Ethan Holliday Obliterates Nationals Prospect Eli Willits’ Bonus Record

The Washington Nationals and first-round pick Eli Willits made history when he signed his contract on Saturday.

His accomplishment became history about 72 hours later.

On Tuesday, the Colorado Rockies signed their first-round pick, infielder Ethan Holliday, to his bonus contract. The No. 4 overall selection, who is the younger brother of Baltimore Orioles star Jackson Holliday, signed an over-slot bonus deal of $9 million per MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis.

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In doing so, he set the record for the highest bonus ever signed by a prep draft pick, a prize that was held by Willits.

When the Nats signed Willits to his deal on Saturday, he signed for a below-slot $8.2 million. In fact, he left nearly $3 million on the table, as the slot value for his deal was $11.08 million. But it was still enough for Willits to take the record for the highest signing bonus for a prep player.

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Who held the record before Willits? Jackson Holliday. When the older son of former MLB All-Star Matt Holliday was taken No. 1 overall in 2022, he signed a deal worth $8.19 million.

Ethan Holliday was likely to pass Willits. He didn’t need an over-slot deal to pass the new Nationals star. The new Rockies star’s slot bonus was $8.77 million. But his $9 million bonus is not only the largest given to a prep player, but it is now tied for the fourth largest all-time, per MLB.com.

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Who is he tied with? Injured Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews, who received a $9 million bonus for the Nationals when he was the No. 2 overall pick in 2023.

Cincinnati pitcher Chase Burns and Rockies prospect and outfielder Charlie Condon share the record for the largest bonus at $9.250 million. Both were drafted in 2024. Behind the two of them is Pittsburgh pitcher Paul Skenes, who signed a $9.2 million bonus when he was drafted No. 1 overall in 2023.

Willits’ bonus is now the eighth highest in MLB history after Ethan Holliday’s deal.

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Willits is the son of former Major League utility player Reggie Willits. He played five seasons with the Los Angeles Angels. He also spent four seasons as a coach with the New York Yankees. The elder Willits is from Chickasha, Okla., and played college baseball at Oklahoma.

Willits played at Fort Cobb-Broxton High in Fort Cobb, Okla., just like his dad, who was a seventh-round pick coming out of college. He is from the same state as Holliday, who prepped at Stillwater High School in Stillwater, Okla.

That top two prep players selected in the draft came from the same state and were sons of former Major League players.

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