
Houston was the only Deac to start in every game this past season, recording a hit in 47 of 61 contests.
Throughout his career, Houston recorded 58 multi-hit efforts, with Wake compiling a 44-14 record.
Houston led the team with 27 multi-hit efforts during his junior season, with the Demon Deacons going 21-6, as opposed to just 18-16 in games with one hit or less.
With 66 RBIs on the year, Houston led Wake in the category and finished seventh among ACC hitters for the season. The junior tied the program record with 10 RBI in a single game with his performance against Notre Dame to open the series.
Ethan Conrad | OF | Saugerties, N.Y. | First Round, 17th Overall | Cubs
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.
FIRST ROUND DEACS
WAKE FOREST ATTENDEES DRAFTED BY EACH TEAM
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In the first round, the Demon Deacons went back-to-back with the Minnesota Twins selecting shortstop Marek Houston with the 16th overall pick and the Chicago Cubs selecting outfielder Ethan Conrad with the 17th overall pick.
Houston and Conrad are the 14th and 15th Demon Deacons taken all-time in the first round of the draft and eight and ninth in the last five years, joining Chase Burns (2024), Nick Kurtz (2024), Seaver King (2024), Rhett Lowder (2023), Brock Wilken (2023), Ryan Cusick (2021) and Jared Shuster (2020).
On Day 2, Cam Nelson (138th to the Colorado Rockies), Joe Ariola (213th to the Arizona Diamondbacks), Logan Lunceford (375th to the Los Angeles Dodgers), and Jack Winnay (388th to the Boston Red Sox).
DEMON DEACONS SELECTED IN THE 2025 MLB DRAFT
| Name | Round (Pick) | Team |
| Marek Houston | 1 (16) | Minnesota Twins |
| Ethan Conrad | 1 (17) | Chicago Cubs |
| Cam Nelson | 5 (138) | Colorado Rockies |
| Joe Ariola | 7 (213) | Arizona Diamondbacks |
| Logan Lunceford | 12 (375) | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| Jack Winnay | 13 (388) | Boston Red Sox |
DEMON DEACONS SELECTED ON DAY 2 OF THE 2025 MLB DRAFT
Cam Nelson | OF | Baltimore, Md. | 5th Round, 138 Overall | Rockies
Battling injuries throughout the season, Nelson slashed .318/.489/.485 as a sophomore in 27 games, raising his batting average 155 points from his freshman season.
The Baltimore native went 3-for-4 at the plate, finishing a triple away from the cycle in the final game of the series at Florida State, including launching his first career home run against the Seminoles to help the Deacs secure the road series.
Nelson was huge in Wake's series win at Stanford, driving in multiple runs in all three games against the Cardinals. He finished the series going 4-for-10 (.400) with seven RBI, four runs scored, a double and six walks.
FROM HEAD COACH TOM WALTER
"I have no doubt Cam would have been an All-Conference player for us next year and we hate to lose him but Colorado gave him an offer he couldn't refuse. He is a plus defender with a plus arm and a plus run tool. If the bat continues to develop, he will be a fast mover through the Rockies organization."
Joe Ariola | LHP | Malverne, N.Y. | 7th Round, 213 Overall | Diamondbacks
Ariola struck out 40 batters in 24.2 innings as a junior, including a dominant outing against Princeton in his third start of the year. The Malverne native struck out eight Tigers in 3.2 hitless innings.
Over the course of four appearances at the end of April and the beginning of May, Ariola allowed just one hit over 4.1 innings with three strikeouts.
The junior kept the Deacs within striking distance in the NCAA Knoxville Regional Final with 2.0 innings of one-run relief, striking out a trio of Volunteer hitters.
FROM HEAD COACH TOM WALTER
"Great pick by the Diamondbacks. Joe has huge upside and could find himself in a big league bullpen very quickly. He has four plus pitches, and his fastball plays up. I can't wait to see what Joe does at the next level."
Logan Lunceford | RHP | Harrah, Okla. | 12th Round, 37th Overall | Dodgers
Lunceford earned ACC Pitcher of the Week honors after a dominant 13-strikeout performance against St. John's on Feb. 21. In addition to his 13 strikeouts, Lunceford allowed just one hit over 5.1 innings, with 21 of the 58 strikes he threw resulting in whiffs.
He matched his career high of 13 strikeouts in his first ACC start against Notre Dame to earn the win.
The Harrah, Okla. matched a career high with 7.0 innings pitched against Miami. Lunceford allowed just three hits, keeping the Hurricanes off the board with eight strikeouts.
Lunceford returned to form with a shutdown performance against Florida State, pitching a three-hit shutout with nine strikeouts across 5.2 innings of work.
FROM HEAD COACH TOM WALTER
"Logan Lunceford will make a great Los Angeles Dodger. The Dodgers are known for their development of pitchers and Logan's unique fastball quality will be a big asset. As his feel for his off speed pitches grows, so will his role in the organization."
Jack Winnay | UTL | Newton, Mass. | 13th Round, 388 Overall | Red Sox
Winnay hit safely in 20 of the last 22 games, and rode a season-high 12-game hit streak entering the final game of the Knoxville Regional.
His 15 homers tied him for the Wake Forest lead on the year. He finished a triple short of the cycle, recording the second four-hit game of his career with a double, home run and a pair of singles at Louisville.
FROM HEAD COACH TOM WALTER
"I am beyond thrilled for Jack. To get to play for his beloved Red Sox is a dream come true and one that he has worked incredibly hard to earn. Jack's versatility and his power make him a valuable asset and someone who could move very quickly in the organization."
DEMON DEACONS SELECTED ON DAY 1 OF THE 2025 MLB DRAFT
Marek Houston | SS | Nokomis, Fla. | First Round, 16th Overall | Twins
Houston was the only Deac to start in every game this past season, recording a hit in 47 of 61 contests.
Throughout his career, Houston recorded 58 multi-hit efforts, with Wake compiling a 44-14 record.
Houston led the team with 27 multi-hit efforts during his junior season, with the Demon Deacons going 21-6, as opposed to just 18-16 in games with one hit or less.
With 66 RBIs on the year, Houston led Wake in the category and finished seventh among ACC hitters for the season. The junior tied the program record with 10 RBI in a single game with his performance against Notre Dame to open the series.
Ethan Conrad | OF | Saugerties, N.Y. | First Round, 17th Overall | Cubs
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.
FIRST ROUND DEACS
| Name (Year) | Pick | Team |
| Marek Houston | 16 | Minnesota Twins |
| Ethan Conrad | 17 | Chicago Cubs |
| Chase Burns (2024) | 2 | Cincinnati Reds |
| Nick Kurtz (2024) | 4 | Oakland Athletics |
| Seaver King | 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 |
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) |
| Boston Red Sox | 7 | 2025 | 219 (1993) |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 7 | 2025 | 66 (2003) |
| Chicago White Sox | 7 | 2023 | 49 (2017) |
| Cleveland Guardians | 7 | 2023 | 188 (2023) |
| Cincinnati Reds | 7 | 2024 | 2 (2024) |
| Colorado Rockies | 6 | 2025 | 46 (2023) |
| 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) |
| Minnesota Twins | 5 | 2025 | 16 (2025) |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 5 | 2022 | 55 (2002) |
| 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) |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 4 | 2025 | 101 (2021) |
| 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) |
| Miami Marlins | 2 | 2002 | 1163 (2002) |
| Texas Rangers | 1 | 2003 | 166 (2003) |
| Total | 167 | 2025 | 2 (2024) |
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