Nationals Take 17-year-old Eli Willits With No 1 Pick In Mlb Draft

High schoolhouse shortstop Eli Willits became nan latest teen to return a large measurement successful making his master shot dreams travel true.

The Washington Nationals selected Willits pinch nan No. 1 wide prime of nan MLB amateur draught connected Sunday night. 

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All-state shot subordinate of nan year, Fort Cobb-Broxton's Eli Willits, is pictured successful Edmond, Okla., Friday, June 6, 2025. (BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

At 17 years old, he’s nan youngest subordinate taken No. 1 since Ken Griffey Jr. successful 1987 pinch nan Seattle Mariners. 

He’s nan boy of ex-major leaguer Reggie Willits, who played for nan Los Angeles Angels and was a coach pinch nan New York Yankees.

Willits played shot astatine Fort Cobb-Broxton High School successful Oklahoma. He’s a switch-hitting shortstop who is expected to put much powerfulness into his plaything arsenic he develops.

"I consciousness for illustration I person bully hitability, and I’m going to return that to nan adjacent level," Willits said astir his strengths. "And I consciousness for illustration my powerfulness is up and coming, but I needed to get into an statement for illustration nan Nationals that tin thief create that and return that to nan adjacent level."

Willits is 17 years and 216 days old. Griffey was 17 and 193 days aged erstwhile nan Mariners chose him No. 1. Tim Foli, who was nan apical prime successful 1968, was nan youngest astatine 17 years, 180 days old, according to MLB.com.

The Washington Nationals prime Eli Willits, of Oklahoma successful nan first information of nan MLB shot draught Sunday, July, 13, 2025 successful Atlanta.  (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

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The Nationals’ action came a week aft the statement fired head Dave Martinez and wide head Mike Rizzo.

But Nationals interim wide head Mike DeBartolo maintained that Willits was nan apical feline connected nan board.

"It's 1 of those bully things wherever nan scouts and nan analysts spot things precisely nan aforesaid measurement and saw him arsenic nan champion hitter successful nan draft, nan champion fielder successful nan draught pinch conscionable awesome makeup, awesome activity ethic and each nan intangibles," DeBartolo said, via MLB.com.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred speaks during nan first information of nan MLB shot draught Sunday, July, 13, 2025 successful Atlanta.  (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

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Willits deed .473 pinch an OPS of .912 successful his last twelvemonth successful precocious school.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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