In what could be considered an ultimate departure from the Mike Rizzo era in the Nation's Capital, the Washington Nationals completed their 2025 MLB Draft, and have already received glowing reviews around the league. While the selection of Eli Willits to kick things off may have shocked many, the answers were in the fine print if you looked closely.
With that being said, I will provide some quick hits about every single draft pick that the Nationals made this year, complete with some basic information about each player. There are 20 picks who will have an opportunity to sign and become a National, so strap in for my analysis of interim GM Mike DeBartolo's 1st ever draft.
Round 1, Pick 1: Eli Willits - SS, Fort Cobb Broxton HS (OK)
Starting at the top, Eli Willits was an awesome pick to kick off the chaos of the 2025 MLB Draft. He already possesses 4 above-average tools at just 17-years-old, and should have the opportunity to gain at least average power by the time he gets to the big leagues. I wrote yesterday about how accurate his comparison to Francisco Lindor as a prospect could be, and I firmly believe it. I am very excited about his selection, and he has the potential to be the future face of this franchise.
Round 2, Pick 49: Ethan Petry - 1B/OF, South Carolina
I wrote about the selection of Ethan Petry yesterday, but the South Carolina junior could legitimately be the Nationals' version of Pete Alonso if his development goes according to plan. He has a ton of pop, and put up great numbers with wood bats in the Cape Cod League last summer, so his pop is very real. Petry could be in the majors as soon as next season if Nathaniel Lowe is traded by next year's deadline, and should challenge Yohandy Morales as the future of the team's first base spot.
Round 3, Pick 80: Landon Harmon - RHP, East Union Attendance Center HS (MS)
Landon Harmon was the last pick I wrote about yesterday, but there is a ton to like about the young righty. His fastball has touched as high as 99 MPH, and sits between 93 and 96 MPH at just 18-years-old. Signing him should take some of the team's savings that they got from the Willits pick being underslot, and he drew a comparison to top Nationals prospect Travis Sykora on the broadcast.
Round 4, Pick 111: Miguel Sime Jr. - RHP, Poly Prep Country Day School (NY)
The first of Tuesday's picks for the Nationals, Miguel Sime Jr. has a ton of upside. He compares well to current Nationals Top 100 prospect Jarlin Susana, as a big imposing righty with a very live fastball. Developing a reliable 3rd pitch will be key to him becoming an effective starter, but he is another overslot pick, as he was committed to play for the reigning champion LSU Tigers in college.
Round 5, Pick 142: Coy James - SS, Davis HS (NC)
Coy James was the final overslot prep player that the Nationals selected if everything goes according to plan, and he is going to be an interesting project for the team. He had some 1st round buzz before this season, and he is still figuring himself out as a player, and figuring out whether to prioritize contact or power will be huge for him. This pick may have been the best gamble the Nationals took with this class.
Round 6, Pick 171: Boston Smith - C, Wright State
The Nationals know they have a serious catcher problem, and chose Wright State catcher Boston Smith to help bolster the team's organizational depth. He has a ton of pop, with 19 homers in 2024 and 26 homers this past season, and had a 121:160 BB:K ratio, showcasing a good eye at the plate. He has the arm to stick behind the plate long-term but needs to work on the other aspects that make up a professional catcher. As a great athlete, he should be able to figure this out with further development.
Round 7, Pick 201: Julian Tonghini - RHP, Arizona
Julian Tonghini out of Arizona was a college arm who showed off some very impressive stuff this past season. He averaged 15.6 K/9, and could potentially put himself on a track to make the big leagues sooner rather than later, given that he's already 23 and has some capable big league stuff.
Round 8, Pick 231: Riley Maddox - RHP, Ole Miss
Riley Maddox didn't have the best stats during his career with Ole Miss, but he is another valuable depth signing as a reliever for an organization that hasn't seemed to be able to crack the code in developing big league relievers. He should be safely sign for under slot value as well.
Round 9, Pick 261: Wyatt Henseler - 3B, Texas A&M
Wyatt Henseler was another senior draft pick, and a guy who put up fantastic numbers with the University of Pennsylvania, with an OPS of 1.044 or higher in his 3 years with the Quakers. He posted a solid season after transferring to Texas A&M with a .985 OPS in 2025, and hit 66 career homers. Henseler began a run of college bats that all feature similar skill sets.
Round 10, Pick 291: Hunter Hines - 1B, MIssissippi State
This pick was a fun one, as Hunter Hines is the all-time program leader in homers for the Mississippi State Bulldogs. He hit 70 home runs in his career, and was another pick that should provide some legitimate pop and depth to the first base position.
Round 11, Pick 321: Jake Moroknek - OF, Butler
Jake Moroknek had a great 2025 season with the Butler Bulldogs, and committed to the University of Texas out of the transfer portal about a month ago. Given that the Nationals took him this early, they must have felt confident that they could get him signed and keep him from going to Austin. He posted a 1.145 OPS with 18 homers this past year, a lot to like with his bat.
Round 12, Pick 351: Ben Moore - LHP, Old Dominion
In a pick that should make a lot of fans in the DMV area happy, Ben Moore was the Nationals' pick in the 12th round. He has some legitimate starter upside, but will likely be a valuable bullpen piece as a lefty that has hit as high as 97 MPH on his heater. Moore was a worthwhile dart throw on a local guy in a late round.
Round 13, Pick 381: Tucker Biven - RHP, Louisville
Tucker Biven was a reliever for Louisville in his career who had some late-inning experience with a handful of saves, but also had some control issues this past season. While he did post the most walks of his career, he again should be a valuable bullpen piece and provide much-needed organizational depth. Side note, he gives me serious Koda Glover vibes based on appearance and the way he was described by Louisville fans on social media as a "bulldog" pitcher.
Round 14, Pick 411: Nick Hollifield - C, Alabama at Birmingham
The 14th round pick of the Nationals, Nick Hollifield, is yet another college catcher that the team will be adding to the organization. His hitting numbers are nothing special, and while I don't know the specifics of his defensive prowess, he looks like a defensive-minded catcher from the looks of it.
Round 15, Pick 441: Jacob Walsh - 1B, Oregon
My favorite late-round pick that the team will assuredly sign, Jacob Walsh can flat out hit. He posted the best season of his career for the Ducks in 2025, and set career highs across the board. Walsh is the Ducks' all-time program leader in homers and RBIs, and is yet another first base dart throw that has great power upside. Between Walsh, Petry, Hines, and Yohandy Morales, the organization has 4 legitimate 1st base prospect with a ton of pop and similar skills.
Round 16, Pick 471: Levi Huesman - LHP, Vanderbilt
Levi Huesman, a lefty reliever from Vanderbilt, posted a 2.81 ERA and 1.063 WHIP with a 20:4 K:BB ratio in 16 innings for the Commodores in 2025. Clearly, the Nationals saw something they liked in him, and he is yet another reliever from the college path that can provide depth and potential big-league upside.
Round 17, Pick 501: Bryce Molinaro - 3B, Penn State
Third baseman Bryce Molinaro is a guy I had admittedly never heard of until the pick was announced today, but he is coming off a solid 2025 season for the Nittany Lions that saw him post career-best marks in homers and RBIs while seeing his average drop off a lot from 2024. He seems like a worthwhile gamble with a late round pick.
Round 18, Pick 531: Owen Puk - RHP, Florida International
Owen Puk is the final draft pick that I am confident that the Nationals will sign in this class, and he comes with some MLB bloodline as well. He is the younger brother of Arizona Diamondbacks reliever AJ Puk, and showcased 11.4 K/9 this past season for FIU. Stop me if I've said this before, but he is yet another reliever pick from the college level.
Round 19, Pick 561: Mason Pike - Puyallup HS (WA)
This pick seems as if it won't result in a signing, but it was a worthwhile draft pick just in case the earlier selections in rounds 3-5 don't all get signed. Mason Pike is a guy who is likely going to be a high draft pick in a few years, and he is currently committed to Oregon State. What makes him special is that he is a very legitimate 2-way talent, but likely has a higher upside as a pitcher. He has already touched 97 MPH on his heater, and should only get better with collegiate development.
Round 20, Pick 591: Juan Cruz - 1B, Alabama State
Juan Cruz is another pick that likely won't end up in him signing with the Nationals, as he is currently committed to Georgia out of the transfer portal. Yet another first baseman, Cruz posted a .416/.478/.682 slash line for Alabama State this season, and walked more than he struck out. With another solid season while playing in the SEC, he should go even higher in next year's draft.
Which Nationals draft pick was your favorite? As always, please let me know on X, @DCBerk.