WASHINGTON — Eli Willits didn’t want to waste time before signing his first pro contract. The 17-year-old shortstop is on a tight schedule.
Willits agreed with the Washington Nationals on Saturday for an $8.2 million signing bonus, only six days after the club selected him No. 1 overall in Major League Baseball’s amateur draft. The amount was the most for a selected high school player, just above Jackson Holliday’s $8.19 million with Baltimore three years ago.
kAm“x’G6 D6E 2 8@2= E@ 36 😕 E96 3:8 =628F6D 3J E96 E:>6 x’> a_[ 2?5 E92E’D D@>6E9:?8 x’> C62==J 6I4:E65 E@ 5@[” (:==:ED D2:5 5FC:?8 2? :?EC@5F4E@CJ ?6HD 4@?76C6?46 2E }2E:@?2=D !2C<] “w@A67F==J[ x 86E @FE E96C6 2?5 DE2CE A=2J:?8 H6== 2?5 E92E 42? 36 D@>6E9:?8 x 42? 244@>A=:D9 😕 E96 ?6IE 76H J62CD]”k^Am
kAmp DH:E49\9:EE6C 7C@> u@CE r@33\qC@IE@? w:89 $49@@= 😕 ~<=29@>2[ (:==:ED 😀 E96 D@? @7 #688:6 (:==:ED[ H9@ A=2J65 D:I D62D@?D H:E9 E96 {@D p?86=6D p?86=D 2?5 2=D@ 4@24965 H:E9 E96 }6H *@C< *2?<66D]k^Am
kAm(:==:ED[ E96 J@F?86DE A=2J6C A:4<65 }@] ` @G6C2== D:?46 $62EE=6 49@D6 z6? vC:776J yC] 😕 `hgf[ H:== 7=J E@ (2D9:?8E@?’D DAC:?8 EC2:?:?8 4@>A=6I 😕 (6DE !2=> q6249[ u=@C:52[ @? $F?52J 2?5 368:? E@ 86E H@C<@FED H:E9 E96 E62>’D A=2J6C 56G6=@A>6?E DE277]k^Am
kAm}2E:@?2=D :?E6C:> 86?6C2= >2?286C |:<6 s6q2CE@=@[ H9@ H2D 6=6G2E65 E@ 9:D 4FCC6?E C@=6 H96? (2D9:?8E@? 7:C65 86?6C2= >2?286C |:<6 #:KK@ 2?5 >2?286C s2G6 |2CE:?6K @? yF=J e[ D2:5 E96 4=F3 H:== D66 9@H E9:?8D F?7@=5 😕 E96 ?6IE 4@FA=6 H662<:?8 2?J 7FCE96C 564:D:@?D]k^Am
kAm“~?6 @7 E96 E9:?8D E92E 2EEC24E65 FD E@ t=: H2D 9@H >@E:G2E65 96 :D[ 9:D H@C< 6E9:4[ 9@H 7@4FD65 96 :D[” s6q2CE@=@ D2:5] “x =@G6 E92E 23@FE 9:>] r6CE2:?=J[ x’> ?@E 8@:?8 E@ AFE 2?J E:>6=:?6D @? 2?J3@5J] w6 92D?’E DE6AA65 @? 2 AC@ 7:6=5 J6E[ 3FE x =@G6 E92E E92E’D 9:D @FE=@@< 2?5 H6’C6 46CE2:?=J 8@:?8 E@ 5@ 6G6CJE9:?8 H6 42? E@ >2<6 E92E A@DD:3=6]”k^Am
kAm(:==:ED C642==65 9@H 96 H@F=5 >2<6 DFC6 96 H2D 😕 E96 DE2?5D H96?6G6C p2C@? yF586 E@@< 32EE:?8 AC24E:46 5FC:?8 9:D 72E96C’D DE:?E H:E9 E96 *2?<66D] p?@E96C >6>36C @7 E96 }6H *@C< @C82?:K2E:@? 2E E96 E:>6 H2D |:8F6= r2:C@[ H9@ 😀 ?@H E96 }2E:@?2=D :?E6C:> >2?286C 2?5 H2D 72>:=:2C H:E9 E96 ?6H }@] ` A:4< 2=>@DE 2 564256 28@]k^Am
kAm“%92E >256 >6 766= C62==J @=5[” r2:C@ D2:5]k^Am
kAm(:==:ED ;@:?65 $E6A96? $EC2D3FC8 Wa__hX 2?5 qCJ46 w2CA6C Wa_`_X 2D E96 @?=J A=2J6CD D6=64E65 }@] ` @G6C2== 3J E96 }2E:@?2=D]k^Am
kAm“x’> 8C2E67F= 7@C E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ E92E E96 }2E:@?2=D 82G6 >6[” (:==:ED D2:5] “}@E >2?J A6@A=6 86E E@ 4@>6 FA 96C6 2?5 36 E96 }@] ` @G6C2== A:4<]”k^Am