Nationals Notebook: Eli Willits Signing Day, Parker, Ferrer, House

WASHINGTON, D.C. — At 39-59, the Washington Nationals have not performed like a team that’s trending towards the end of their rebuilding phase.

As a result of that, the team’s longtime general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez were both relieved of their duties earlier this month. Assistant GM Mike DeBartolo was promoted to interim general manager and bench coach Miguel Cairo was named interim manager.

As an added wrinkle to the decision, the Nats owned the number one overall selection in this year’s MLB Draft just weeks later. With a pivotal day for the future of the franchise upon him quickly, DeBartolo made the call. The Nationals selected high school shortstop Eli Willits with the top pick.

“I just want to accumulate and build as much talent into the organization as we can,” said DeBartolo. “Just get the best players and, you know, if you have to wait a little longer [for a high schooler], if you think the upside is higher with this player and that this is the best player, I think that’s the right thing to do for the organization.”

Now that he’s guided the Nationals through the draft process, DeBartolo has to turn his attention to the state of the major league team.

The Nats started the second half of the season with a demoralizing 7-2 loss on Friday night. Closer Kyle Finnegan surrendered five earned runs in the ninth inning, allowing the Padres to take game one.

In game two, they bounced back to win 4-2 with Willits in attendance. Finnegan had a clean inning with two strikeouts to nail down the save and they will look to win the series in a rubber match on Sunday.

“[Finnegan] went after the hitters. He didn’t care if it was a lefty or righty,” Cairo said. “That’s what we ask. Attack the strike zone, make your pitches. If you’re gonna go down, go with your best pitches.”

DeBartolo would probably like to see Finnegan string together more quality outings, as he could be a potential piece to be moved at the trade deadline.

Eli Willits Introduced as a National

Willits, 17, made his way to the nation’s capital from Fort Cobb, Oklahoma to officially sign with the Nationals on Saturday. The deal gave him an $8.2 million dollar signing bonus, a new record for a high school player.

Not every player signs so quickly following the draft process. Negotiations take place, where both player and front office want to maximize their value. Why did Willits sign so quickly?

“I’m ready to get out there and play,” Willits explained. “I set a goal to be in the big leagues by the time I’m 20 and that’s something I’m really excited to do.”

One thing that was clear from Willits’ press conference is that he’s a driven young man. He has aspirations of getting to the majors quickly and making an impact once he arrives.

“One of the things that attracted us about Eli was how motivated he is, his work ethic, how focused he is,” DeBartolo said.

In addition to his mental strengths, the Nationals front office was also enamored by his skillset. Willits has the skills to back up his lofty goals.

“He’s a tremendous hitter with a great approach at the plate, an elite defensive shortstop,” DeBartolo added. “What really separated himself is the way he plays the game.”

The selection was personal for Cairo, who knew Willits’ father, Reggie, while they coached together for the New York Yankees. Cairo spoke highly of the Willits family and that Eli would be a great addition to the Nationals’ franchise.

“The organization is getting a guy that knows how to play the game the right way,” Cairo said. “A leader that with the rest of the team – with Dylan [Crews], with CJ [Abrams], with [James] Wood, that would be a good combination to have.”

Being the number one overall pick is great for a player’s notoriety, but it also comes with added pressure. Unlike in most other sports, it’s not even a guarantee that the top pick in the MLB Draft even makes it to the majors.

As a high school draftee, Willits will have to compete against players who have had more time to tweak their game in college. He knows that the baseball community will follow his journey through the minors closely, and he’s prepared to go about his business in that way.

“I’ve read this quote a lot, it says: ‘pressure is a privilege,'” Willits explained. “To have the pressure to be the number one overall pick and just soak it all in and set an example for kids younger than me, I’m just grateful. Grateful for the Nationals organization for giving me this opportunity. I’m excited and ready to get to work.”

Pitching was a Plus

The Nationals entered Saturday’s game with a team ERA of 5.19, second-worst in baseball to the Colorado Rockies.

Saturday’s starting pitcher Mitchell Parker owned a 5.12 ERA prior to first pitch. It appeared as though the Nats would have to score plenty of runs to come away with a victory.

Parker, however, produced a quality start: he threw six innings of two-run ball, with four strikeouts and just one walk. It was his ninth such outing in 20 starts this season.

“He did his job, and he pitched well today,” Cairo recalled. “He gave us a chance to win the game, and the rest of the pitching staff did their job too.”

When discussing the rest of the pitching staff, Cairo specifically mentioned how impressed he was with 25-year-old lefty Jose A. Ferrer. Ferrer has pitched to a 5.18 ERA in 48.2 innings so far this season, but throws a hard sinker at 97 mph.

“Tonight, he attacked the strike zone. He made the pitches he needed to make,” said Cairo, of Ferrer. “He stayed in it [in a bases-loaded jam], he went after the hitters, and that was a big inning.”

If the Nationals do manage to find a suitor for Finnegan at the trade deadline, perhaps Ferrer could find himself in some save situations in the final months of the regular season.

Brady House’s Development

House, the Nationals’ first-round draft pick in 2021, is 100 at-bats into his young major league career. He’s had a decent start, slashing .260/.286/.380 with two home runs and one out above average at third base.

On Saturday, House may have gone just 1-for-3 in the box score, but all of his batted balls were hit hard. At 97.7 mph, his second inning single was the weakest exit velocity that he recorded all game. House’s 102 mph groundout in the fourth had a .390 expected batting average and his lineout in the sixth came off the bat at 99.6 mph, which had a .590 xBA.

“He’s in the big leagues and he’s getting used to it. He’s working his approach,” Cairo said. “You know, what are the pitchers trying to do to him? He hit the ball hard three times, it’s one step at a time.”

House had just an 81 wRC+ entering Saturday’s game, but with performances like that, that number figures to improve. He’s walking just 3.9% of the time so far, so once he settles in, he could become a more dangerous hitter.

Hitting .304 with a 127 wRC+ in Triple-A prior to his call-up, House has shown that he has potential. Cairo and his staff will be tasked with improving House and his other young teammates to set up their lineup for 2026 and beyond.

“We’re here to make them better,” said Cairo, of House and his teammates. “That’s our job, you know, make sure they develop as a big leaguer, so that they can stay in the big leagues.”