The Washington Nationals scored a major win in the 2025 MLB Draft. In previous years, the Nationals’ draft strategy under Mike Rizzo often felt reactive, with swings on raw talent that lacked a defined development path. But this year was different. Interim GM Mike DeBartolo and his front office delivered on a clear, well-executed plan.
DeBartolo, a more modern and analytically inclined decision-maker, brought a refreshing shift in direction by targeting high-upside high school players early and often. For the first time in recent history, the Nationals weren’t just collecting names, but actually building a system with a purpose.
The plan started at the top. With the first overall pick, the Nationals selected Eli Willits, a 17-year-old switch-hitting shortstop committed to Oklahoma. Not the flashiest pick, but it was a smart one. Willits, the son of former Angels outfielder Reggie Willits, brings advanced bat-to-ball skills, solid speed, strong defense, and the tools to stick at shortstop for the long haul.
DeBartolo called him the best hitter and best fielder in the class, and the player the front office unanimously wanted at 1.1. A consensus top-five prospect across major draft boards, Willits fit exactly what the Nationals wanted. Washington made a great pick, as it let them land the player they believed in most, spend almost $3 million under-slot, and avoid the pitfalls of working with agent Scott Boras. Willits signed for $8.2 million, giving the Nationals the flexibility to take aggressive over-slot swings later in the draft.
In the second round, the Nationals added South Carolina slugger Ethan Petry. Petry is undeniably one of the top college power bats in the country. The 21-year-old has launched home runs off some of the best college pitchers of the decade, hitting 23 bombs as a freshman and 21 more as a sophomore. He also dominated the Cape Cod League with a wood bat, leading the league in homers, on-base percentage, slugging, and OPS.
A shoulder injury limited him this past year, and there are some clear concerns: he swings and misses a lot, lacks a high level of athleticism, and has questionable defense. But Petry projects as a first baseman in the pros, and if he develops well, his offensive ceiling has drawn some Pete Alonso comparisons. Although he hasn’t signed yet, he’s expected to agree to an under-slot deal, helping the Nats maximize the rest of the class.
These first two picks were calculated, not flashy. The Nationals added two very different players: a young contact-hitting shortstop in Willits, who has already signed, and an older college masher in Petry, who is expected to sign soon.
The Back-to-Back-to-Back Steals That Flipped the Draft
Thanks to the early under-slot picks of Willits and Petry, the Nationals had room to swing big in rounds 3 through 5. And they did just that, landing three elite prep prospects with huge upside who were all selected much later than most industry rankings projected.
In the third round, Washington selected Landon Harmon, an athletic 18-year-old right-hander committed to Mississippi State. Considered one of the top prep pitchers in the entire class, Harmon was ranked No. 48 overall by MLB Pipeline, but somehow fell all the way to pick No. 80. He’s 6-foot-5, throws a high-octane fastball that can touch 99 mph, and pairs it with a developing slider. Harmon draws comparisons to Travis Sykora, and the Nationals plan to develop him in a similar mold.
If he continues to sharpen his secondary stuff, he could emerge as a serious piece in the rotation down the line. The Nats likely must offer him a sizable over-slot deal to keep him from honoring his Mississippi State commitment, as they did with Sykora in 2023 when they gave him $2.6 million to skip Texas.
One round later, the Nats did it again. Washington selected RHP Miguel Sime Jr., the New York High School Player of the Year and one of the top prep pitchers in the entire draft. Sime was a consensus top-90 prospect across all major rankings. The Nationals were able to grab him at pick 111 thanks to the under-slot savings. The 18-year-old is built like a tank at 6-foot-4, 235 pounds. He was committed to LSU before recently signing with Washington for $2 million, about $1.4 million over-slot.
Sime features a 70-grade fastball that regularly touches triple digits, and he’s been steadily improving a developing breaking ball to pair with it. His command remains a work in progress, but the raw power is undeniable. Sime reminds many of Jarlin Susana, the big-armed righty acquired in the Juan Soto trade. Both are massive flamethrowers with some command issues, and both have the upside to become real weapons in the Nationals’ system.
Then came perhaps the most exciting selection of them all. In the fifth round at pick No. 142, the Nationals took 18-year-old prep infielder Coy James, a consensus top 100 prospect who some believed had first-round potential. The Ole Miss commit added significant strength over the past year, which has slightly hurt his athleticism and contributed to some recent struggles at the plate. Still, he earned the title of Gatorade Player of the Year in North Carolina after hitting .605 with 9 home runs, 50 runs scored, and just 6 strikeouts all season.
James projects best as a third baseman, largely because of his plus arm. With a very high ceiling and loads of raw potential, developing him could be a huge long-term win for the Nationals. Hopefully, the under-slot savings will be enough to convince James to back off his Ole Miss commitment and sign for a big-time over-slot deal.
The Nationals took all three of these prep player picks—Harmon, Sime Jr., and James—well after where most rankings had them. Each has legitimate MLB upside and the potential to serve as a future difference-maker. These were true steals in rounds 3 through 5, made possible by the Nationals' savings. No team in the draft added more raw talent in that window than Washington. These first five picks form the clear core of this draft class, and their development will ultimately define how successful this class becomes.
Still, the rest of the draft should not be overlooked. It featured more smart strategy and targeted selections that helped round out a very promising group.
College Depth, Not Reaches: Inside the Nationals' Rounds 6–18 Picks
The Nationals strategy in rounds 6 through 18 focused on value, experience, and organizational need. DeBartolo and the front office went after older, affordable college players in key areas where the system was lacking, especially power, catching, and pitching depth. Washington attacked these weaknesses with a purpose and a plan. The savings created from these under-slot deals gave the team the flexibility to go big with earlier over-slot signings.
From rounds 6 through 10, the Nationals spent just $85,000 in total signing bonuses. The slot value for those five rounds was over $1.3 million, meaning the team saved more than $1.2 million in that stretch alone. Some people might glance at those names and assume the picks were reaches, but that’s not the case. The team calculated under-slot moves to patch holes and stack savings. Every pick had a purpose.
Wright State catcher Boston Smith went in the sixth round and headlined a run of college veterans who could plug system gaps quickly. Having led Division I with 26 home runs in his senior season, Smith filled two of Washington’s biggest needs at once: power and catching.
The Nationals also added cheap pitching depth with four college arms: Julian Tonghini (Arizona) in the 7th round, Riley Maddox (Ole Miss) in the 8th, Tucker Biven (Louisville) in the 13th, and Levi Huesman (Vanderbilt) in the 16th. Each provides experienced, affordable depth to a system that needed more arms. Washington also snagged Owen Puk, the brother of big league reliever A.J. Puk, in the 18th round out of FIU.
In the 12th round, the Nats served up one of the team’s more interesting picks, Ben Moore. A local lefty from Old Dominion, Moore is 21 years old, touches 97 mph, and mixes in a solid slider. He ranked among the top 250 draft prospects on MLB Pipeline. He might get a shot at starting if he can develop a third pitch, but he’s more likely to project as a bullpen piece with upside.
The Nats’ later-round strategy also focused on power-first college bats. Jacob Walsh, taken in the 15th round, is Oregon’s all-time home run leader and has a smooth lefty swing that could translate well. Other college mashers included Wyatt Henseler, picked in the 9th round out of Texas A&M, Hunter Hines, Mississippi State’s all-time home run leader in the 10th, and Jake Moroknek, a Butler transfer committed to Texas, in the 11th. It was a heavy-hitting group that directly addressed one of the organization’s biggest needs for cheap.
Nick Hollifield, a defensive-minded catcher from UAB, was another thoughtful pick in the 14th round. His bat isn’t as strong, but he helps fill a niche role in the organization as a glove-first backstop.
Overall, these rounds saved money while adding experienced college talent in areas of organizational need. In the process, the Nationals may have landed a few late-round sleepers. These picks were not reaches. They were strategic under-slot moves made with a clear purpose to fill important gaps with players who still have real MLB potential. Turning any of them into impact contributors would be a huge bonus, considering most were drafted to help enable the team’s bigger swings earlier in the draft.
Backup Plans with Upside (Rounds 19–20)
With most of their budget already committed to earlier over-slot picks, the Nationals used rounds 19 and 20 to draft two high-upside backup options in case any earlier deals fall through. They selected Mason Pike in the 19th round and Juan Cruz in the 20th. Although unlikely to sign, both offer intriguing insurance.
Pike is an 18-year-old two-way player committed to Oregon State. He ranked No. 135 on MLB Pipeline and as high as No. 68 on Baseball America’s board. As a switch hitter, he’s shown some pop but still needs to improve his timing. He likely projects as a second or third baseman in the pros thanks to his strength and arm. On the mound, he touches 97 mph and mixes in a solid slider.
Cruz is a 6-foot-5 first baseman who transferred from Alabama State and is currently committed to Georgia. He posted an impressive .416/.478/.682 slash line last season and stands out for his strong bat-to-ball skills. With his size and offensive profile, he’s an intriguing long-term power bat to keep an eye on.
Both are solid backup plans the Nationals could pivot to with major over-slot offers if any of their top prep targets don’t agree to terms. It was a smart, forward-thinking way to close out the draft.
A Refreshing Shift and a Strong First Draft
Overall, this draft for the Nationals made a great first showing for Mike DeBartolo, who entered with a clear strategy and executed it with purpose. His approach felt focused, modern, and refreshing, especially in how he prioritized high-upside prep talent early.
The under-slot picks of Eli Willits and Ethan Petry were smart plays that landed two very good prospects while freeing up the money needed to aggressively chase three high-upside prep talents in rounds 3 through 5. That core group of five players has real MLB potential, and their development will ultimately define how good this class turns out to be.
From there, the Nats shifted into value mode. They weren’t flashy, but they were smart, targeting experienced college players to fill organizational needs. And if a few of those later-round picks go on to make an impact in the majors, it will be a massive bonus considering many were selected with savings in mind.
The final two rounds also showed great awareness, as the Nats grabbed two high-upside insurance picks in case one of the earlier over-slot deals falls through.
A strong, well-thought-out draft from top to bottom, the Nationals operated with clear direction and intent. Fans should feel encouraged by what DeBartolo and the front office were able to pull off.