He’s the Youngest No. 1 Overall Pick in Nearly 40 Years. Is Eli Willits Ready for the Show?
Anwar Stetson
The Washington Nationals shook the baseball world when the team selected 17-year-old Eli Willits with the first pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. Willits, celebrating at his Oklahoma home with family, told MLB network that he was “ready to get to work” with a franchise whose No. 1 pick history includes team legends Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg.
Throughout the draft process, fellow prep star Ethan Holliday, who went fourth to Colorado, was considered the best prospect. Willits was projected as fifth.
But with a great mix of high school and collegiate talent, the door was wide open for any franchise to gamble on a young talent. Willits, while young, has all the right on- and off-the-field tools to be successful at baseball’s highest level.
Per MLB.com, Willits is the third-youngest player ever taken No. 1 overall–slightly behind Tim Foli (1968) and “The Kid” Ken Griffey Jr. (1987).
How’d it turn out for these young recruits? Foli was a career journeyman, while Griffey Jr. is cemented in legendary baseball iconography.
Much like Griffey Jr., Willits is the son of a major leaguer. Reggie Willits was a role player in the early 2000s for the Los Angeles Angels. The 6’1’’ infielder reclassified from the Class of 2026 for the chance to shine as a pro before his 18th birthday.
- The Talent
Willits brings plenty of talent and value to the franchise as a switch-hitting shortstop who slightly favors hitting lefty. Switch hitters are rare in the majors, and, according to The Athletic, are getting even rarer. Athletic and skilled shortstops are also particularly valuable in the Majors. This season, there are only seven switch-hitting shortstops playing in the MLB, including five-time All-Star Francisco Lindor. This may give Willits an advantage over Holliday, a fellow Oklahoman, despite Holliday’s potential to be a game-breaking slugger. Though young, Willits has the chance to be a unicorn in D.C. for years to come.
- The Pedigree
Reggie Willits and his family literally lived in a self-built batting cage for a short period during his time in the MLB, so it’s safe to say the family lives and breathes baseball. The elder Willits was also a coach at the major league level with the New York Yankees from 2019-2021 and currently coaches at Oklahoma. Jaxon Willits, Eli’s older brother, plays baseball at OU, and older sister Wendi played briefly in the WNBA for the Los Angeles Sparks.
With an athletic pedigree like that, Eli Willits has a great competitive advantage that helps not only physically but also allows him to develop a high baseball IQ learning under the tutelage of a professional.
- The W’s
The Nationals as an organization are going through a transition period. While things look bleak right now, the Nats, with Harper and Strasbourg, led the franchise to eight-straight winning seasons. The team has been rebuilding since its famous World Series run in 2019, but Willits is heading to a ball club with a history of success. To say that Willits himself is a winner is an understatement: he has more state titles than years in the classroom, winning six championships at Fort Cobb-Broxton High School in three years. The Nationals are rebuilding, having recently fired their manager and general manager, and were willing to make a swing for Willits, doing whatever it takes to win.
- The Time
Baseball has always been a sport based on “doing your time.” If you can play, you can play, but most of the greats cut their teeth in the minors for a couple of seasons before getting called up to the majors. The minor leagues allow players to adjust to hitting against the best of the best. Willits likely won’t be too geographically far away from the majors either, as the Nationals minor league affiliates are all close to D.C. From little guys like Jose Altuve and Ichiro Suzuki, to the linebacker-size sluggers like Aaron Judge and Frank Thomas, players of all statures can compete in the majors. With all the other tools in his bag, Eli won’t have to worry much about growing physically, but he’ll have the support to grow his game mentally to be ready for the big leagues and the bright lights.