Eli Willits has plus speed. And defenders need to be on high alert because of it.
Willits, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 Draft, used every bit of his 60-grade wheels to record his first professional home run for Single-A Fredericksburg -- on an inside-the-parker.
COMPLETE NATIONALS PROSPECT COVERAGE
The Nationals’ top prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 10 pulled a sinking line drive to right field on the first pitch he saw to lead off the seventh inning Wednesday. The ball bounced under the glove of the right fielder, and Willits was off to the races.
The 18-year-old infielder was already almost halfway to third base when the ball was retrieved on the warning track. An aggressive send home was fruitful, as the relay throw from second base got past the catcher.
Willits, serving as the designated hitter, started a three-run rally for Fredericksburg in the seventh. However, it ultimately was not enough, as Delmarva scored three more in the eighth to secure a 7-5 win.
Willits had been slow-going early in 2026, hitting just .179 in his first 10 games. And though he finished Wednesday 1-for-5 with a pair of strikeouts, perhaps a moment as energizing as your first career homer can spark a hot streak.