MLB Draft 2025: Who should the Washington Nationals take with the first pick?

With the draft just a few weeks away, I wanted to take a look at the three most likely contenders for the number 1 pick

Ever since the ping pong balls rolled the Nationals way all the way back on December 10th, it has been a wide open race for the number one pick. Contenders for the spot have come and gone. Now there are three guys that stand out among the rest. Two are Oklahoma prepsters with big league fathers, and the other is a silky smooth southpaw who is flying up the draft board. We will break all of them down right here.

Most Famous Kid in the Draft:

The first player and the favorite for the pick is the guy who has always been at or near the top. That of course is Ethan Holliday, the son of MLB star Matt Holliday and the brother of Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday.

Built more like his 6’4 dad than his 6 foot brother, Holliday has some of the most impressive raw power in the class. He has the ability to swat homers at insane exit velocities despite just turning 18.

The biggest knock on Holliday right now is that there is some swing and miss in his game. It is not to the level of an Elijah Green, but it does exist. He did not have the summer showcase circuit. However, he was getting pitched around a lot and people thought he was just trying to do too much when he did get strikes.

He plays shortstop right now, but most people expect Holliday to move to third base eventually due to his size. However, he has gotten good reviews for his defense this spring so maybe there is a chance he can be a jumbo shortstop in the mold of a Corey Seager.

Right now Holliday is the favorite and probably who I would take. However, due to the aforementioned swing and miss issues, he is not a slam dunk. With his bloodlines and his dad as a teacher, I believe he will hit well enough to tap into his immense raw power. He also has a patient approach and does not expand the zone, so that should help. As he sees more high end velocity, he will adjust.

The Other Oklahoma High Schooler:

He is not as famous as Ethan Holliday, but Eli Willits is also a Oklahoma High School shortstop who’s dad Reggie played in the MLB. However, that is where the similarities stop. Willits and Holliday are very different players.

Despite being the youngest player in the draft, Willits is exceptionally polished. He is a pure hitter who is a good athlete and very solid defender at the shortstop position. Unlike Holliday, Willits is very likely to stick at shortstop.

Willits is a smooth switch hitter, who can really hit. He does not have a ton of power yet, but he does not turn 18 until December, so there will be plenty of time for that to come.

Willits sure fire shortstop profile could appeal to the Nats. CJ Abrams is a position change candidate, so shortstop could be a long term need for the Nationals. With Kade Anderson being a strong candidate with the second pick and the Rockies willing to throw the bag at Holliday with their fourth pick, Willits could also be the guy willing to take the biggest deal.

Most first overall picks sign for under the slot since the slot is so big, but Willits might allow for the most savings while also being an elite talent. He is not the flashiest player, but he is super young and despite that age, he has a high floor due to his feel to hit and defense.

Rising LSU Star Pitcher:

Stop me if you have heard this before, there is an LSU pitcher rising up the draft boards as the season goes along. Of course, the last time that happened was in 2023 when Paul Skenes was dominating.

Well it is happening again with Kade Anderson. Anderson is not Skenes though. He does not have that kind of velocity or upside. However, he is an outstanding left handed pitcher with stuff, projection and strikes.

The draft eligible sophomore finished his college career with a bang, throwing a complete game shutout in the College World Series final. He dominated a good Coastal Carolina lineup and helped set the tone in game one of the finals, which LSU ended up winning.

While Anderson’s fastball is mostly in the 93-94 range, it plays up due to its spin and shape. He also commands the pitch very well, which makes it play up even more. Anderson commands his whole arsenal well, making him mature beyond his years.

Along with the heater, Anderson has a trio of secondary pitches that all have plus upside. He dominated Coastal Carolina with his changeup, curveball, slider combo. Anderson has an innate feel for spin, while also having a great feel for a changeup. That is a rare combination. Most guys either have that feel for spin, or a feel for a changeup, as they require different actions. Anderson is able to do both.

Anderson’s thin, projectable frame allows you to dream for more velocity too. Maybe he can sit 95 one day like a MacKenzie Gore. However, even if the stuff remains as is, that is a number 2 starter all day long.

While Anderson had Tommy John in High School, that might not even be the worst thing these days. Blowing out the elbow feels like almost an inevitability. It has already happened for Anderson, so maybe the new elbow will help him hold up for longer. He has also already shown he can come back from the surgery and dominate.

Anderson is the hot name right now after his College World Series exploits. He has emerged from a gaggle of college arms and is the pretty clear top guy now. If the Nats go down the pitching route, Anderson is the guy.

Who Should They Take:

Now the question is who should the Nats take. These three are the top names, but guys like Seth Hernandez and Aiva Arquette also linger in the shadows. Seaver King was on nobody’s radar for the Nats this time last year, so who knows what could happen.

However, these three are the favorites and for good reason. All things being equal, I would probably take Holliday. He has the highest ceiling with his insane power upside. While his hit tool has some questions, most scouts think he should be able to hit enough.

With his power and patience, all Holliday needs to do is become an average hitter to become a star. Swing and miss will always be part of his game, but that is alright. It is also a part of James Wood’s game and he is just fine.

However, all three of these guys have strong cases. The Nats need a running mate for MacKenzie Gore, and fast. Kade Anderson could be that quick mover who could be able to join Gore in the rotation as soon as sometime in the middle of next season. Chase Burns, who was drafted last year is about to make his debut. Why couldn’t Anderson do that?

Willits would also be a solid pick and could allow them to sign big time players down the board. Last year, I think the Nats reached too much on Seaver King to save money. However, Willits is still a top 3 to 5 talent in his own right and is not the type of reach King was.

All of these guys have strong cases and I am so intrigued to see what happens on draft day. With the Nats rebuild struggling and in need of help, this pick could determine the next decade plus of Nationals baseball.