News Summary
The Washington Nationals have made waves by signing high school shortstop Eli Willits for a record-breaking $8.2 million bonus as the first overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. This deal surpasses the previous record of $8.19 million set in 2022. Willits, a surprise pick, is recognized for his impressive skills, while teams are now under pressure to finalize contracts ahead of the deadline. The recent draft saw a significant drop in player attendance, raising concerns over MLB’s draft format.
Washington, D.C. – The Washington Nationals have made headlines by signing high school shortstop Eli Willits for a record-breaking $8.2 million bonus as the first overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. This groundbreaking signing has set a new benchmark for high school player bonuses, eclipsing the previous record of $8.19 million awarded to Jackson Holliday in 2022. The MLB draft saw 43 players selected in the first two rounds, with teams now facing a deadline until 5 p.m. ET on July 28 to finalize contracts with their selections.
Eli Willits was selected despite being considered a surprise pick at the number one spot, noted for his impressive bat-to-ball skills, speed, high baseball IQ, and solid defensive capabilities at shortstop. His overall pick value is estimated at $11,075,900. Although his signing bonus is below the anticipated slot value, it allows the Nationals to conserve resources for potential above-slot bonuses for later selections.
The second overall pick was Tyler Bremner, a right-handed pitcher from UC Santa Barbara, chosen by the Los Angeles Angels with an estimated pick value of $10,252,700. The Seattle Mariners followed closely by selecting left-handed pitcher Kade Anderson from Louisiana State as the third overall pick, valued at $9,504,400.
In other notable selections, the Colorado Rockies chose shortstop Ethan Holliday from Stillwater High School with a pick value of $8,770,900, while the St. Louis Cardinals picked left-handed pitcher Liam Doyle from Tennessee, who holds the title of the reigning NCAA D-I strikeout leader, with a value of $8,134,800 and a signing bonus of $7,250,000.
Further down the draft, the Pittsburgh Pirates selected right-handed pitcher Seth Hernandez from Corona High School with a pick value of $7,558,600 as the sixth overall pick, whereas the Miami Marlins paired with shortstop Aiva Arquette from Oregon State, who carries a pick value of $7,149,900.
As the draft unfolded, a pattern emerged indicating a significant drop in attendance. Notably, no players attended the event in 2025, attributed to advice from agents regarding the potential challenges in contract negotiations. This lack of player presence drew attention to the ongoing issues within MLB’s draft format.
The broadcast of the 2025 draft on ESPN and MLB Network attracted 863,000 viewers, marking an improvement compared to previous years yet still far behind the viewer counts achieved by NFL and NBA drafts. The event did highlight a need for potential improvements, including suggestions from agents for financial compensation for attendance and limiting communications between teams and agents during the draft process.
With the draft concluded, players who have exhausted their collegiate eligibility can still sign with teams at any time until one week prior to next year’s draft. As teams strategize to finalize contracts with their first two rounds of selections, all eyes will be on the Nationals as they enter a new chapter with Eli Willits leading the charge.
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HERE Resources
Baltimore Orioles Set Record Bonus Pool in MLB Draft
Additional Resources
- CBS Sports: Nationals Sign Eli Willits
- ESPN: 2025 MLB Draft Attendance Issues
- Detroit Free Press: Tigers Sign Top Draft Picks
- Wikipedia: 2025 MLB Draft
- Baseball America: 2025 MLB Draft Reviews
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