The Twins selected Marek Houston, a shortstop out of Wake Forest, with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft on Sunday.
Houston, MLB Pipeline’s 15th-ranked prospect, could be the best defensive shortstop in this year’s Draft, but he also comes with a new offensive approach that allowed him to do more damage with the bat during his junior season at Wake Forest.
2025 MLB Draft presented by Nike
Day 1 (Rounds 1-3): LIVE on ESPN, MLB Network and MLB.com
Day 2 (Rounds 4-20): Monday, 11:30 a.m. ET (MLB.com)
After combining for 12 homers in his first two seasons for the Demon Deacons, the righty added muscle and put more of an emphasis on power, resulting in 15 homers during his junior season (tied for the team lead) and an OPS (1.055) that was more than 100 points higher than the previous season. Not only that, but his 66 RBIs were the most on the team, as were his 145 total bases, 61 runs scored and 19 stolen bases.
Houston’s bat-to-ball skills were also evident in his 27 multihit games last season, which included 10 games with three or more hits.
Though Houston hit .354 last season at Wake and led the team with 86 hits, his new offensive approach may not lead to a high average in the pro ranks, but he could produce up to 15 homers per season. Houston also has the potential for a strong on-base percentage, as he has shown the ability to take walks (he led Wake Forest with 46 last season), which helped produce a .458 OBP in 2025.
On defense, Houston has quickness, arm strength and good range, with observers believing he can be a strong defender in the big leagues. But if his bat falls short in the pros and doesn’t allow him to play every day, his athleticism should allow him to find success as a utilityman.