Willits Debut at Double-A | Washington Nationals News

**Corey** (0:00)
It's September 9th. This is Washington Nationals News Today, AI-powered updates on your team. I'm Corey with the story.
Washington Nationals Enfield Prospect, Eli Willits, the number one overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, just got the call up to Double-A Harrisburg. This 18-year-old is considered MLB Pipeline's number four overall prospect for 2026, and he made his debut Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays. Double-A affiliate, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. In that debut, Willits went 0-4 at the plate with two walks and an RBI, facing off against Johnny King, the Blue Jays' number three prospect. King, a lefty who was also recently promoted to Double-A, gave up four runs in 3-1-3 innings, which was more than he'd allowed in any previous start. For the Fisher Cats, even though Willits had a tough night offensively, striking out against King and grounding into a double play, his team still won big 11-1.
It's a significant step up for the young infielder who's been working his way through the minors. This season, Willits has been solid overall, hitting 260 with a 4-0-3 on-base percentage and an 8-5-5 OPS. He's also shown off his speed with 60 stolen bases and shipped in 13 home runs and 71 RBIs across Single-A and High-A. With the High-A season wrapped up, it's a smart move for the Nationals to see how their future shortstop handles the Double-A level before the year is out. He won't turn 19 until December, so watching his development at this higher level will be key.