Nationals have participated in high school shortstop Eli Willits As the first overall choice for the 2025 draft. The 17-year-old Willits (a product from Cobb-Broxton High School in Oklahoma) is the youngest top pick in draft history. Washington’s third first choice in franchise history, as the first two 1-1 choices for the Nath are Stephen Strasburg In 2009 Bryce Harper 2010.
This year’s experts have no clear consensus on the draft prairie, so the highest point of the Nationals has surfaced. Just a week ago, the Nats fired Mike Rizzo (and manager Dave Martinez), a long time ago, while assistant GM general manager Mike Debartolo suddenly took over as the front desk leader after being promoted to interim general manager. Debartolo told Masnsports.com’s Mark Zuckerman and other journalists that Willits was “The guy we’ve always wanted“So it seems that the sudden management changes did not affect the national plans.
The draft pick is of course to look at the overall draft pool of NATS, as Willits may be easier to sign at a slot price below the $11,075,900 slot price of the first overall pick. A lower-ool deal by Willits would allow Nationals to release Washington’s total bonus pool ($16,597,800) so that Nationals can spread the money among other options, perhaps attracting some future draft picks late in the draft to sign rather than pursuing college ball.
Although Willett was a little surprised at 1-1, shortstop (the son of the former Angel Outfielder). Reggie Willits) remains a highly respected prospect. Kiley McDaniel of America and ESPN both ranked Willits as the third best member of this year’s draft class, both Fangraphs and MLB Pipeline ranked him fifth, while Sports’ Keith Law was eighth in his ranking.
Assessors believe Willett has a high flooring and as a solid all-rounder, his outstanding speed is perhaps his highest tool. Willits is seen as having defensive potential, can stick with it on shortstop, and he has a plus-point arm and good position range. Willits’ revle lever is already a powerful contact hitter, taking a good approach on the board. Perhaps the biggest question is how much power will be able to produce in Major League Baseball pitching, but McDaniel and BA believe he can reach the 15Home range.
Willits doesn’t have a hype or superstar ceiling from Strasburg or Harper, but the 17-year-old now plays a role similar to one of the faces of the new era of National Baseball. The Nath has not won since capturing the 2019 World Series, and the shootings of Rizzo and Martinez show that ownership is not satisfied with a state that has become a rather long rebuild. Washington finished sixth in baseball in 2024 (71-91), but ranked fourth in the draft lottery last December, as neither the White Sox nor the A were eligible to pick in the top six.
