Nationals Promote Eli Willits, Two Other Star Prospects

After Willits was taken No. 1 overall in the 2025 draft, he immediately impressed during his limited action with Single-A Fredericksburg. Not only did he slash .300/.397/.360 across 15 contests, but he began his professional career with a nine-game hitting streak and had three multi-hit performances that included three in his pro debut.

Scouts have long praised the approach of Willits, as he has elite bat-to-ball skills and plate discipline. But there were questions if he would be able to hit the ball over the fence, which would ultimately limit his overall ceiling.

He's quieted some of those concerns this season. Across 47 games with Fredericksburg, he not only slashed .300/.418/.500, but he had six home runs, 23 extra-base hits and 37 RBIs. While he did strike out 54 times -- which is something to monitor -- he also drew 38 walks and stole 29 bases.

At the age of 18, he was one of the best players across the entire Single-A level. Now, Washington is going to challenge him further with this promotion to High-A.

Devin Fitz-Gerald Continues His Rapid Ascent

The Nationals had a feeling they were getting a high-upside player when they landed Fitz-Gerald in the return package for MacKenzie Gore. But they have to be shocked by what he's done so far this season in just his second year of professional baseball.

Across 51 games, he slashed .267/.373/.530 with an eye-catching 12 home runs. He also had 11 doubles, three triples, 37 RBIs and 42 strikeouts to 30 walks. This season was the first time he had competed at the High-A level, which made what he was doing even more impressive.

Now ranked No. 5 in Washington's pipeline and top 100 in the sport, the 20-year-old has firmly put himself onto the map when it comes to who could become the future major league stars for this organization. And if he keeps up his red-hot form at Double-A, then he could be on MLB debut watch next season.

Ethan Petry Slugging His Way Up the Ranks

When discussing the young crop of star prospects for the Nationals, it feels like Petry gets overlooked. But he is doing whatever he can to change that, as the slugger continues to rake at the plate since becoming a professional.

After getting taken in the second round of the 2025 draft, Petry had his own solid debut with Single-A Fredericksburg that season when he slashed .287/.386/.414 across 24 games. He kept things rolling this year with Wilmington, as he slashed .297/.392/.521 with nine homers, 10 doubles and 34 RBIs across 43 games. While he did strike out 47 times, he also drew 22 walks.

There's a real chance that Petry could be playing Major League Baseball games next season. Because he was a college player and has an advanced hit tool at the age of 21, he could slug his way into a roster spot if he continues to perform in this manner. And by sending him up to Double-A, it's clear Washington wants to see if he can do exactly that.