Eli Willits is the Top Chase Card in Bowman Draft 2025
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Bowman Draft 2025 is almost here. The last and often one of the more popular Bowman releases of the year features product debuts of many of the top picks from the 2025 Draft. In years past, the product has always been headlined by the number one pick in the draft. Last year it was Travis Bazzana of the Cleveland Guardians and the year before that was reigning Cy Young winner Paul Skenes. Bowman Draft 2025 is no exception and will be headlined by Eli Willits who was drafted first by the Washington Nationals.
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Heading into the draft, there was a lot of speculation as to who the Nationals would take with the first pick before they settled on Willits. Willits was initially slated to be one of the top picks in the 2026 before completing high school early. As such he was one of the youngest players in the Draft and ended up becoming the youngest player ever taken first overall. Even though there was uncertainty on who the pick would be, Willits certainly was worthy of the spot due to his tools he displayed.
For collectors, Willits checks off all the boxes one would look for a top chase. He plays at a premium position on the diamond and is expected to remain at shortstop as he develops. He’s also projected to be an above average hitter with the potential to develop average to above average power along with the speed to steal plenty of bases. Putting that together with his draft position makes Willits the premier tier 1 chase in Draft
As the top chase in the product, collectors can expect the Nationals in general and Willits specifically to be the most expensive spots in breaks. One factor for the collectors to keep in mind is that Willits is very young. As I previously said, he was the youngest player ever taken first overall checking in at just over 17 years of age. While his talent is extremely high, the volatility that comes with his youth is also high as well. However, if you’re a collector that isn’t risk averse, Willits should be a fun chase for you.
