Nationals select outfielder Ethan Petry

The Washington Nationals selected collegiate outfielder Ethan Petry out of the University of South Carolina in the second round with the No. 49 overall pick in the 2025 MLB First-Year Player Draft on Sunday. Interim General Manager Mike DeBartolo; Vice President, Amateur Scouting Danny Haas; Senior Director, Amateur Scouting Brad Ciolek; and Assistant Director and National Crosschecker, Amateur Scouting Reed Dunn made the joint announcement.

Petry, 21, hit .321 with 10 doubles, one triple, 10 home runs, 34 RBI, 26 walks and 30 runs scored in 44 games for the Gamecocks in 2025. He posted a .437 on-base percentage and a .590 slugging percentage while leading the team in home runs and ranking second in RBI and walks.

The 6-foot-4, 235-pound right-handed power hitter was named a consensus All-American, an All-Southeastern Conference First-Team selection and the Perfect Game National Freshman of the Year in 2023 after he hit .379 with a South Carolina freshman record 23 home runs and 75 RBI.

Petry added 21 more home runs his sophomore season in 2024, hitting .306 with eight doubles, a triple, 53 RBI, 51 walks and 57 runs scored. He was named to the All-NCAA Raleigh Regional after he was 3-for-7 with a pair of doubles.

A native of Land O’ Lakes, Fla., he attended Cypress Creek High School. A two-way prep player, he hit .402 with 80 runs scored, 29 doubles, three triples, 12 home runs and 80 RBI with a 1.211 OPS in his high school career. He was named the Sunshine Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2022 after he was 5-2 with a 1.97 ERA and 60 strikeouts on the mound in addition to his accomplishments at the plate.

Petry was ranked the No. 31 overall player in the 2022 class by Perfect Game and played in the High School All-American Game at Coors Field in Denver.