On Sunday evening, the Washington Nationals shocked the baseball world with the selection of Fort Cobb-Broxton High School shortstop Eli Willits with the #1 overall pick. While baseball minds and sportsbooks alike were shocked by the pick, if you had read the tea leaves and done a little bit of research like I did last week, you would not have been shocked by the decision,
Many analysts everywhere, especially those on the ESPN broadcast, were bewildered that the Nationals would pass on Ethan Holliday, the 'Golden Boy' of this year's class, but others see the legitimate talent and upside that a guy like Willits possesses. This pick was one that if Mike Rizzo was in charge definitely does not happen, but signals a necessary point of direction for an organization that was lacking one for multiple years now.
Dan O'Dowd, the former GM of the Colorado Rockies and an architect of a World Series runner-up team, had a much different tone when it came to the selection of Willits. On the MLB Network broadcast that he appeared on for the 1st round last night, O'Dowd compared the ceiling of Willits to that of New York Mets superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor, and the comparison makes a ton of sense.
Willits, like Lindor, is a switch-hitting shortstop that is almost guaranteed to be a great defender at the position for years, with a bat that should continue to develop as well. Back when Lindor was drafted in 2011, he had a build very similar to Willits, as he stood 5'10" and 190 pounds, while Willits stands at 6'1" and 180 pounds. Both have great arms to back up their slick glovework, and have outstanding range to boot.
Lindor's 2011 MLB Draft scouting report from MLB.com said, "at the plate, he's gotten stronger and he could grow into enough power to hit 15 or so homers annually, enough to keep pitchers honest, along with hitting .290-.300 every year." The thought around Willits seems to be the same, although Willits is certainly a much more prominent threat on the basepaths than Lindor, which should only make his ceiling higher as such as young prospect.
Willits himself likened his playstyle to both Lindor and Trea Turner, in that both of them but especially Turner play the game the right way, and gives 100% effort. If Willits turns into even half the player and has half the career success that both Lindor and Turner have been able to have, there will be zero doubt that the Nationals made the correct call by taking him with the 1st overall pick.
What do you think of Eli Willits' draft comparison? As always, please let me know on X, @DCBerk.