Follow the Prospects:Eli Willits, SS

[nobleisthyname]

I brought it up earlier and it seems the consensus is we would want more than just this but I think I would be happy if he turned out to be Elvis Andrus or someone in that mold. In other words even if he never develops double digit home run power he can still be a successful pick in my view.

Just give me a shortstop who can competently field the position and has a league averagish bat. That's a consistent 3-4 WAR player right there.

[Slateman]

I brought it up earlier and it seems the consensus is we would want more than just this but I think I would be happy if he turned out to be Elvis Andrus or someone in that mold. In other words even if he never develops double digit home run power he can still be a successful pick in my view.

Just give me a shortstop who can competently field the position and has a league averagish bat. That's a consistent 3-4 WAR player right there.

I think Andrus as a floor is a good comp. Gotta say, as a number 1 overall pick (even as the "cheap" option) I expect more bat than that. Also dependant on what the rest of the draft class does too

[blue911]

I’m going with a Robin Yount/Alan Trammell comp.

[Smithian]

Before an elbow injury in 2018, Andrus averaged just above 3 WAR a year for the Rangers. It would probably be frustrating during it, but there are worse outcomes.

You want a #1 pick to be more than that, but if he can do a job at SS to the point Nationals don't have to worry about the spot, then that's a solid pick. C+ Passing, not great.. Especially since he was an underslot pick in a weak draft.

In his favor, after a half decade of horrific team defense, a quality glove at short would make me very patient with his plate output.

[nobleisthyname]

Maybe I'm just too scarred from the lack of success the Nats have had out of their first round picks. I thought for sure Crews was it, and maybe he still can be but it's been brutal. So getting anything at all seems like it would be a major win.

[GataNats]

Trea Turner.   Turner at 17 didn’t have the power projection either

[nobleisthyname]

If Andrus is the floor then Trea has to be the ceiling I would think.

[tomterp]

I’m going with a Robin Yount/Alan Trammell comp.

   Works for me!

[Slateman]

Eh, Turner was 19, but he slugged 100 points higher his first year at NC State than Willits is now.

It seems important that Willits doesn't look overmatched. While his BABIP is doing a lot to float his hitting, he is where he should be. He has more swing and miss than I expected.

[imref]

Eh, Turner was 19, but he slugged 100 points higher his first year at NC State than Willits is now.

It seems important that Willits doesn't look overmatched. While his BABIP is doing a lot to float his hitting, he is where he should be. He has more swing and miss than I expected.

i thought he had something like one swing and miss in his first 20 something pitches? He still isn't striking out a lot. His one K on Tuesday's afternoon game was on a check swing that he barely went too far on.

[Slateman]

i thought he had something like one swing and miss in his first 20 something pitches? He still isn't striking out a lot. His one K on Tuesday's afternoon game was on a check swing that he barely went too far on.

He has a 19.6% K rate right now. Again, small sample size and he doesnt turn 18 for another three months, but thats not an insignificant amount for a guy who was scouted as high contact. Again, they were older and in college, but it is substantially higher than Kwan, Turner, and Wilson's freshman seasons.

Ironically, he is pretty close to what Elvis Andrus did at age 17 in Single A. Seems like a pretty good comparison.

I also dont care much about his stats until he hits Double A.

[imref]

He has a 19.6% K rate right now. Again, small sample size and he doesnt turn 18 for another three months, but thats not an insignificant amount for a guy who was scouted as high contact. Again, they were older and in college, but it is substantially higher than Kwan, Turner, and Wilson's freshman seasons.

Ironically, he is pretty close to what Elvis Andrus did at age 17 in Single A. Seems like a pretty good comparison.

I also dont care much about his stats until he hits Double A.

agreed. The fact that he's even in A and holding his own is impressive.

[IanRubbish]

To paraphrase Winger, he's only 17.

Body's still growing, power could develop.  Will just say it's an encouraging start.

[imref]

To paraphrase Winger, he's only 17.

Body's still growing, power could develop.  Will just say it's an encouraging start.

i did see sparks fly from the corner of my eye when we drafted him.

Completely aside - i saw a documentary a few months ago on the end of hairband metal and they noted that Winger died the instant they were mocked on Beavis and Butthead. The lead singer said he was watching it when it happened and knew their careers were over.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

He has a 19.6% K rate right now. Again, small sample size and he doesnt turn 18 for another three months, but thats not an insignificant amount for a guy who was scouted as high contact. Again, they were older and in college, but it is substantially higher than Kwan, Turner, and Wilson's freshman seasons.

Ironically, he is pretty close to what Elvis Andrus did at age 17 in Single A. Seems like a pretty good comparison.

I also dont care much about his stats until he hits Double A.

so most of the Ks are on called strikes and not swin and miss. The latter would be more troubling. The kid probably knows the strike zone better than A ball umps.

[IanRubbish]

Completely aside - i saw a documentary a few months ago on the end of hairband metal and they noted that Winger died the instant they were mocked on Beavis and Butthead. The lead singer said he was watching it when it happened and knew their careers were over.

Hahaha yes, this was the end

[nobleisthyname]

Age: 17
Team rank: 1
Current level: A

September recap

PA

|

AVG

|

OBP

|

SLG

|

HR

|

SB

|

K%

|

BB%

|

ISO

|

OPS

|

wRC+

18

|

.133

|

.278

|

.267

|

0

|

0

|

27.8%

|

16.7%

|

.133

|

.544

|

67

Season recap
Games played at position
SS: 14
DH: 1

PA

|

AVG

|

OBP

|

SLG

|

HR

|

SB

|

K%

|

BB%

|

ISO

|

OPS

|

wRC+

58

|

.300

|

.397

|

.360

|

7

|

2

|

20.7%

|

12.1%

|

.060

|

.757

|

128

[Smithian]

I like him. Very excited to see him next year. I hope that start him in Fredericksburg versus trying to challenge him in Wilmington.

[imref]

#31 in BBA's top-100.

[imref]

#13 on Callis’ new top 100

[imref]

#53 on Keith Law's top-100 for 2026:

Willits was the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, a talented player who was an analytical model darling because he was only 17 (I can’t write that without hearing Kip Winger’s voice in my head) on draft day. The son of former Angels outfielder Reggie Willits, Eli is a true shortstop with easy hands, a plus arm and plus speed. He’s a 55/60 defender now who could be a 70 when he gets to the majors. He has a compact swing that’s oriented toward contact rather than driving the ball, without a lot of lift to it for power, although he’s got some room to fill out his lower half and may be able to drive the ball better as he matures. The Nats were aggressive with him, sending him out to Low-A Fredericksburg after the draft, and he hit .300/.397/.360 in 58 PA with 12 strikeouts (20.7 percent); it’s a small sample, but for a kid who was still 17 and had just been playing high school ball in Oklahoma three months prior, it’s very promising. As a very likely shortstop with strong contact skills, he has a utility infielder floor, with 55/above-average upside if he adds that strength to become a hitter for consistently high batting averages and OBPs.

I think being at #53 is pretty disappointing, big divergence from Callis and BBA.

[Smithian]

#53 on Keith Law's top-100 for 2026:

I think being at #53 is pretty disappointing, big divergence from Callis and BBA.

Willits being so low on Law' slist while he has Nats system higher than anyone is interesting. But that writeup to me makes me happy with Willits.

[blue911]

#53 on Keith Law's top-100 for 2026:

I think being at #53 is pretty disappointing, big divergence from Callis and BBA.

30 years ago BBA (Noted: Not Law) had two different rankings. One being overall talent and the other being impact on the major league team.

[imref]

Getting jacked:
https://www.federalbaseball.com/washington-nationals-prospects/88913/washington-nationals-top-pick-eli-willits-added-strength-offseason

[Slateman]

ITBSOHL