News Summary
The Washington Nationals made history by signing Eli Willits from Fort Cobb-Broxton High School for an unprecedented $8.2 million bonus. This marks the largest signing bonus ever for a high school player, surpassing the previous record. Willits, noted for his exceptional skill set, was the first overall pick in the draft. The team aims to strengthen its roster despite a notably low attendance at the draft, attributed to agents advising against in-person participation.
Washington, D.C. – The Washington Nationals have made history by signing Eli Willits, a shortstop from Fort Cobb-Broxton High School in Oklahoma, for a record-breaking signing bonus of $8.2 million. This record-setting amount, confirmed during the 2025 MLB Draft, signifies the largest signing bonus ever offered to a high school player, surpassing the $8.19 million previously awarded to Jackson Holliday in 2022. The Nationals selected Willits as the first overall pick of the draft, which featured 43 players chosen in the first two rounds.
Teams have until 5 p.m. ET on July 28 to finalize contracts with their draft selections. Despite the possibility of signing until one week prior to the next year’s draft if players have exhausted their collegiate eligibility, teams are eager to solidify their rosters. Willits’ signing bonus was below the expected slot value of $11,075,900, allowing the Nationals to allocate additional funds for above-slot bonuses to other later draft picks.
While Willits was considered a surprise pick at number one, his impressive skill set—a combination of powerful bat-to-ball proficiency, exceptional speed, high baseball IQ, and strong defensive capabilities—has drawn significant attention. MLB analysts had praised Willits for his potential, making him an appealing choice for a team looking to build for the future.
The 2025 draft also saw the Los Angeles Angels take Tyler Bremner, a right-handed pitcher from UC Santa Barbara, with the second overall pick, valued at $10,252,700. The Seattle Mariners followed closely by selecting Kade Anderson, a left-handed pitcher from Louisiana State, valued at $9,504,400. The Colorado Rockies picked Ethan Holliday, a shortstop from Stillwater High School in Oklahoma, with the fourth overall selection, which carries a value of $8,770,900.
The St. Louis Cardinals selected left-handed pitcher Liam Doyle from Tennessee as the fifth overall pick, valued at $8,134,800 with a signing bonus of $7,250,000. Doyle is noted for being the reigning NCAA D-I strikeout leader and having a fastball reaching up to 100 mph. The Pittsburgh Pirates then picked right-handed pitcher Seth Hernandez from Corona High School in California with the sixth pick, valued at $7,558,600.
As the draft continued, the Miami Marlins selected Aiva Arquette, a shortstop from Oregon State, with the seventh overall pick, valued at $7,149,900. The Toronto Blue Jays selected JoJo Parker, another shortstop from Purvis High School in Mississippi, with the eighth pick valued at $6,813,600. The Cincinnati Reds took Steele Hall, a shortstop from Hewitt-Trussville High School in Alabama, in the ninth spot with a value of $6,513,800 and a signing bonus of $5,750,000, reflecting Hall’s speed and defensive skills.
The Chicago White Sox rounded out the top ten with the selection of Billy Carlson, a shortstop from Corona High School in California, at a value of $6,238,400. Other notable picks included Jamie Arnold, a left-handed pitcher from Florida State, and Gavin Fien and Gavin Kilen, shortstops from California and Tennessee, respectively, with selections in the later top 15 picks.
Overall attendance at the MLB draft was notably low, with no players attending in 2025. This has been attributed to agents advising against attendance due to the sensitive nature of contract negotiations. Viewership for the event stood at 863,000 across ESPN and MLB Network, reflecting an improvement compared to previous years, but still falling considerably short of the audience seen during NFL and NBA drafts.
Potential areas for improvement have been discussed by agents, including the possibility of offering financial compensation for player attendance and implementing stricter limits on communications between teams and agents during the draft process. As the 2026 MLB Draft approaches, these considerations may impact future participation and engagement efforts.
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HERE Resources
Baltimore Orioles Make Historic Moves in MLB Draft
Additional Resources
- CBS Sports: Nationals Sign Eli Willits
- ESPN: 2025 MLB Draft Attendance Issues
- Detroit Free Press: Tigers Sign Top Draft Picks
- Wikipedia: 2025 MLB Draft
- Baseball America: 2025 MLB Draft Reviews
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