This story originally ran previously, before Eli Willits was drafted with the No. 1 pick by the Nationals.
Eli Willits is MLB Pipeline’s No. 5-ranked prospect for the 2025 Draft. Here is everything you need to know about him.
FAST FACTS
MLB Pipeline ranking: No. 5
Position: SS
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 180 lbs.
Bats/throws: S/R
Age: 17 (Born Dec. 9, 2007)
School: Fort Cobb-Broxton (Okla.) High School
MLB PIPELINE SCOUTING GRADES (20-to-80 scale)
Hit: 60
Power: 45
Run: 60
Arm: 55
Field: 55
Overall: 60
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
1. He comes from a baseball family.
His dad, Reggie Willits, played parts of six MLB seasons (2006-11) as an outfielder with the Angels and hit .258 with a .356 on-base percentage. He later coached first base for the Yankees from 2018-21 and has served a coach at the University of Oklahoma since 2022. Meanwhile, Eli's older brother, Jaxon, is a sophomore on the Sooners squad.
2. He's the youngest prospect in the Draft.
Willits will be 17 years and 7 months old on Draft Day, making him the youngest prospect by about two months. The reason? He reclassified from the class of 2026 to be available for this year's Draft. The next-youngest prospect in the Top 100 of this year's class is RHP Angel Cervantes, who ranks 49th.
3. He won six state championships in high school and played on Team USA.
Willits is certainly familiar with winning and high-level play. During his three years at Fort Cobb-Broxton High School, his teams won six state Class B championships -- three in the fall and three in the spring. He also played on the 18U Team USA squad in 2024, when he had a .345 on-base percentage with four RBIs in eight games.
4. He's been compared to Yankees SS Anthony Volpe.
Willits is a switch-hitter and is said to be quite a mature hitter for his age, with excellent bat-to-ball skills and consistent line-drive ability. In the field, he has good speed, a strong arm and good defensive instincts. The total package is said to be a more developed teenage version of Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe.
5. He's committed to Oklahoma to join his dad and brother.
Willits has a roster spot waiting for him at the University of Oklahoma, which would continue the family's baseball legacy at the school, but he's unlikely to be a Sooner, given his high Draft stock.