Franklin Regional’s Luke Williams Signs Deal with Washington Nationals

One of the top baseball talents in the state of Pennsylvania has signed his rookie deal with the Washington Nationals.Franklin Regional HS shortstop Luke Williams who was selected in the 3rd round of the 2026 MLB Draft, came to terms with the Nationals Sunday evening, signing a $2.5 million deal. That number is well above the slot value for the 78th pick, which is $1,069,600. While Williams was committed to play at Vanderbilt and would have received a lucrative NIL deal, the expectation has always been was that he would opt to play professional baseball over college. The $2.5 million signing bonus is the largest for a WPIAL player since J.J. Wetherholt (Mars High School) received $6.9 million as a 1st round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2024. Williams is one of the fastest players in the 2026 MLB Draft and was a MaxPreps second-team All-American. Last season, Williams hit .465 with 33 hits, 8 doubles, 4 triples, 4 home runs, 33 runs, 17 RBIs and 33 stolen bases. Williams became the 15th player from the WPIAL to get drafted in the first three rounds of the MLB Draft since 1965 and is the first MLB Draft pick from Franklin Regional High School since the Pittsburgh Pirates selected shortstop Matt Maropis in 2002. .