Jul 13, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Eli Willits is drafted by the Washington Nationals with the first pick during the first round of the MLB Draft at The Coca-Cola Roxy. Brett Davis-Imagn Images

What to Expect as Nationals Assign No. 1 Overall Pick to Minor League Affiliate

Originally posted on Washington Nationals on SI
By Jeremy Trottier | Last updated Aug 20, 2025 7:00 PM ET

The Washington Nationals have had a difficult 2025 season in pretty much every meaning of the word. With a 50-75 record, it is clear that they are not on the right path to make a Postseason appearance this year. However, they have been able to find some bright spots throughout this campaign that have made it bearable for fans to endure.

One of the most notable positives is that the team had an exceptionally strong 2025 MLB Draft class and landed one of the top prospects in the whole class with Eli Willits . Additionally, they have built a foundational young core to build f rom, including many of the core pieces from the Juan Soto trade.

Now it is more of a waiting game, as the Nationals look to bring up some of these top prospects in the coming years and sustain their success beyond just a few short years. Willits will be one of the key pieces of that movement, hopefully, as with some exceptional tools to work with, it is clear that he is going to be on the rise rather quickly.

Starting out, he will work with Single-A Fredericksburg and is set to make his debut on August 21 with the team.

No. 1 overall Draft pick Eli Willits is set to make his pro debut tomorrow for Single-A Fredericksburg, @SamDykstraMiLB confirms.

More on the 17-year-old #Nats prospect: https://t.co/DXGn1bxmwa pic.twitter.com/eCzHPUqVHG
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 20, 2025

What Should Be Expected of Willits in These First Few Weeks?

NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Many fans immediately expect every prospect to take off in the farm system for their franchise, and when it comes to No. 1 overall picks, the expectations placed on their shoulders are even higher. Willits will feel some of that pressure, no doubt, but at only 17 years old, he has plenty of time to adjust to the professional level.

His biggest strength is consistency and lots of projectability, with no clear weakness in his game, but no one tool that is better than all the rest either. 60 grade hit and run tools are where he tops out, which is great, but still in need of further improvement as well, and a low of 45 in his power grade is also not concerning whatsoever.

As for what to expect, he should be able to make an impact rather early, given how he tore up the high school level. With a .473 batting average in his senior year, along with 34 RBI and eight home runs, he clearly has quite a bit of talent. Now it all comes down to how well the team can develop him into his traits.

It may take a bit of time to show the flashes he has previously shown in high school, so an immediate impact from day one may be unreasonable. But after the first few weeks of playing, it should be clear that he has what it takes to make it in this league.