Ethan Holliday isn’t the only Oklahoma high schooler with a big league dad who could go number one in the draft
The race for the number one pick in the 2025 MLB Draft is still as wide open as ever. Guys like Jamie Arnold, Seth Hernandez, Ethan Holliday, and Aiva Arquette are all getting a lot of 1-1 buzz. However, high school shortstop Eli Willits is beginning to get some hype as well.
In a recent Baseball America piece, he was listed as one of the eight prospects who could go number 1 overall. In that, he was lauded for his well rounded skill set and polish.
When you think of a high schooler from Oklahoma with a former MLB player as a dad, your mind would immediately turn to Ethan Holliday. However, the description fits for Eli Willits as well. His dad Reggie played six seasons for the Angels from 2006-2011.
One thing that stands out about Eli is just how young he is. Willits does not turn 18 until December, making him probably the youngest player in the class. He reclassified from the 2026 class, which is why he is so young for the draft.
Despite his young age, Willits stands out for his polish. He is a switch hitter with a plus hit tool and a good approach. The youngster is not expected to have a ton of power, but with how young he is there could be more in the tank.
Willits is also a good athlete who plays a good shortstop. Unlike Ethan Holliday, who is expected to move to third base, Willits is a no doubt shortstop. Willits does not have the power or physicality of a Holliday, he has a more well rounded skillset.
As the son of a big leaguer, Willits is lauded for his instincts and non stop motor. It is a bit of a weird profile because despite his young age, Willits is more of a floor over ceiling guy compared to other high school prospects.
He is a good shortstop, but not the potential gold glove level wizard that a Billy Carlson is. Willits is a good hitter, but does not have the monster power upside of an Ethan Holliday. However, it is hard to find a glaring weakness with Willits. His age also gives him a lot of developmental upside.
Willits is not the favorite to go number one overall, but he has certainly put himself in the conversation. Teams love polished high school shortstops who are extremely young, and Willits fit the bill. In a draft with so much uncertainty at the top, Eli Willits is a name to keep an eye on.
Seaver King was not on our radar at 10 last year, so the Nationals have shown they are willing to go outside the box on high picks. Eli Willits could be that dark horse who ends up being selected number one overall.