Nationals No. 1 Pick Announces He's Signing With Franchise in Zany Way
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As the Washington Nationals get set to start the second half of the season, the team got some good news regarding one of their all-important draft pick.
It has been another tough year for the Nationals in 2025. Despite some expectations that the team was going take a step forward, they have been unable to do so, and this campaign looks like it is heading toward being another losing one.
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Even though the win column might not reflect it, there have been a couple of bright spots. The team has seen James Wood and MacKenzie Gore develop into All-Stars, proving there is talent on the roster.
Recently, the team was able to add some more young talent at the MLB draft with their rebuilding continuing. Washington had the first overall pick and surprised many with the selection of Eli Willits.
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In a different fashion than most, the young shortstop announced on CNN with anchor Wolf Blitzer that he will be signing his contract and reporting to Florida over the weekend.
In a very D.C. way to unveil this info, Nationals No. 1 pick Eli Willits just told @wolfblitzer on CNN that he will sign his contract tomorrow and head to Florida on Sunday.https://t.co/wgH8jpTEd8
— Spencer Nusbaum (@spencernusbaum_) July 18, 2025
Despite the surprise announcement on television, it is good to see that Willits and the Nationals were able to avoid any long contract negotiations.
Now, he will be heading to Florida to begin his journey to the Majors, and there is a lot to like about his game.
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Even though he might not have been regarded as the top prospect in the class, he comes with a high floor and appears to have been a safe choice for a team that is desperately trying to turn things around.
For more Nationals news, head over to Nationals On SI.
Nick Ziegler is an alumnus of the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. He has been working in sports media covering the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL for nearly a decade with various publications online. With his free time, Nick enjoys being at the Jersey Shore with his wife, daughter, and their golden retriever. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @NickZiegler20.