Washington Nationals Kicked Off 2025 MLB Draft With No. 1 Pick Eli Willits
He is only 17 years old but has a definite baseball pedigree. He was ranked as the No.5 prospect in the Draft by MLB Pipeline. But he became the youngest true prospect of the 2025 class after reclassifying from the 2026 class. Nevertheless, the Washington Nationals kicked off the 2025 MLB Draft with No. 1 pick Eli Willits. The Nationals had the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft for the first time in 15 years and used it to select the youngest prospect in the class.
Willits is a switch-hitter who excels from the left side, has a keen eye and is considered a mature hitter for his age. In addition, Willits’ ability to make contact is excellent and he has a propensity for consistently hitting line drives. He has solid instincts on the field along with good speed and a strong arm. All qualities that will probably increase as he continues to develop physically. And although he is likely to remain a shortstop, there is the possibility of him transitioning to the outfield.
In regards to being drafted Willits told mlb.com:
“Every kid’s dream is to be the No. 1 overall pick,” Willits said. “That’s just something I set my standards to. It’s what people say [about] the best pick in the Draft. If you go No. 1 overall, no one can go above you. I’m just grateful and thankful for God to put me in this situation.”
“I want to be described as a guy that plays harder than everyone else,” Willits. “But at the end of the day, I want to be described as a great human being that is good to people off the field and good to teammates.”
Washington Nationals Kicked Off 2025 MLB Draft With No. 1 Pick Eli Willits
Last week the Nationals cleared out their front office, firing general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez. Former assistant general manager Mike DeBartolo was named the interim GM. Now with acquiring such a young talented kid, the Washington Nationals couldn’t be happier with their pick. DeBartolo said:
“I would say he was our top guy throughout the process. We had our eye on him throughout,” said DeBartolo. “… He was the guy we wanted all along, and we’re really excited that it worked out so well.”
Willits is committed to the University of Oklahoma (where his father, former major leaguer Reggie Willits, played and coaches, and where his older brother, Jaxon, currently plays), but it’s unlikely he’ll become a Sooner, given his high draft prospects.
So it looks like the Nationals have themselves a star in the making. Congratulations to them and Willits on the No.1 draft pick in the 2025 MLB Draft!
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