Dynasty: Josue De Paula. The FanRanked staff dynasty board has Paula ahead, Paula #50 and Willits #56, and the expert consensus agrees (#129 and #75). The community agrees too, FRV 67.0 to 58.5.
JD on Eli Willits (Nov 2, 2026): I was down on Eli Willits for so long and was probably too late to adjust to the performance he was putting up in the minors this year. After seeing what he did in 2026, I think the Nationals have a budding star on their hands. Willits hadn't even had his 18th birthday yet when the Nationals took him first overall in 2025 and handed him $8.2 million. However, the slot value for this pick was $11 million, meaning he took a nearly $3 million haircut. I think that poisoned my mind into thinking he was a budget pick that didn't necessarily have the ceiling of other guys in his draft like Ethan Holliday, Kade Anderson, or Seth Hernandez. Rather than looking like Tim Beckham 2.0, Willits has more or less exploded onto the scene, hitting for much more power than I originally expected and being a lot more physical than he was projected to be coming into the draft. Even discounting the 62 stolen bases in 2026, as minor league stolen bases don't tell me anything about a prospect other than how aggressive they are in the minors, he still ran a 17.7% walk rate with only a 21% K rate and slugged 14 home runs as an 18-year-old across three levels. He has an outside chance of hitting the big league roster in 2027, but more than likely will need another year of development, where we should see his power continue to blossom with him knocking down the door of the big leagues in 2028 as one of the most hyped prospects in the minors.
JD on Josue De Paula (Oct 21, 2026): I know some people are hyping up the Paula to be as high as their No. 1 overall prospect, and I want to pump the brakes just a tiny bit while still being reasonably optimistic. I think he is a very high-end prospect and anyone who is currently rostering should be thrilled with how much he has developed in 2026 alone. However I still think what I said earlier this year is true: that there is a chance the game power doesn't catch up to the raw power and he has trouble lifting the ball. I can't help but see Jason Heyward when I look at De Paula, I remember how hyped everyone was on Jason Hayward when he first came up. I also remember how he eventually lost the ability to lift the ball and his fantasy value went with it. That's really the only flaw and hesitation I see with this game because otherwise he has some of the best power in the minors, with incredible plate discipline and tools that should all add up to be a premium player for years to come. Even if the launch angle issues manifest, he's still going to be a very valuable player for a long time and I don't think I'm insulting him by ranking him as my fourth overall prospect. Congratulations if you found him early and held on to him, he should be a treat for many years to come.
Data as of . Consensus boards refresh daily; the staff board moves when it is republished.
| Metric | Eli Willits | Josue De Paula |
|---|---|---|
| Team | WAS | LAD |
| Position | SS | OF |
| Age | 18 | 21 |
| Staff Dynasty Rank | #56 | #50 |
| Dynasty Consensus Rank | #129 | #75 |
| Redraft Consensus Rank | - | - |
| Prospect Consensus Rank | #5 | #6 |
| FRV (FanRanked Value) | 58.5 | 67.0 |
| Expert Sources | 28 | 31 |
| Dynasty Rank Range | #43–#269 | #24–#169 |
| 2027 Projected Value | -$24.7 | -$9.6 |
| 2026 $ Earned | - | $0.0 |
| 2027 Projected Rank | #1810 | #818 |
| 30-Day Consensus Move | Down 26 spots | Up 2 spots |
| Stat | Eli Willits | Josue De Paula |
|---|---|---|
| PA | - | 42 |
| HR | - | 1 |
| R | - | 7 |
| RBI | - | 7 |
| SB | - | 1 |
| AVG | - | .323 |
| OBP | - | .500 |
| SLG | - | .581 |
| OPS | - | 1.081 |
| wOBA | - | .466 |
| xwOBA | - | .437 |
Price a Eli Willits-for-Josue De Paula trade in the Dynasty Trade Calculator · compare their 2027 dollars in the Roto & Redraft Trade Analyzer