Recently, they caught a significant break when they won the first overall pick in the 2025 MLB draft. With Day 1 taking place on July 13, the Nationals surprised many when they picked Eli Willits at No. 1 over presumed position player option Ethan Holliday and pitcher Kade Anderson.

The Washington Nationals selected Oklahoma high school shortstop Eli Willits on Sunday night with the No. 1 pick in Major League Baseball’s amateur draft in a selection seen by some as a surprise.

This past spring, he had a .516 batting average, nine home runs, 33 RBIs and 48 steals while also thriving at shortstop, finishing with a .979 fielding percentage.