This Part of Eli Willits' Game Stood Out This Past Season, Which Is Huge for Nationals
In this story:
When the Washington Nationals drafted Eli Willits No. 1 overall in the 2025 draft, there were a lot of people shocked about that decision.
However, the prep standout quickly showcased why many teams around the league were enamored with the 17-year-old, as he recorded a hit in his first nine professional games to close out that campaign, which allowed him to finish the year with an impressive .300/.397/.360 slash line to get his career started.
Hitting was always something Willits was expected to excel at, though. One of the only question marks surrounding his profile heading into this past season was his ability to hit for power. But the star prospect quieted those concerns with what he showcased throughout 2026.
Eli Willits' Slugging Percentage Stood Out in a Major Way
Across three minor league affiliate levels -- Single-A, High-A and Double-A -- the 18-year-old finished with a combined slash line of .265/.406/.463. His .463 slugging percentage and .869 OPS was eye-catching, and it caught the attention of MLB Pipeline. They said that Willits' slugging percentage was the one singular stat from Washington's farm system that caught their eye.
"... he put those concerns to rest by hitting 14 homers and slugging .463 as an 18-year-old climbing from Single-A to Double-A. Guardians outfielder Juneiker Caceres was the only age-18 batting qualifier in full-season ball with a higher slugging percentage (.484)," they wrote as part of their reasoning.
Considering the other aspects of Wilits' game that have massive ceilings -- he stole 62 total bases and had a .981 fielding percentage with seven errors across 873 1/3 innings at shortstop in 2026 -- the fact that he is already showing a power upside to his game is huge for the Nationals.
While Willits was already circled as a star prospect when Washington drafted him No. 1 overall, the fact that he looks like a true five-tool player now is notable. That has allowed him to skyrocket into the top 10 of MLB Pipeline's prospect rankings, as he finished 2026 ranked No. 6 in the entire sport. How the youngster continues to develop will be key. He had some more swing-and-miss to his game than expected this year, which is something to keep an eye on going forward. But considering his age, that can be overlooked since this was just his first professional season.
Regardless, there is no doubt that the future is bright for the 18-year-old. And with a real power element to his game now, all eyes will be on what he can do next season since he could be knocking on the door of the majors before too long if he continues on this type of trajectory.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Brad Wakai graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Journalism. While an undergrad, he worked at the student radio station covering different Penn State athletic programs like football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports. Brad became the Lead Contributor for Nittany Lions Wire of Gannett Media where he continued to cover Penn State athletics. Currently, Brad is the Publisher for Washington Nationals On SI and covers multiple teams across the On SI network. He is the host of the sports podcast I Said What I Said, where he and his co-host discuss topics across the NFL, College Football, the NBA and other sports. You can follow him on Twitter: @bwakai