Eli Willits — Oklahoma high school SS

Eli Willits was born December 16, 2007 — making him 17 years old on the day of the 2025 MLB Draft. He attended Fort Cobb-Broxton High School in rural Oklahoma (about 90 miles southwest of Oklahoma City). His father Reggie Willits is a former MLB outfielder (Angels, 2006-11) who later coached for the Yankees. Eli was a 5-tool shortstop with speed, contact, and infield arm.

He committed to the University of Oklahoma in fall 2023 but was always seen as a high-end pro prospect. The 2025 MLB Draft pre-draft consensus saw Willits and Tennessee LHP Liam Doyle as the top 2 prospects, with the Nationals leaning toward Willits because of positional value (a true shortstop is rarer than a starting pitcher). Washington selected him #1 overall.

The 2025 MLB Draft top 5

1. Eli Willits, SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton HS (OK) → Washington Nationals. 2. Liam Doyle, LHP, Tennessee → Los Angeles Angels. 3. Ethan Holliday, SS, Stillwater HS (OK) → Colorado Rockies. 4. Kade Anderson, LHP, LSU → Seattle Mariners. 5. Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State → St. Louis Cardinals.

Notable: Holliday (#3) is the brother of Jackson Holliday (the 2022 MLB #1 pick by the Orioles) and the son of Matt Holliday (7× MLB All-Star). The 2025 draft made the Holliday family the only family in MLB history to produce two top-3 overall picks. Two Oklahoma high school shortstops in the top 3 (Willits + Holliday) is the first time the same state has produced multiple top-5 prep picks in the same draft since 2008 (California with Beckham + Posey).

Eli Willits's first pro season

Eli Willits signed with the Washington Nationals for $9.65 million on July 22, 2025 — the largest signing bonus in 2025 MLB Draft history but well under the $11 million slot value (the Nationals saved slot money to sign other picks). He was assigned to the Nationals’ rookie-level Florida Complex League team for August 2025. He’s expected to spend 2026 in Single-A or High-A based on rapid development.

MLB Draft #1 overall picks have historically taken 2-4 years to debut in the major leagues. The Nationals’ last #1 overall pick before Willits was Bryce Harper in 2010 — Harper debuted in 2012, ahead of typical timeline. Reggie Willits’s involvement in player development at the Yankees (2018-22) gives Eli rare insider perspective on the path from prospect to MLB regular.

Background facts cross-referenced with the Wikipedia article on 2025 Major League Baseball draft and Pro-Football-Reference / Basketball-Reference public records.