The Washington Nationals recently announced that they were moving Eli Willits, the number one pick in the 2025 draft, up from Single-A to Double-A. When the Nats took Willits in the 2025 draft, he was the youngest player in the draft being only 17 years old and the third youngest player ever taken.
It has been a quick rise through the farm system for Willits who has impressed at every stop so far. At Single-A Fredericksburg he slashed .300/.418/.500 with 23 extra base hits and 29 stolen bases in only 47 games this season. In 64 games at High-A+ he finished with an .813 OPS and showed a great strikeout to walk ratio with 55 K’s to 54 bases on balls. He got off to a quick start in his double a career as he went 4-5 with a home run in only third game.
Could we see Eli Willits in the majors next season?
As we all know at this point there will more than likely be a lockout beginning this winter between the players union and owners. There is a chance that there is not a big-league next season. If there is though, I could definitely see the front office calling Eli Willits up to make his debut for the Nationals.
The last big prospect the Nationals called up was Dylan Crews. He was the number two overall pick in 2023 and was called up a little over a year later late in 2024 season. He has struggled to establish himself at the big-league level having been sent up and down a couple of times. You also could point to a guy like Brady House, who was a Top 100 prospect at the time, but he did not have anywhere close to the expectations that Crews had upon his arrival.
When looking at recent history from 2020-2024 shows that the number 1 pick debuts about two years after they were picked in the draft. The exceptions to this are Paul Skenes and Travis Bazzana who’s debuts came about one year after being selected.
With this recent history in mind, it would make sense for the Nationals to call him up sometime during the summer next season as long as he plays well enough at Double-A and eventually Triple-A.
Nationals History with Number One Overall Picks
The Washington Nationals have been very successful when it comes to selecting first in the draft. Everyone remembers the back-to-back years where they took Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper.
Strasburg debuted about one year after being picked and Harper was called up close to two years after being selected.
Both were more than ready for their debuts, but unlike Willits, they were both deemed a once in a generation type of player. While Willits is not a generational prospect he is looking like a premier top of the lineup guy, something of a table setter type of player. It is very early in his career, but it seems he will become an established big leaguer in no time at all.
Should Eli Willits debut next season?
It has become a trend for teams to rush players through the minors like what the St. Louis Cardinals did to Jordan Walker. Walker has put it together this season, but he was up and down between Triple-A and the big leagues for a couple of seasons.
The Nationals have had their own problem with their last big prospect in Dylan Crews. He was the number two overall pick in 2023 and was called up a little over a year later late in 2024 season. Given his prospect pedigree coming out of LSU where he was the best position player in the nation, his struggles were almost unfathomable.
With all this in mind I would much rather have the Nationals wait on Eli Willits. The front office can be very patient with Willits and give him a full season at Triple-A. He could then come into Spring Training in 2028 fighting for the starting shortstop job. He will still only be 20 years old when the 2028 season ends. Realistically they could wait another two years, and he would still be in only his early 20s. Time is on Willits side and the Nats side, and they both should use that to the fullest extent.
Add us as a preferred source on Google