Nats promote No. 1 pick Eli Willits to Double-A

Made is the consensus top-overall prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline. The 19-year-old prodigy is hitting .281/.355/.411 in 67 games at Double-A with seven home runs, 51 RBI, 51 runs scored, 23 steals, and a 46/31 K/BB ratio. He joins Nationals shortstop Eli Willits (third-overall prospect), Dodgers outfielder Josue De Paula (fourth-overall prospect), Pirates righty Seth Hernandez (sixth-overall prospect) as the clear headliners on the senior circuit squad. The 2026 MLB All-Star Future Game will take place Sunday, July 12 at Noon ET on NBC.

It seemed like Willits’ defense might have to carry him as a prospect initially, but he’s well ahead of schedule with the bat. He was hitting an impressive .299/.414/.497 with six homers and 28 steals as an 18-year-old in Low-A ball. He’ll probably be playing in Double-A as a 19-year-old by this time next season.

Willits missed four games while dealing with tightness in his lower back. The 18-year-old has enjoyed a quality first full professional season with an .852 OPS and 24 stolen bases in 36 games for the Low-A Nationals

Willits — the top-overall pick in July’s draft — made quite an impression in his pro debut, reaching base in four of his five plate appearances. The 17-year-old prodigy is the type of fantasy prospect that will require some projection and growth to envision him making a serious impact down the road since he’s a couple hyperspace jumps from being close to the big leagues. It will take some time for him to develop, but the skills are clearly there for Willits to eventually arrive as a formidable fantasy contributor.

He’ll likely make his first appearance Thursday. Willits, one of the youngest players in draft, doesn’t figure to put up big numbers right away as a pro. He doesn’t even turn 18 until December.

MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis reports Willits receives an $8.2 million signing bonus, which is nearly three million below the $11.07 million slot value for the top-overall pick. Callis adds that it does represent the highest figure ever for a high school player. The switch-hitting 17-year-old shortstop is a couple hyperspace jumps from the big leagues, but it’s relatively easy to envision him blossoming into one of the top prospects from the entire 2025 draft class, which is why the Nationals made him the first-overall pick. He’s a top-30 range prospect for dynasty purposes as he kicks off his professional debut.

First, who had Wolf Blitzer breaking the news? Willits was the first-overall pick of the 2025 MLB Draft, and the 17-year-old shortstop will need at least a couple of years of minor-league action before he’s ready to play at the highest level. He has a chance for four plus tools and to contribute in every fantasy category, however, so fantasy managers need to add Willits in keeper formats as soon as possible.

Willits is one of the top athletes in the 2025 draft, and while Ethan Holliday is considered the top prep prospect in the class by most, it’s not a huge surprise to see Willits go with this pick. He’s the youngest player to ever go first overall, and he won’t turn 18 until December. Willits doesn’t have Holliday’s power, but offers a better chance to hit for average because of his smooth stroke from both sides of the plate, and his plus speed makes him likely to be a threat on the bases as well. He should be able to stick at shortstop with a strong throwing arm, but his skill set will play at a few positions, including center field. Willits will need to get stronger and isn’t likely to be a major power threat, but he could fill out the rest of the fantasy categories when he’s ready to roll near the end of the decade.

With just a few hours remaining before Washington officially goes on the clock, the consensus industry-wide is that Holliday, Anderson and Willits will likely be the top picks in the 2025 MLB Draft. Holliday — the younger brother of Orioles standout Jackson Holliday and son of former big-league star Matt Holliday — has been universally-regarded as the likely top pick for months. The 18-year-old prep shortstop out of Oklahoma is bigger than his brother and packs some serious power upside. Anderson, a collegiate southpaw from LSU, would likely reach the majors at some point next year, if that’s the most important variable to the Nationals. Meanwhile, Willits — the son of former major-leaguer Reggie Willits — is only 17 years old and might end up being the best player in the entire class if he continues on his current trajectory.