WASHINGTON — Eli Willits didn’t want to waste time before signing his first pro contract. The 17-year-old shortstop is on a tight schedule.
Willits agreed with the Washington Nationals on Saturday for an $8.2 million signing bonus, only six days after the club selected him No. 1 overall in Major League Baseball’s amateur draft. The amount was the most for a selected high school player, just above Jackson Holliday's $8.19 million with Baltimore three years ago.
“I’ve set a goal to be in the big leagues by the time I’m 20, and that’s something I’m really excited to do,” Willits said during an introductory news conference at Nationals Park. “Hopefully, I get out there and start playing well and that can be something I can accomplish in the next few years.”
A switch-hitter from Fort Cobb-Broxton High School in Oklahoma, Willits is the son of Reggie Willits, who played six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels and also coached with the New York Yankees.
Willits, the youngest player picked No. 1 overall since Seattle chose Ken Griffey Jr. in 1987, will fly to Washington’s spring training complex in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday and begin to get workouts with the team’s player development staff.
Nationals interim general manager Mike DeBartolo, who was elevated to his current role when Washington fired general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez on July 6, said the club will see how things unfold in the next couple weeks before making any further decisions.
“One of the things that attracted us to Eli was how motivated he is, his work ethic, how focused he is,” DeBartolo said. “I love that about him. Certainly, I’m not going to put any timelines on anybody. He hasn’t stepped on a pro field yet, but I love that that’s his outlook and we’re certainly going to do everything we can to make that possible.”
Willits recalled how he would make sure he was in the stands whenever Aaron Judge took batting practice during his father’s stint with the Yankees. Another member of the New York organization at the time was Miguel Cairo, who is now the Nationals interim manager and was familiar with the new No. 1 pick almost a decade ago.
“That made me feel really old,” Cairo said.
Willits joined Stephen Strasburg (2009) and Bryce Harper (2010) as the only players selected No. 1 overall by the Nationals.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity that the Nationals gave me,” Willits said. “Not many people get to come up here and be the No. 1 overall pick.”
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