The Washington Nationals have finalized a contract with Eli Willits, the top overall selection in last week’s amateur draft, as confirmed by the team. Willits will receive an $8.2 million signing bonus, as reported by MLB.com, which is considerably below the assigned slot value of $11,075,900 for the No. 1 pick. Financial details had yet to be released by the Nationals.
Willits’ $8.2 million represents the largest bonus ever allocated to a high school player, surpassing the previous record of $8.19 million given by the Baltimore Orioles to infielder Jackson Holliday in 2022. It stands as the seventh biggest signing bonus recorded during the draft pool era (starting in 2012).
| Player | Team | Pick | Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHP Chase Burns | Cincinnati Reds | No. 2 in 2024 | $9.25M |
| 3B/OF Charlie Condon | Colorado Rockies | No. 3 in 2024 | $9.25M |
| RHP Paul Skenes | Pittsburgh Pirates | No. 1 in 2023 | $9.2 million |
| OF Dylan Crews | Washington Nationals | No. 2 in 2023 | $9M |
| 2B Travis Bazzana | Cleveland Guardians | No. 1 in 2023 | $8.95M |
| 1B Spencer Torkelson | Detroit Tigers | No. 1 in 2020 | $8.4163M |
| SS Eli Willits | Washington Nationals | No. 1 in 2025 | $8.2M |
It is common for top draft selections, including the No. 1 pick, to accept deals lower than their slot value. In fact, Spencer Torkelson is the only No. 1 selection since 2016 to sign for the full slot worth; every other first overall pick since has agreed to lower bonuses.
The Nationals saved $2,878,900 by signing Willits below slot, which they plan to reallocate toward bonuses for their later picks.
Willits, the child of former major leaguer and current college coach Reggie Willits, was rated as the No. 1 prospect leading up to the draft, as noted in our prior evaluations. Here’s the highlight:
Willits is considered to be the other prep shortstop with big-league bloodlines near the top of the class… The 17-year-old Willits may make his minor league debut in the Florida Complex League, with the possibility of progressing to Low Class-A shortly thereafter.
Further consolidating Nationals’ promising developments, interim GM Mike DeBartolo expressed, “Eli was the top guy on our board. It’s one of those situations where scouts and analysts share a similar viewpoint, recognizing him as the best hitter and fielder in the draft with exceptional work ethic and intangibles.”
For more insights, refer to this article detailing the Nationals’ recent management transitions.
