"Primarily, that criticism stemmed from the fact that the fans wanted the flashier name in Ethan Holliday, the youngest son of former big leaguer and multi-time All-Star Matt Holliday, but the Nationals instead chose Eli Willits. Some fans even were upset with the Nationals and attempted to use the narrative that the team was being cheap by selecting Willits over Holliday."
"However, with the season just around the corner from kicking off, MLB Pipeline is beginning to roll out their Top 10 rankings at multiple positions, and the most stacked position in the league as of now in the prospect world is the shortstop position. On Wednesday, they released their shortstop rankings, and where Willits landed on the list will probably surprise people, specifically the doubters, for a couple reasons."
"For anyone that wondered about the small sample sizes that both Willits and Holliday both displayed last year in their first adjustment to pro ball, Willits came in as the 8th-ranked shortstop prospect in the league, while Holliday came in at No. 10 overall. It's also important to note that, despite having only just turned 18-years-old last month, Willits was given an earlier arrival year to the majors than Holliday."
The Washington Nationals prioritized long-term upside when they used the 2025 top overall pick on Eli Willits instead of Ethan Holliday. The choice provoked fan criticism because Holliday carried a recognizable pedigree as Matt Holliday’s son; some fans framed the pick as a cost-saving move. Willits’ lower signing bonus reflected a deep draft class and the Nationals’ conviction that he was the best player at the position. MLB Pipeline’s shortstop rankings placed Willits eighth and Holliday tenth. Willits, who just turned 18, was assigned an earlier projected big-league arrival despite both players having very small professional samples.
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