This story was excerpted from Jessica Camerato’s Nationals Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
In his first full season of pro ball, 2025 No. 1 overall Draft pick Eli Willits was promoted to Double-A Harrisburg on Tuesday. The 18-year-old shortstop is ranked as the Nationals top prospect and MLB’s No. 4 overall. Prior to his promotion, I caught up with Willits at High-A Wilmington to learn more about his interests outside of baseball.
MLB.com: If you were to play any other sport professionally, what would you play?
Willits: Probably golf. It’s similar to baseball, and I like playing golf on my off-days or in the offseason
If you could trade places with an athlete from any other sport for a day, who would you want to play a professional game as and why?
It would probably be Scottie Scheffler. He’s one of the best golfers. I think it would be cool to be able to hit the ball and know exactly where it’s going, and I could do it every time. Me right now, I hit it and I’m aiming somewhere — but it’s never going there [laughs].
Out of any current Major League Baseball player at any position, who would you want to play as for a day?
Shohei Ohtani, that’d be a cool one. You’re hitting and you’re pitching. You get to do both sides of the ball, and that’s always cool. I used to do it in high school. I’d pitch every once in a while, and then I’d hit. So it makes it feel like it’s a kid’s game, I feel like, when you’re out there doing that.
So you’d be Shohei on his start day. Which pitch would you want to throw?
A fastball, for sure. He throws 100 [mph].
What is your dream sporting event to attend?
That’s a good one. The Super Bowl would be cool, I’d want to go to the Super Bowl one day. The Masters would be awesome. But probably the number one is, I’d want to play in the World Series.
Have you ever been to a World Series game as a fan?
I’ve been to one game, but just playing it would be so much more fun and crazy. … [I went to] Game 2 in Texas [in 2023].
When you are on the road, what do you have to have with you?
I’d say probably my headphones, my Bible and then my pillow. … I have to have my pillow. I got this cooling pillow, and when I lay on it, it’s cold. I have to have it with me or I don’t sleep well.
When did you start bringing your own pillow on the road?
Last year, I started bringing my own pillow. Then this last offseason, I got this pillow, and I’ll never go back to another pillow. It’s like the greatest pillow ever, I think.
What are you collecting these days?
I’ve started collecting some autographs of baseball players. When I was a kid, my dad was always at the field, so I have an Aaron Judge signed ball, a Brett Gardner, Reggie Jackson, those types of guys. I’ve started to get into it a little more as I’m playing — if we play a big leaguer or one day when I’m in the big leagues, getting some cool autographs. So I think that’d be awesome.
What is the coolest autograph you’ve got so far, the one that you remember the most?
I’d say probably Derek Jeter’s. My dad was coaching in a Spring Training game, and one of his really good friends, Gary Denbo, was a vice president with the Marlins. He took us up there, and we got to meet [Jeter] and got a signed ball. It was awesome.
What did you say to Jeter?
I was pretty shy because I was a little kid. I mostly just sat over there in the corner and watched the game. But you got to sit there and Derek Jeter’s sitting right next to you, so it was pretty cool.
Who is the coolest person you know?
That’s a good one. I’ve got to say my dad; he’s pretty cool. He’s cool to be around. He knows a lot of people in the game of baseball. He’s pretty smart at what he does. I’d say he’s a pretty cool guy to know and get to know off the field, away from baseball …