The Washington Nationals chose 17-year-old shortstop Eli Willits with the first overall selection in the 2025 Major League Baseball amateur draft on Sunday in Atlanta. The Fort Cobb-Broxton High School standout becomes the youngest top pick in draft history and the first high-schooler taken No. 1 since 2023. Willits, a switch-hitter committed to the University of Oklahoma, is the son of former big-league outfielder and Sooners assistant coach Reggie Willits. Scouts praise his advanced contact skills and plus defense at shortstop, projecting that added strength could unlock power as he matures. The decision, made one week after Washington dismissed longtime general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez, was overseen by interim GM Mike DeBartolo and surprised draft analysts who expected LSU left-hander Kade Anderson or Oklahoma prep shortstop Ethan Holliday to go first. Instead, the Los Angeles Angels took UC-Santa Barbara right-hander Tyler Bremner at No. 2, the Seattle Mariners selected Anderson at No. 3, and the Colorado Rockies drafted Holliday fourth as the first round unfolded.