Nationals Take High School SS Eli Willits With No. 1 Pick in 2025 MLB Draft

Major League Baseball: Nationals Select High School SS Eli Willits With No. 1 Pick in 2025 MLB Draft

The Washington Nationals made headlines on Sunday night by selecting Eli Willits, a shortstop from an Oklahoma high school, as the No. 1 pick in Major League Baseball’s amateur draft—a choice that caught many by surprise. wild bounty showdown demo buy spin At just 17 years old, Willits becomes the youngest player to be picked first overall since Ken Griffey Jr. was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in 1987. Eli is the son of former big leaguer Reggie Willits, who enjoyed six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels and had a coaching stint with the New York Yankees.

This selection marked the start of a record-breaking trend, with 11 shortstops chosen among the first 18 picks. According to Baseball America, the previous record for shortstops taken within the top 30 picks was 10, set in both 2021 and 2023. lodi slot gaming

Willits, who hails from Fort Cobb-Broxton High School, is a switch-hitter known for his promising power swing. “I feel like I have good hitability, and I’m going to take that to the next level,” Willits stated when discussing his strengths. “My power is developing, and joining an organization like the Nationals will help me enhance that and elevate my game.”

The draft occurred just one week after the Nationals fired their longtime general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez, adding an element of unpredictability to the proceedings ph365.ph open now. how to register 777 pub online casino Interim general manager Mike DeBartolo explained that Willits was the team’s top choice, citing him as “the best hitter in the draft and the best fielder in the draft,” along with exceptional “makeup and intangibles” for someone his age.

“Our decision was clear and straightforward,” DeBartolo remarked, while Nationals vice president for amateur scouting Danny Haas added, “He makes routine plays as easily as anyone you could expect, especially for a 17-year-old.” Willits is expected to receive a signing bonus lower than the $11.08 million designated for the first overall pick, which will allow Washington to allocate those savings to other selections.

The Los Angeles Angels surprised many by selecting UC-Santa Barbara right-hander Tyler Bremner with the No. 2 pick, while Seattle took LSU lefty Kade Anderson shortly after. The Colorado Rockies selected shortstop Ethan Holliday fourth overall, marking a significant moment as he is the son of longtime Rockies star Matt Holliday. Ethan, who comes from Stillwater, Oklahoma, was also a candidate to be chosen first, just like his brother Jackson Holliday, who was picked first overall by Baltimore in 2022. They could have made history as the first brothers ever drafted first overall.

“I’m incredibly grateful to the Rockies organization,” Ethan Holliday shared 777 pub.net. “Given my family’s history and my dad’s connection with the team, it’s truly a special opportunity. I’ve known people in the organization since I was born, and I feel very thankful for that.”

The St. Louis Cardinals picked Tennessee left-hander Liam Doyle at No. 5, followed by the Pittsburgh Pirates choosing right-hander Seth Hernandez from Corona (California) High School. JoJo Parker, a shortstop out of Purvis (Mississippi) High School, was selected eighth by the Toronto Blue Jays, while fellow high school shortstop Steele Hall from Hewitt Trussville (Alabama) was taken ninth by the Cincinnati Reds. The Chicago White Sox selected Billy Carlson with the 10th pick, making him the sixth shortstop selected within the first ten picks, with the previous year seeing only ten shortstops taken in the top 30.

Shortstops continued to be in demand as teams like Texas, San Francisco, Tampa Bay, and Minnesota also made selections at the position. Kayson Cunningham from Texas high school was the 18th pick overall by Arizona, becoming the 11th shortstop drafted.

During the draft, Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred faced boos from fans at the event held at the Roxy Theater at The Battery, close to the Braves’ Truist Park, just two days prior to MLB’s All-Star Game. He reflected on the Braves’ first overall pick of future Hall of Famer Chipper Jones, stating, “This draft provides an opportunity for teams to make franchise-altering choices similar to what the Braves achieved in 1990.”

The first three rounds of the draft took place on Sunday night, with the remaining rounds scheduled for the following day.

What are your thoughts on the Nationals’ selection of Eli Willits?