2025 MLB Draft picks tracker: Eli Willits is shock No. 1 for Nationals, Day 1 results - Yahoo Sports

Published 2 days ago• 8 minute read

ATLANTA — The Washington Nationals ushered in a new era in franchise history by plucking a second-generation star who may soon emerge as a D.C. cornerstone.

Yet the move was something of a shocker.

Eli Willits, son of former major league outfielder Reggie Willits, was picked first by the Nationals in Sunday's Major League Baseball draft, the club opting for the less-heralded Oklahoma prep shortstop coming into this season.

In doing so, they bypassed Ethan Holliday, son of seven-time All-Star Matt Holliday, who was aiming to follow in older brother Jackson’s footsteps by getting selected first overall.

"I'm excited, thankful to the Nationals organization for giving me this chance... I'm ready to get to work," Willits told MLB Network.

Willits' selection comes one week after owner Mark Lerner signaled a massive shift in organization structure, firing president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez, who served as architect and shepherd, respectively, of their 2019 World Series champions.

While such a drastic move might have seemed extreme one week before owning the No. 1 pick, the Nationals had narrowed their gaze for their selection considerably by then, with Holliday, collegiate left-hander Kade Anderson and Willits the industry consensus finalists.

Ultimately, they chose Willits, who reclassified to this draft to be eligible at just 17 years old. It's possible the Nationals cut a deal with Willits to provide a bigger bonus pool for subsequent picks.

"I'm a player that's going to give everything I've got,” Willits said. “I feel like my power is up-and-coming, but I needed to get into an organization like the Nationals that could develop that and take it to the next level.”

Willits visited Nationals Park the first week of June as the club narrowed its field of potential picks. Ultimately, they chose a left-handed infielder who batted .473 with 14 doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 34 RBI, 27 walks, 47 stolen bases and 56 runs scored while striking out just four times for Fort Cobb-Broxton High School, a squad that squared off with Holliday's Stillwater High School team earlier this season.

The slot value of the No. 1 pick this season is $11.075 million.

92. – Brian Curley, RHP, Georgia
93. – RJ Austin, OF, Vanderbilt
94. – Jacob Morrison, RHP, Coastal Carolina
95. – Ethan Frey, OF, LSU
96. – Cody Miller, SS, East Tennessee State
97. – Cameron Millar, RHP, Alhambra HS (CA)
98. – Ben Jacobs, LHP, Arizona State
99. – Ryan Wideman, OF, Western Kentucky
100. – Cody Bowker, RHP, Vanderbilt
101. – Nolan Schubart, OF, Oklahoma State
102. – Antonio Jimenez, SS, Central Florida
103. New York Yankees – Kaeden Kent, SS, Texas A&M
104. Los Angeles Dodgers – Landyn Vidourek, OF, Cincinnati

Compensation pick

105. Los Angeles Angels – Nate Snead, RHP, Tennessee

Marcus Phillips went from South Dakota to junior college to Tennessee baseball starting pitcher to first-round pick in the MLB Draft.

Phillips was picked with the No. 33 by the Boston Red Sox in the 2025 MLB Draft on July 13, the fourth Vols pick already.

Pitcher Liam Doyle was picked No. 5 by the St. Louis Cardinals. Shortstop Gavin Kilen was chosen No. 13 by the San Francisco Giants. First baseman/third baseman Andrew Fischer was selected No. 20 by the Milwaukee Brewers.

Phillips, a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, native, spent two seasons at Tennessee. – Mike Wilson Knoxville News Sentinel

Arkansas baseball shortstop Wehiwa Aloy was selected by the Baltimore Orioles with the 31st overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft Sunday night.

The projected slot value at No. 31 is $3.04 million.

The 6-foot-2 Hawaiian was the SEC Player of the Year and became the Razorbacks' third Golden Spikes Award winner this spring. He led Arkansas in nearly every major offensive category, including slugging percentage (.673), on-base plus slugging (1.107), hits (93), runs scored (81), doubles (19), triples (2), home runs (21), extra-base hits (42), multi-hit games (30) and total bases (179). — Jackson Fuller, Fort Smith Southwest Times Record

Arkansas baseball pitcher Gage Wood was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies with the 26th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft Sunday night, giving the Razorbacks their 11th first-round selection in program history.

The Batesville native made 10 starts in 2025 after battling a shoulder injury that required Wood to miss seven weekend starts. He returned in mid-April and finished his junior season by going 4-1 with a 3.82 ERA.

Wood made history in June, throwing the third no-hitter in the history of the College World Series. He set a program record with 19 strikeouts as the Hogs kept their season alive with a 3-0 victory over Murray State. Wood hit one batter and needed 119 pitches to complete the no-hitter. – Jackson Fuller, Fort Smith Southwest Times Record

With their first of five picks on the opening night of the Major League Baseball draft, the Milwaukee Brewers went to a corner bat out of college, third baseman Andrew Fischer from the University of Tennessee.

Fischer hit 25 home runs while batting .341 with a 1.257 OPS as a junior for Tennessee this season. – Curt Hogg, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

For the first time in five years, an Auburn baseball player has been selected in the first round of the MLB Draft.

Ike Irish, the well-tooled hitter who led the Tigers to new heights during his three-year college career, was taken with the 19th overall pick in the first round of this year's draft by the Baltimore Orioles organization on Sunday. With it, Irish became the 10th first-round selection in Auburn's history, joining the likes of Casey Mize, Frank Thomas, Gregg Olson and Gabe Gross to be selected within the first 15 picks.

The projected slot value of the No. 19 pick in this year's draft is $4,420,900.

Irish's Auburn career coincided with a fruitful juncture for the program. In three years, he was part of two regional squads and, in 2025, helped the Tigers to hosting a super regional for the first time. Simultaneously, his tenure ended with his name in the record books, particularly top-10 marks for career batting average and home runs in Auburn history. – Adam Cole, Montgomery Advertiser

Gavin Kilen is Tennessee baseball's first hitter off the board in the 2025 MLB Draft, going No. 13 to the Giants.

Kilen is Tennessee's second pick of the 2025 MLB Draft joining pitcher Liam Doyle as UT had two first-round picks in the draft for the third time in four drafts. Doyle was picked No. 5 by the Cincinnati Reds.

Kilen hit a team-leading .357 in his lone season at Tennessee. He hit 15 homers, 13 doubles and a team-high four triples as he flashed the hitting skills that made him a coveted draft prospect. He played second base and shortstop, earning first-team All-SEC honors at second base. – Mike Wilson, Knoxville News Sentinel

Billy Carlson, the top-ranked player in Tennessee baseball's recruiting class, was picked in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft.

Carlson was selected No. 10 by the Chicago White Sox on July 13. He was the second straight Tennessee signee picked. Alabama shortstop Steele Hall was picked No. 9 by the Cincinnati Reds.

The Corona High School (California) superstar is ranked the No. 3 prospect nationally and the No. 2 shortstop, according to Perfect Game. He is considered by many to be the best defensive high school shortstop in the country. MLB.com tabbed him the No. 7 prospect in the draft. – Mike Wilson, Knoxville News Sentinel

Liam Doyle set a new standard for Tennessee baseball in the MLB draft under Tony Vitello.

The Vols pitcher was selected No. 5 overall by the St. Louis Cardinals, making him the highest-draft player in Vitello's tenure and the second highest-drafted pitcher in program history.

Doyle was 10-4 with a 3.20 ERA and was named the SEC pitcher of the year. He struck out a program-record 164 batters in 95⅔ innings, while walking only 32.

Doyle is the seventh first-rounder under Vitello. UT has had a first-round pick in four straight drafts and a top-10 pick in three straight drafts. Christian Moore was picked No. 8 in the 2024 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Angels, the previous high mark under Vitello. – Mike Wilson, Knoxville News Sentinel

There are 20 rounds in the 2025 MLB Draft, which are set to include 615 total selections.

USA TODAY Sports' final MLB mock draft has prep standout Ethan Holliday going first overall to the wWashington Nationals

Check out Gabe Lacques' full MLB mock draft here.

A handful of requirements have to be met in order for a player to enter and be selected in the MLB draft.

A prospect must either be a resident or have attended a school in the United States, Canada or a U.S. territory such as Puerto Rico. MLB has a separate period in which its teams can sign international players.

Additionally, players are only eligible after they’ve graduated from high school. If they’re at a four-year college, they are eligible only three years after they originally enrolled or after their 21st birthday, whichever comes first. Conversely, players from junior colleges are eligible to be drafted at any time.

– Austin Curtright

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB Draft 2025 picks tracker: Eli Willits to Nationals, full results

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