The Washington Nationals, holding the initial selection in the 2025 MLB Draft, chose shortstop Eli Willits.
Willits marks an uncommon instance of a player being selected first overall under the direction of an interim general manager. The Nationals dismissed GM Mike Rizzo, along with manager Dave Martinez, the previous Sunday, appointing Mike DeBartolo, previously Rizzo’s assistant general manager, as the temporary GM.
Willits, a 17-year-old hailing from Fort Cobb-Broxton High School in Oklahoma, is the offspring of former Los Angeles Angels outfielder Reggie Willits. Reggie, a seventh-round pick in the 2003 draft, played six seasons with the Angels from 2006 to 2011.
The long-term role of the 41-year-old DeBartolo within the Nationals remains uncertain, though his statements suggest an expectation of influencing the franchise’s future. Nevertheless, the team entrusted him with a crucial decision.
The Nationals secured the No. 1 pick with a 10.2% probability in the MLB Draft lottery, gaining $11,075,900 in slot money to pursue Willits’ signature.
Willits Arrives Amidst Nationals’ Turmoil
Typically, there’s an expected timeline for dismissing a general manager, particularly if considered after a fifth consecutive losing season, as the Nationals likely contemplated last year. Most GM departures occur between the trade deadline and the season’s end, allowing the team time to find a replacement and enabling that successor to shape the team during the offseason.
The Nationals diverged significantly from this approach.
The Nats terminated Rizzo on July 6, just a week before a pivotal front-office decision. Ownership deemed Rizzo unsuitable for the pick but entrusted his former deputies, despite their own uncertain job security.
Mike DeBartolo (left) was tasked with the Nats’ first overall pick after the firing of Mike Rizzo (right). (Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
(The Washington Post via Getty Images)
The Nationals’ issues originate from ownership, unlikely to change unless the Lerner family considers selling again. The franchise achieved significant success under the Lerners, notably the 2019 World Series victory, but has since faced stagnation. The timing of Rizzo’s dismissal aligns with the franchise’s recent operational patterns.
Rizzo’s tenure saw a string of questionable first-round picks: Carter Kieboom (2016), Seth Romero (2017), Mason Denaburg (2018), Cade Cavalli (2020), Elijah Green (2022). While evaluations remain ongoing for some, even Dylan Crews, the No. 2 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, has encountered difficulties in the majors.
This decline followed the 2019 World Series triumph. The inability to retain Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon, Trea Turner, or Juan Soto long-term contributed, but the Nationals wouldn’t be a playoff contender even with those players, especially considering that James Wood, C.J. Abrams, and MacKenzie Gore, their current top players, were acquired in the Soto trade.
Rizzo possessed strengths as a general manager. Upon assuming baseball operations, the team had endured consecutive 100-loss seasons, had a subpar farm system, and faced scandals under Jim Bowden. With Harper and Stephen Strasburg, Rizzo turned the team around through trades and calculated risks.
His retention persisted even after the team’s decline following the 2019 title, but drafting and development failures, along with lagging in research and development, have pushed the team toward a failed rebuild.
The Nationals should be approaching playoff contention but instead are last in the NL East at 38-58. Their farm system is dwindling in impact prospects. Draft lottery rules limit their next year’s pick to No. 10 or lower. Gore’s free agency nears, mirroring Soto’s situation when traded due to contract extension concerns.
The Nationals moved on from Rizzo, but it’s uncertain whether they’ll seek an external GM or trust DeBartolo. Willits’ success would significantly aid recovery, representing the organization’s first major draft pick success since Lucas Giolito in 2012.
No pressure, rookie.
