News Nationals Team Notes

[Washington Nationals]

My prediction for the Washington Nationals Opening Day Lineup

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

With Opening Day just a couple weeks away, I took a stab at predicting the lineup

The Washington Nationals Opening Day matchup against the Phillies is just two weeks away! With that in mind, I thought it was time to make my prediction for the Opening Day lineup. One important thing to keep in mind is that the Phillies Opening Day starter, Zack Wheeler is right handed.

1: CJ Abrams, SS

This one is a slam dunk. Manager Davey Martinez has already confirmed that Abrams will be the leadoff man. Despite his tumultuous second half, the Nationals still have faith in their young shortstop. The best stretches of CJ’s career have come from the leadoff spot, and it has always felt like he has been more confident at the top of the order. He will take the first at bat of the season for the Washington Nationals.

2: Dylan Crews, RF

This might be slightly bold due to Crews’ lack of MLB production, but I think the Nats are going to stick him in the 2 hole. A big reason for this is his right handed bat. The Nationals lineup is very left handed heavy at the top as we will discuss. Davey Martinez will want a right handed bat in between those guys and Crews fits the bill. Martinez has a history of not liking too many same sided hitters in a row, so Crews is a good bet at in the 2 hole.

3: James Wood, LF

The Nationals highest upside hitter will hit in the three hole. There are high hopes for the towering slugger in 2025. Andrew Golden said he had a chance to hit 35 homers this season, while Grant Paulsen said 30 was within reach. Wood certainly has the raw power to get that done. He hits the ball hard a ton, and it goes a long way when he elevates the ball. Right now he hits the ball on the ground too much, but even with that, he had a productive half season at just 21 years old.

4: Nathaniel Lowe, 1B

The first of a few new additions, Nathaniel Lowe was the biggest move of the Nationals offseason. He has been a stalwart in a stacked Texas Rangers lineup the past few years. While he hasn’t hit for the power of your prototypical cleanup man the past couple years, he is a well above average bat. He gets on base a ton and provides some thump to go along with it. Lowe should be a leader in the young Nats lineup.

5: Josh Bell, DH

While I would consider Luis Garcia Jr here, I know Davey wouldn’t love three lefties in a row. That is why the switch hitting Bell is going into the five hole. Bell is looking to get back to hitting for more power, something the Nats need him to do. The Nats are hoping he can be a 25 home run bat. He has also a beloved member of the community in his first stint with the club, so it will be nice to get him back in town.

6: Luis Garcia Jr., 2B

Luis Garcia had a breakout year in 2024. He was arguably the Nationals best hitter last season. You can certainly argue that he should be hitting higher in the lineup, but this is what I think will happen. Having Garcia in the 6 hole shows the improved depth of the lineup. He can establish himself as one of the better second baseman in baseball if he can repeat or improve upon his 2024 campaign. Garcia has been swinging a hot bat this spring.

7: Keibert Ruiz, C

Speaking of swinging a hot bat, Keibert Ruiz has looked excellent this spring. He is tapping into his power, with three home runs and his approach looks improved. Those were the two things Ruiz needed to do to bounce back from a brutal 2024 season. The bat to ball skills have never been in doubt, he has just given away too many at bats and there has been too much weak contact. 2025 is a massive year for the 26 year old catcher.

8: Paul Dejong, 3B

I think Paul Dejong is going to be the opening day third baseman. He signed just before Spring Training on a one-year deal, but the veteran has impressed. Dejong has looked very strong defensively at third base and has showed off some of his famous power. He hit 24 homers last year and the Nationals need power bats.

9: Jacob Young, CF

Jacob Young will be like a second leadoff man for the Nats. His speed and solid contact ability make him a pesky hitter at the bottom of the order. Hopefully his new strength can translate to a bit more power. Young will never be a slugger, but even if he could hit 8 homers a season, it would go a long way. He is a phenomenal defensive center fielder, but if the bat doesn’t improve, his job will be under pressure with all of the outfielders the Nats have in the upper minors.

This is my Opening Day lineup prediction. We will see how I did in two weeks when the Nats host the Phillies on March 27th for Opening Day.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...n-for-washington-nationals-opening-day-lineup

 

[Washington Nationals]

CJ Abrams is all in this season

Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

CJ Abrams has been hitting the cover off the ball lately

After a few rough AB’s to start the spring, I was getting a little antsy about CJ Abrams. Obviously he had a rough second half on and off the field after his first All-Star appearance. Some of the first pitch outs late in February were giving me flashbacks to what he looked like post-ASB.

However, Abrams has heated up and is hitting the ball with authority. He has looked more like his first half self the past couple weeks. Abrams is now hitting .333 with a .989 OPS this Spring. He is 6 for his last 6 with a homer, double, triple and three singles. It is a reminder of how good Abrams can be when he is seeing the ball well.

Streakiness seems like it will always be a part of Abrams game. Whether it is due to concentration or his propensity to chase, he will always blow a bit hot and cold. The key will be preventing those cold weeks turning into cold months. It is a long season, so slumps are inevitable, but Abrams slumps have dragged on for too long early in his career.

This offseason, Abrams put in work to get bigger and stronger while keeping his speed. Just by looking at him, you could see he had room to add muscle to his slight frame. He has gone from 191 pounds to 200 pounds this Spring. All indications are that the weight is good weight.

2025 is a big season for Abrams. I wouldn’t call it make or break, but it is not far off given how last season ended. He has shown so many flashes, but has not put it all together on either side of the ball. I have more faith in him offensively than defensively, but he has his warts on both sides. He also has his moments of magic.

The goals for Abrams this season should be to prove he is a legit shortstop defensively, and stop the bad offensive weeks to turn into bad offensive months. He was an all star, so we have seen some extended periods of dominance, but the second half was discouraging.

Abrams is capable of carrying a lineup when he is on his game. However, there will be less pressure on him to do so with guys like Josh Bell and Nathaniel Lowe in the fold. Youngsters like Dylan Crews and James Wood will also help take some pressure off of him. Abrams doesn’t have to be the face of the franchise this year. He can just do his job and refine his game.

He has had an up and down career so far, but I bet CJ Abrams takes a step forward in 2025. In the end, he is probably closer to Ian Desmond than Trea Turner, but Desmond was a great player, and I believe Abrams will be too.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/2025/3/13/24385095/cj-abrams-all-in-this-season

 

[Washington Nationals]

Nationals Prospects: Andrew Pinckney is yet another impressive Nationals outfield prospect

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Andrew Pinckney is a very athletic outfielder who has the tools to thrive in the MLB

Andrew Pinckney has the Michael A Taylor starter kit. He is a dynamic athlete with good defensive skills. Pinckney also has impressive raw power, but he has not translated that into games yet. With a suspect hit tool, he seems like a prototypical fourth outfielder.

The Washington Nationals built their 2023 draft around three players. Number 2 pick Dylan Crews, second round pick Yohandy Morales, and third round over slot pick Travis Sykora. Those players took up the vast majority of the teams bonus pool. That meant that the Nats had to strike a lot of under slot deals later in the draft.

One of those deals was for Andrew Pinckney, who was selected in the fourth round. It was easier to cut a deal on Pinckney because he was a senior at the University of Alabama, taking away a lot of his negotiating leverage. So called senior signs are usually done on the cheap. Being one of the top seniors available and still having that COVID year, Pinckney got a sizable but under slot $500,000 bonus.

So far in his Minor League career, Pinckney has performed as expected. Great athleticism with some flashes at the plate, but not enough contact. Pinckney dominated the lower levels of the Minors in 2023, but faced more challenges in the upper levels last year.

He struck out 167 times last season, which is a sight for sore eyes. However, that will always be a part of Pinckney’s game. The more discouraging part was the lackluster 8 homers he put up.

The speed and defense will always be there for Pinckney, but he needs to show more impact. He produces high end exit velocities, but we need to see that translate into power into homers. Pinckney showed off some of that power today with a home run in the Spring Breakout game.

Andrew Pinckney is a talented player, but in such a crowded Nationals outfield, he will really have to knock down the doors to get a chance. We have seen a lot of him this spring, so it is clear the organization likes him. However, with Dylan Crews, James Wood, Jacob Young, Robert Hassell, and Daylen Lile all in the mix, Pinckney will have to really perform to get a shot.

He is 24, so his ceiling is probably a Michael A Taylor style fourth outfielder/occasional starter, but he has some talent. It remains to be seen whether he gets the chance to show it at the big league level for the Nats.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...nother-impressive-nationals-outfield-prospect

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals Spring Breakout game thread

Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

Follow along as the Nats top prospects show their skills against the Astros prospects

The Spring Breakout games have an exciting addition to Spring Training. You get to see your teams top prospects live in the flesh. Usually, most fans don’t get to see these guys until they make big league camp or until they are in the MLB. However, the Spring Breakout games give fans a nice opportunity.

Today, the Nats take on the Astros prospects, and we will get to see a lot of the top guys, most notably 10th overall pick Seaver King.

readyyyy ...... BREAKout pic.twitter.com/5R7uEwKVKh

— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) March 14, 2025​

Here is the Astros Spring Breakout lineup.

It's Spring Breakout day.

️: 1:05 CST | 2:05 EST
: Live on https://t.co/yJVJuhSuOp! (Delayed on @MLBNetwork)
️: @SportsTalk790 #BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/MdHMdlX8Zx

— Houston Astros (@astros) March 14, 2025​

Game Info:

Stadium: CACTI Ballpark of the Palm Beaches

Time: 2:05 EST

TV: MLB Network

Follow along here and let’s go Nats!

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/2025/3/14/24385891/nationals-spring-breakout-game-thread

 

[Washington Nationals]

MLB Draft 2025: Billy Carlson might be the best high school player in the class

While Ethan Holliday has gotten all the hype, another high school infielder is in play at number 1

The consensus on the 2025 MLB Draft is that it is wide open. That means there are a ton of different players the Nationals will be looking at with the number 1 pick in the draft. It also means that there is a chance for a big surprise on draft night. One player that could force his way into number 1 discussions is California high school shortstop Billy Carlson.

Carlson is a two way player right now, but he is going to be a full time shortstop in pro ball. However, he would be a pretty high pick on the mound too. He throws in the mid 90’s and has a solid breaking ball as well.

His arm is a massive asset for him in the field. Given he throws in the mid-90’s, it is no surprise to see scouts give the arm plus-plus grades. The arm gives Carlson the ability to be a plus defender at shortstop. Scouts consider him the best defensive shortstop in the class. That is an incredibly valuable thing to have, as up the middle defense is at a premium.

The bat is also advanced for a high school hitter. As you would expect, Carlson has been putting up absolute video game type numbers this spring. Right now he is a hit over power player, but he has shown flashes of over the fence impact. A lot of that has to do with his still slight frame. He is listed at 6’1 160 pounds, but hey, I was definitely a lot lighter in high school than I am now at 24.

With more strength, you would hope that more power comes as well. He already has great bat speed and makes contact quite a bit. The power really feels like the last piece of the puzzle.

One cool thing about Carlson is just how stacked his high school team is. There are three players from Corona High School inside of MLB Pipeline’s top 25 draft prospects. Teammate Seth Hernandez might actually be a candidate for the first pick, but taking a high school right handed pitcher feels too risky. However, he will be a first round pick. There is also Brady Ebel, who might be a first rounder, but also could be a target for the Nats if they wanted to go over slot at pick 49.

Imagine being a kid playing baseball at a California high school and having to face off against that team! Corona is one of the most stacked high school teams in recent memory, and I think Billy Carlson is their best player. He also rivals Ethan Holliday as the best high schooler in the class. Carlson is a sure fire shortstop with an advanced bat and room to develop strength. Those kinds of players don’t grow on trees.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/2025/3/15/24386761/mlb-draft-2025-billy-carlson

 

[Washington Nationals]

Nationals vs Rays game thread

Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

Following the Nationals spring training matchup against the Rays live from West Palm Beach

The Washington Nationals are taking on the Tampa Bay Rays in a Grapefruit League showdown. I am in West Palm Beach at the ballpark today watching live from the press box. Michael Soroka, who has been the most impressive Nationals pitcher this spring. They will also have a strong lineup. It is worth noting that Riley Adams was scratched for Andrew Knizner.

can I get uhhhhh lineup pic.twitter.com/cJhN3ApEkl

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) March 16, 2025​

The Rays have a lot of Minor Leaguers in their lineup, but Josh Lowe, brother of Nathaniel did make the trip and is in the lineup. The Rays have not posted their lineup on socials, so the link will be posted here.

Game Info:

Stadium: CACTI Ballpark of the Palm Beaches

Time: 1:05 PM EST

TV: N/A

Radio: 106.7 The Fan

Let’s play some ball and feel free to comment. Ask me anything about what I see here in West Palm!

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/2025/3/16/24387095/nationals-rays-game-thread

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals Spring Breakout notes

Kris Craig/The Providence Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Some observations from the Nationals Spring Breakout game against the Mets

The Washington Nationals prospects squared off with the Mets farmhands in the Spring Breakout game. These showcases are a very fun idea that the MLB has come up with. It allows fans to see prospects they normally don’t have a chance to see. Here are some things I saw from the game today.

The Nationals starter Alex Clemmey looked very good. His stuff looked crisp with a fastball that was in the 95-97 MPH range and he mixed in some nasty breaking balls. The left hander struck out six in his three innings of work. It looked like he featured two different breaking balls, with a curve in the low to mid 80’s and a slider in the mid to upper 80’s. He threw a couple changeups, but they weren’t very good.

Clemmey was the biggest piece the Nationals received in the Lane Thomas trade. He is still raw and could use some work on his strike throwing. However, he is still only 19 and the stuff is excellent. After giving up a homer to Boston Baro, he got out of a jam with two big strikeouts.

2024 fourth rounder Jackson Kent followed him on the mound. Things started out promising, with a 93-96 MPH heater and some nice changeups. However, he got into some trouble and things began to unravel.

2024 14th rounder Yoel Tejada pitched as well. He actually looked quite good. The right hander got a lot of whiffs with his sweeping slider.

The Nationals bats were mostly kept in check, as the one run would indicate. However, there were some positive things I saw. 10th overall pick Seaver King put together some nice at bats and had two hits. One was an infield single, but the other was a clean single between the first and second baseman. King also looked smooth over at shortstop.

Elijah Green played today as well. While he didn’t get any hits, I saw some good things. He struck out in his second at bat and was clearly frustrated. However, he bounced back and worked a walk after falling behind 1-2. I saw him choke up with two strikes as well, which could help him solve some of his strikeout woes.

Overall, the game was a lot of fun and it was great to see some of these guys live in the flesh. I hadn’t seen most of these guys play live before, so it was nice to see them and how they look on the diamond. It was a fun experience, and cool to see the Nationals young talent.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/2025/3/16/24387420/washington-nationals-spring-breakout

 

[Washington Nationals]

Nationals News: Mackenzie Gore named as Opening Day starter

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

As expected, Mackenzie Gore will take the ball on opening day against the Phillies

Ask and you shall receive. Just a few days after I asked for the Nats to name Mackenzie Gore the Opening Day starter, Davey Martinez did just that. Davey believes now is the time for Gore to lead the rotation.

Despite an inconsistent season, Gore was the Nats best starter in 2024. He posted a sub 4 ERA and struck out 181 batters in 166.1 innings. While he struggled in the middle of the season, the southpaw finished strong, something Gore needed badly. In the past he had a habit of starting seasons strong before fading down the stretch. It looked like 2024 was going to be more of the same, but he managed to pull it together.

Mackenzie Gore has top of the rotation stuff, but he needs to be more consistent to be a true top of the rotation pitcher. At just 26 years old, he still has plenty of time to put it all together. He also did not have much luck on his side in 2024, with a .341 BABIP. If that levels out, Gore could be in for a big year.

He will likely be facing Zack Wheeler on Opening Day, a tall task for the youngster. Gore has the raw ability to become a Wheeler caliber pitcher one day, but he is not there yet. Wheeler is a good example of how pitchers can peak later in their careers. While Wheeler was good with the Mets, he reached a new level with the Phillies as he entered his 30’s.

Hopefully it doesn’t take Gore that long, but it shows that you shouldn’t give up on raw talent. This will be Gore’s first opening day start, and I have a feeling it won’t be his last. Mackenzie Gore is just scratching surface of his abilities.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...news-mackenzie-gore-named-opening-day-starter

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals offseason recap

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Looking back at what Mike Rizzo did to improve the club this offseason

With the Nationals season just 10 days away, and with the regular season games starting over in Japan tomorrow, it feels right to recap what the Nats did this offseason. While it was a busy offseason for the Nationals, the lack of a big ticket item left many fans wanting more. Here we will go over the free agent pickups, the trades and where the roster stands heading into the season.

The Big Trade

The biggest move Mike Rizzo made this offseason was not a free agent pickup, rather it was a big trade. While I wouldn’t quite call it a blockbuster, the acquisition of Nathaniel Lowe gave the Nats a dependable first baseman for the first time in years. Ironically, their last dependable first baseman Josh Bell came back to DC, but this time he will be a DH.

The Nats traded high upside reliever Robert Garcia to get Lowe. While Garcia’s underlying numbers suggest he is a much better pitcher than his 4.22 ERA indicates, getting an everyday first baseman for a middle reliever you picked up on waivers is a good piece of business.

Lowe is a high on base bat and a gold glove level defender at first base. While he has some power, he is not exactly the bopper the Nats were crying out for in 2024 when they finished second to last in home runs. However, Lowe will be a good piece in the Nats lineup.

Quantity over quality in free agency

The Washington Nationals did not make a big splash in free agency despite many fans and outside media expecting them to. Now that they are further along in their rebuild, there were high expectations about the Nats potential free agent targets. A Juan Soto reunion was always a pipe dream, but fans hoped for a big name in the rotation or a major power bat. They got none of that.

Instead, they got a plethora of cheap, low risk one year deals. It was very similar to their approach in previous off-seasons. In fact, the Nationals haven’t spent more than $15 million to bring a player in since the 2020-21 offseason. The Lerner family is clearly tighter with their money than they were in the 2010’s.

However, the guys they did bring in have some promise. Before a rough outing Yesterday, Michael Soroka was the star of spring training, with improved velocity and big strikeout numbers. The reunion of Josh Bell also gave the Nats a cheap power bat and a well respected veteran. He did a lot for the community in his first stint with the Nats. Bell has hit over 20 homers four times in his career, and the Nats need him to make it a fifth season in 2025.

Veteran arms Trevor Williams and Kyle Finnegan returned to the club, with Williams signing a two-year deal and Finnegan coming back after being non-tendered. The Nats also signed their first ever player directly from Asia in Shinnosuke Ogasawara, though he will likely start the season in Triple-A. Other moves included the additions of Jorge Lopez and Lucas Sims to the bullpen, as well as bringing in Paul Dejong and Amed Rosario to provide infield depth.

2025 Outlook

From their offseason approach, it seems that the Nats braintrust still think the team is at least a year away from being a viable playoff threat. The lack of spending also turns up the hot seat on ownership. As 2019 gets further in the rear view mirror, fans will tire of all the losing seasons. There is a good chance that 2025 is another losing season.

However, the Nationals will be looking to improve their win total with all of their young talent. A third straight 71-91 season would not be acceptable. 2025 is still all about developing the young guys, but there is starting to be more pressure as the rebuild drags on. Nationals fans want to see progress in 2025. There were some good moves in the offseason, but the rebuild is still not over, even if the team says so publicly.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/2025/3/17/24388158/nationals-offseason-recap

 

[Washington Nationals]

Nationals Roster: Rule 5 pick Evan Reifert returned to the Tampa Bay Rays

Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

Evan Reifert sent back to Tampa after walk filled Spring Training

The Washington Nationals decided they couldn’t afford to keep Rule 5 pick Evan Reifert on the active roster. Today they announced they will be sending the right-handed pitcher back to the Tampa Bay Rays, clearing up a 40 man roster spot.

Reifert had a strong 2024 campaign in Double-A for the Rays, leading the Nats to select him in the Rule 5 draft. However, he walked 12 batters in 6.1 innings this spring. The Nationals decided they couldn’t waste a roster spot on a guy with that kind of control.

Rule 5 selections have to be on the big league roster for an entire season, or else they have to be sent back to their original team. It is why Nasim Nunez stuck around despite barely playing last year.

However, with the Nats looking to win more games this year, they didn’t want an unusable reliever on the roster. Reifert’s lack of control made him unusable. The 25 year old has a nasty slider and big time strikeout numbers, but you have to throw strikes in this league.

This adds clarity to the bullpen situation as well. Right now, Orlando Ribalta and Eduardo Salazar are the favorites to claim the last two spots in the bullpen. However, Brad Lord has emerged as a bullpen option as well.

Reifert will now go back to Tampa’s minor league system where he looks to regain his control. The kid has talent, he just could not find the zone this spring. This ended up becoming a decision the Nats just had to make.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...ter-rule-5-pick-evan-reifert-returned-to-rays

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals vs Houston Astros game thread

Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

Follow along as the Nats take on the Astros in West Palm

The Houston Astros are “hosting” the Washington Nationals in their shared stadium tonight. Trevor Williams will take the mound for the Nats tonight. Jose Tena will be a player to watch as he battles for a spot on the roster. Amed Rosario will start in the outfield for the first this spring. Here is the lineup.

night game at cacti pic.twitter.com/U8wgmjrAxc

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) March 18, 2025​

The Astros have Lance McCullers Jr. on the mound. McCullers has not pitched since 2022 due to a variety of injuries. We will also get to see Jose Altuve out in left field, which still feels so bizarre.

LMJ on the mound.

️: 5:05pm CT | 6:05pm ET
: @SpaceCityHN | @MLBNetwork (HOU Blackout)
️: @SportsTalk790 #BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/9Hul8axmz3

— Houston Astros (@astros) March 18, 2025​

Game Info:

Stadium: CACTI Ballpark of the Palm Beaches

Time: 6:05 EST

TV: MASN

Radio: Team 980

Let’s get ready for some Nationals baseball. The regular season is right around the corner!

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/2025/3/18/24388944/nationals-vs-astros-game-thread

 

[Washington Nationals]

James Wood is a baseball unicorn

Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

The James Wood experience is just getting started, and boy is it unique

I have been watching baseball for most of my 24 years on this planet, and I have never seen a player quite like James Wood. He moves around differently, he is built differently, the whole package is just so unique. James Wood is truly a baseball unicorn.

Drafted in the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft, it did not take long for the baseball world to realize that James Wood was a massive draft steal. Just over a year later, he was a massive piece of the blockbuster Juan Soto trade. Wood was the player the Padres were most gutted to lose and the one Mike Rizzo wouldn’t do the deal without.

It is easy to see why. Wood is a freak of nature. He is 6’7 234 pounds with 85th percentile sprint speed and makes some of the loudest contact in baseball. James Wood has the tools of a true superstar. He also has an advanced, patient approach at the plate which allows him to draw plenty of walks.

Wood is also a player of many extremes, which is why I consider him a unicorn. Despite being a left handed hitter, his spray chart looks like a right handed pull hitter with how much he uses the opposite field. Seven of his nine homers went the opposite way.

It is that easy opposite field power that is his most freakish attribute. I watched him poke a ball that looked like it would be a double, but somehow it was a no doubt home run. It was truly a sight to behold and something very special. James Wood does stuff like that on a regular basis. In fact, all four of his homers this spring have gone the other way.

Analytics have shown us that pulled fly balls are a very optimal form of contact. However, James Wood has so much power, these rules don’t really apply to him. He can hit the ball to left field and left center like a right handed pull hitter. Would it be nice to see James turn on the ball a bit more often? Sure, but he can generate so much opposite field power that he doesn’t need to.

The bigger priority for James should be to simply get the ball in the air. Direction does not matter. Last season, Wood posted a 55.6% ground ball rate. To become the special power hitter we know he can be, this needs to come down. This spring, that rate is down to 45.5%, which would be an awesome number for him.

James Wood does so many things wrong, at least according to the current hitting meta. He doesn’t pull the ball, or hit it in the air much. Despite that, he still put up a 120 wRC+ last season at 21 years old. Wood is a baseball unicorn who is just scratching the surface.

He is going to do things this season that will make Nationals fans jaws hit the floor. The funny thing is that there are still so many areas for him to improve. In addition to the warts in his offensive game, he still needs some work with the glove. Wood is a tremendous athlete, but doesn’t look super comfortable in left field. Hopefully that can change with more experience.

This unicorn skillset makes James Wood the crown jewel of the Nationals rebuild. He can simply do things that very few Major League baseball players can do. Among the best players on the planet, James Wood stands out for how freakishly talented he is. Wood is on the precipice of something special and can be one of the best and most unique hitters in baseball.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/2025/3/19/24389399/james-wood-is-a-unicorn

 

[Washington Nationals]

Nationals News: Jake Irvin’s velocity down in rough outing against the Cardinals

Rich Storry-Imagn Images

Jake Irvin’s fastball velocity was well below his 2024 average in rough spring outing

Jake Irvin is set to be the Nationals number 2 starter this season after a promising 2024 campaign. While he struggled in the second half, Irvin was a rock in the Nats rotation, throwing a team high 187.2 innings last season. However, his stuff did not look the same in his outing against the Cardinals today.

The fastball velocity is the biggest issue. He averaged 91.4 MPH on his heater today and topped out at 93. For context, his heater averaged 93.9 MPH in 2024. This velocity dip is alarming for a guy who throws either a fastball or sinker 58.4% of the time. Irvin’s bread and butter is the fastball and he needs the velocity to be in the mid-90’s to have success. On the homer he gave up to Alec Burleson, he threw a heater at just 89.4 MPH.

The Nationals are relying on Irvin to give them a lot of innings and pitch at a high level. That simply won’t happen if he is throwing 91 MPH. Jake Irvin is not a Greg Maddux level command artist, so he needs the velocity. He is not even a Trevor Williams, who’s high 80’s heater plays up due to deception.

This is a situation we will have to monitor as we enter the regular season. Irvin said he felt fine physically after the start, which is a relief. However, the Nationals young rotation will need to show they are legit in 2025.

Guys like Irvin and Mitchell Parker faded down the stretch after strong starts. Was that just fatigue, or is it a bad omen? I am not sure, but what I do know is that Jake Irvin needs to find his velocity if he is to build off his 2024 campaign. Irvin also did not throw his new slider, which I was very excited about earlier this spring. We will hope that this is a blip on the radar and that Irvin can get back to his best in the regular season.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/2025/3/19/24389685/nationals-news-jake-irvins-velocity-down

 

[Washington Nationals]

Highlights and lowlights from Washington Nationals Spring Training

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Nationals Spring Training is almost over and with it I will go over the best and worst moments

With Opening Day just a weeks away, I wanted to recap Spring Training and talk about some of the best and worst things I saw down in West Palm. It truly was a mixed bag, with a lot of good, but also some things that concerned me.

Highlight: James Wood is ready for prime time

James Wood looks ready for a true breakout this season. He is already one of the most unique athletes in the sport, and takes advantage of his gifts. Wood is hitting .343 this spring with four homers in just 35 at bats. He has shown off his prodigious opposite field power and his spectacular plate discipline. James Wood is the crown jewel of this Nats rebuild. The Rockville, Maryland kid will be a home town hero for the Nationals.

The Juan Soto trade was hard to stomach, but the return saved the Nationals rebuild. Those pieces are going to be the core of this Nationals team for years to come. James Wood will be the center piece of it.

Lowlight: The fifth starter battle

Heading into camp the most anticipated camp battle was the race for the fifth starter spot. However, none of the candidates looked overly convincing this spring. Mitchell Parker will win the job by default because he was the only guy not to look awful. However, he looks to be pretty much the same guy he was last year.

DJ Herz and Shinnosuke Ogasawara were both real disappointments, especially Herz. After such a promising 2024 campaign that made him a trendy breakout pick, Herz hasn’t looked like the same guy this spring. His control woes which he mitigated in 2024 are back, walking 9 in 9.2 innings. There are also reports that his velocity is down this spring. As for Ogasawara, his stuff isn’t fooling big league hitters. He has allowed 16 hits in 8.1 innings and has given up a ton of hard contact. Both look set to start the season in Rochester.

Highlight: Filthy young relievers

The bullpen was a big question mark for the Nats this spring. There are still some concerns, but there are some young arms that look strong. Jose A Ferrer is my favorite reliever on the team and he had a dominant spring. The 25 year old didn’t allow a run in his 8 outings, striking out 10 in 7.1 innings. He has the best stuff in the bullpen and can throw strikes too. I think he has a chance for some saves if Kyle Finnegan continues his struggles from the end of last season.

Orlando Ribalta also looked very good and has made a big case to make the team. The 6’7 right hander has a mid to upper 90’s fastball with a filthy changeup to go with it. He posted a 2.38 ERA this spring and made a lot of batters look silly. Those two guys can be a big part of the future of the Nats bullpen.

Lowlight: Jake Irvin’s velocity dip

Whenever a pitchers fastball velocity is down over 2 ticks, you have to hold your breath. That is exactly what happened with Jake Irvin yesterday, with his heater sitting at 91 MPH. His diminished stuff got punished by the Cardinals, who tagged him for six runs. Irvin said he is fine physically, but the velocity being down is a red flag.

With Herz and Ogasawara struggling this spring, the Nationals seemingly deep rotation could be running out of good options. Irvin needs to be the dependable innings eater he was last year if the Nats want to build off of their 2024 season. The right hander going down with injury or being ineffective would be a massive blow to the rotation.

Highlight: Hassell is hitting

Robert Hassell was a huge part of the Juan Soto trade, but he has had a rough go of it in Washington. Between injuries and his famed hitting ability vanishing, Hassell has seen his stock diminish. However, after a strong Arizona Fall League campaign, Hassell carried that momentum to Spring Training.

He has hit .370 this spring, spraying the ball all over the yard. Hassell finally looks like the natural hitter the Nats thought they were getting. Of course, he will need to carry this momentum into Triple-A, where he struggled in his brief time last year. However, Hassell has positive momentum for the first time in a while. With a strong start to the season, Hassell could reach the big leagues quickly.

Lowlight: New power bats struggling

This one is by far the least concerning, but Josh Bell and Nathaniel Lowe haven’t been great this spring. The Spring Training performance of veteran hitters is something I don’t care about that much, but it is worth noting, particularly with Bell. Lowe has been one of the most consistent players in baseball over the last few years, so his lackluster spring is easy to brush off. He is still drawing plenty of walks and has been better lately.

However, Bell is getting a bit older and has been on a steady decline the past couple of years. He is just 6/37 this spring. However, I am not gonna push the panic button yet. It is still very early days and Bell has made some hard contact. He has had some ugly swings, but that’s always been a part of his game. I am not really concerned, it is just something to monitor.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...-and-lowlights-from-nationals-spring-training

 

[Washington Nationals]

Nationals Roster: Paul Dejong could prove to be an underrated pickup

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Paul Dejong has impressed me this spring, especially on the defensive side of the ball

Third base was an obvious hole heading into the offseason, and has been a hole ever since Anthony Rendon left. With the Carter Kieboom experiment failing, and the stop gap veterans they brought in being ineffective, with the exception of Jeimer Candelario. However, I am optimistic about the pickup of Paul Dejong.

Yes, it is another bargain bin signing, with the 31 year old signing a one-year $1 million deal. However, I think this will be a better investment than the deal they signed Nick Senzel to last year. With Senzel now playing in Mexico, that is an admittedly low bar to clear.

The biggest reason for optimism with Dejong is his defensive prowess. He has been an above average defensive shortstop for most of his career and his transition to third was smooth last year. When he got traded to the Royals, he moved to third with Bobby Witt Jr. at shortstop. He thrived at the hot corner, with six outs above average in his brief time in Kansas City.

Dejong has also looked great this spring on the defensive end. In my few days down in West Palm, Dejong has made a number of stellar plays, that no Nats third baseman since Rendon would be able to make. Dejong will help out this young pitching staff with his defense.

Offensively, Dejong is what he is. He is a flawed hitter, who doesn’t make a ton of contact and does not walk a lot. However, he has big time power. His 24 homers last year would have led the Nationals. If he isn’t bringing the power, he can be a black hole offensively, but he brought the boom last year.

At the end of the day, Dejong is just here to keep the seat warm for Brady House. The 21 year old House is the third baseman of the future, but needs more seasoning in Triple-A. House faced some bumps in the road at Rochester, with his lack of plate discipline being exposed a bit. However, he still has a ton of talent and should play a role at some point this season.

If Dejong isn’t hitting and House is, he can replace the veteran at some point this season. However, if Dejong is hitting, he could either be traded at the deadline if Mike Rizzo decides to sell, or could hold down the fort for the season, allowing House to get more seasoning. After all, House is only 21, so there is no need to rush him.

Paul Dejong is a low risk acquisition, who’s defense and power are things the Nationals desperately needed. He is just a place holder, but I think he can be an effective one.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...roster-paul-dejong-could-be-underrated-pickup

 

[Washington Nationals]

Nationals History: Remember when the Washington Nationals won the World Series

Erik Williams-Imagn Images

In the last edition of the 20th Anniversary series before the season, it is only right to remember the greatest night in Nats history

In the 20th anniversary series, I have highlighted some of the most memorable players and moments in Washington Nationals history. With the season just around the corner, it only felt right to re-live October 30th, 2019, the greatest night in Nats history. It was the night the 2019 Nationals truly became legendary.

After a heroic performance by Stephen Strasburg to extend the series, the Astros and the Nationals were set for a game 7. It had been an odd series, with the road team winning all of the first six games. Other than game one, none of the games were particularly close either.

The pitching matchup was fitting for the occasion. It featured two future hall of famers in Max Scherzer and Zack Greinke. However, both aces had lingering question marks. Greinke had been unconvincing in playoffs. He only completed five innings in one of his four playoff starts and had been roughed up a couple times. Scherzer was coming off a massive injury scare. The right hander had to be scratched for game 5 after waking up with severe neck pain. However, he was back and ready for battle in Game 7.

Scherzer was clearly not at his best. His normally pinpoint control was scattershot that night. Mad Max didn’t have his A game, or even his B game that night. However, Scherzer is going to be a Hall of Famer for a reason. He battled and gave it everything he had. Scherzer used every trick in the book to get out of trouble. It wasn’t pretty, but Scherzer found a way to give the Nats five innings allowing 2 runs.

What makes elite pitchers elite is how they fare when they don’t have their best stuff. The best of the best will keep their team in the game, and Scherzer did just that. He allowed 11 baserunners, but only two of them crossed home plate.

On the other hand, Greinke was dealing. He looked like the best version of himself. The veteran was just floating on the mound, putting pitches where ever he wanted them. Nobody on the Nats could make hard contact. When he struck out Trea Turner to end the sixth, it looked like he could go all night.

However, the beauty of the 2019 Washington Nationals was that they were never out of a game. That team had been through it all, they weren’t going to let a two run deficit stop them. When the middle of the Nats lineup came to the plate in the seventh inning, they were not going to be denied.

After Adam Eaton grounded out, Anthony Rendon stepped to the plate. The third baseman finally made something happen against Greinke. He launched a changeup into the Crawford Boxes to cut the lead in half. In the seventh inning or later in the Nats five elimination games, Rendon went 6/6 with a walk. Now that is what you call clutch.

After Greinke walked Juan Soto, he was done. AJ Hinch had seen enough and went to the bullpen. It was a surprising decision because Greinke had been dealing all night and this was his first hiccup. His pitch count was also in a very manageable spot. However, the Astros went to their fireman Will Harris.

He squared off against Howie Kendrick, and we know what happened next. Howie took a cutter the other way, and with the loud thud of the foul pole, the Nationals took the lead and never gave it back.

However, the game was not yet out of reach. Patrick Corbin, who replaced Scherzer, still had to tame the mighty Astros lineup. The $140 million dollar man did just that. While he would have his struggles in the years to come, those three shut down innings will never be forgotten.

In the meantime, the Nats would tack on some insurance runs in both the 8th and 9th inning to make the game 6-2. Those were very nice because it made the ending so much more stressful. I am not sure if my heart could have handled it if the Nats went into the 9th inning only up by a run.

With a four run cushion, Daniel Hudson could go right after hitters. He quickly turned aside both George Springer and Jose Altuve. Then Michael Brantley came to the plate. On a 3-2 count, Hudson threw a picture perfect slider, then time felt like it had stopped. Everything that happened those next few seconds felt so fast yet so slow at the same time.

The Washington Nationals had really done it. They were World Series champions. After all those years of heartbreak, they were at the top of the mountain. The playoff chokers were playoff champions. They had really done it, the Washington Nationals were World Series champions.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...story-when-the-nationals-won-the-world-series

 

[Washington Nationals]

Nationals News: Latest round of roster cuts cement Mitchell Parker as Nationals fifth starter

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The Nationals have made some big roster decisions, including an answer on the battle for the final rotation spot

The Washington Nationals made their first truly difficult roster decisions of the Spring. They optioned four notable players in Shinnosuke Ogasawara, DJ Herz, Nasim Nunez, and Drew Millas.

The demotion of the two pitchers is particularly notable because it seals Mitchell Parker’s status as the fifth starter. Coming into camp, Parker was seen as the least sexy option with Herz being a popular breakout pick and Ogasawara being the Nats first Japanese import.

However, Parker out pitched both this spring. While Ogasawara wasn’t fooling anyone and Herz couldn’t throw strikes, Parker just did his thing. In 12.1 innings, he put up a 3.65 ERA. His reliability made him the easy choice for the rotation.

I love DJ Herz’s upside, and I still do after this spring, but he simply didn’t pitch well enough. My position is that I would give Herz the job unless he gave the team a reason not to. Herz’s rough spring gave the team a reason to not give him the job.

On the offensive side, the demotion of Nasim Nunez was a slight surprise. He has hit very well this spring and has always been a slick defender at shortstop. However, the Nats must want to give him every day at bats.

Notably, Andrew Knizner remains with the big club, meaning he is in the mix with Riley Adams for the backup catcher job. The battle for the final bench spot will come down to Jose Tena and Juan Yepez. Mike Rizzo made a lot of big decisions today, but there are still roster spots up for grabs.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...-news-mitchell-parker-nationals-fifth-starter

 

[Washington Nationals]

Nationals Roster: Derek Law hits the IL

Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

Derek Law hitting the IL opens up a bullpen spot, who will claim it?

Derek Law, who was one of the Nats most dependable relievers last season will open the year on the IL. He has not seen much action this spring, and said his arm has felt sore after he throws. It is not a major injury, and the plan will be to activate him after the 15 days are up.

This injury also opens up an extra bullpen spot, at least for the short term. Right now, it looks like Orlando Ribalta, Eduardo Salazar, Jackson Rutledge, and Brad Lord are now fighting for three spots in the bullpen.

The first three players are on the 40 man roster, so they should have the upper hand. After a walk filled first appearance, things looked grim for Jackson Rutledge, but he has righted the ship and now has a 3.24 ERA this spring.

Lord has also been mostly solid this spring, but he would have to be added to the 40 man roster to pitch. With Colin Poche being officially added to the 40 man, they would need to DFA a player to open up a spot. So with the other three being on the 40 man, sending Lord to AAA will be the easiest thing.

Ribalta, Rutledge and Salazar all have options, so they can be sent back and forth to AAA. When Law gets back, Rutledge would be the most likely candidate to be sent down. The Law injury is not serious, but it adds a layer on intrigue and mystery to a largely unproven bullpen.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/2025/3/22/24391775/nationals-roster-derek-law-hits-il

 

[Washington Nationals]

MLB Draft 2025: Jamie Arnold hit hard with Mike Rizzo in the building

Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

Mike Rizzo did not catch the best viewing of the Florida State ace, but he is still could be the pick

Florida State took on the University of Miami last night. I wouldn’t normally write about this, but Nationals GM Mike Rizzo and Scouting Director Danny Haas were in the building. They were there to see one player, Florida State ace Jamie Arnold.

Arnold picked a bad time to have the worst start of his career, allowing six runs over four innings. Maybe Mike Rizzo sitting directly behind home plate, in the eye line of Arnold threw him off. Whatever it was, Jamie Arnold was not his normal dominant self.

Even with the rough outing, Arnold remains a serious candidate to be the number one pick. Before this blowup start, he had a 0.87 ERA on the season, laying waste to college baseball. Last night he just had a bad night.

His normally excellent command was not there and the youngster couldn’t make the necessary adjustments. In a year where a lot of the top college draft eligible players have underwhelmed, Arnold had separated himself as the top candidate to go first overall. He still might be the favorite, but the race is wide open. This is not the best year to have the number one pick, with the strength of the draft being its depth rather than the high end talent.

Despite that, Mike Rizzo has to nail this pick. It should be the final building block of the rebuild. If all goes according to plan, they will not be picking number one anytime soon. Will this bad live viewing of Arnold scare Rizzo off, no, but it will leave an impression.

If Rizzo gets a good live viewing on a guy like Aiva Arquette or Ethan Holliday, it would only be natural for him to have a bias towards that player. However, this is just a blip for Arnold and he should go back to dominating soon. This certainly won’t be the last time he will have a chance to impress with Nationals scouts in the building.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...ft-2025-jamie-arnold-hit-hard-with-mike-rizzo

 

[Washington Nationals]

MLB Draft 2025: Seth Hernandez has a chance to make history

In a wide open draft, Seth Hernandez might have the highest ceiling of anybody

A high school right handed pitcher has never gone number one overall in the history of the MLB Draft. There is good reason for this, as high school righty’s are the riskiest demographic of all. However, Seth Hernandez of Corona High School is a special talent and is in the mix to go very high this year.

Historically, prep right handers have been very risky. Even in the past 10 or so years, I remember flame throwers like Tyler Kolek and Riley Pint having a ton of hype before not panning out. However, as we learn more about evaluating pitching, could we become better at finding the best high school arms? Guys like Jackson Jobe and Andrew Painter were very highly regarded high school righties that have been drafted in recent years, and look like they will come good.

According to Baseball America, Seth Hernandez has the most upside in the class. That is why he was taken third overall in the recent mock draft they did, ahead of bats like Ethan Holliday, Jace Laviolette and Aiva Arquette.

He looks like your prototypical pitcher. Hernandez is 6’4 190 pounds with a mid to upper 90’s fastball. Interestingly, his best secondary pitch is a knockout changeup that plays beautifully off of his fastball. These days, it is more common to see high schoolers best secondary pitches be a power breaking ball than a changeup. Unlike a lot of guys who rely on a changeup, Hernandez can spin a breaking ball too, with his curveball registering elite spin rates.

Hernandez also finds the strike zone, something that separates him from a lot of the failed high school righties of yesteryear. It may be more control than command right now, but that command is projected to come as he matures. MLB Pipeline also noted how strong Hernandez’s character is and how he is able to make adjustments. That ability to adapt and make adjustments is such a key piece of the modern game. Guys come out with new pitches every year, so that aptitude is key.

It is a bit of an oxymoron, but Hernandez is as safe as it comes for a high school righty. The Nats have also done a good job developing pitchers lately, so selecting Hernandez plays into their strengths. It is also likely that Hernandez would be an under slot selection, which would allow them to do some fun things with their massive bonus pool down the board.

Going underslot is risky, but also mitigates risk. A perfect example of this is the 2021 Pirates draft. Their first overall pick Henry Davis has not produced the way the team hoped. However, with the money that they saved they got Bubba Chandler in the third round, something they wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise. So even if Hernandez doesn’t hit, the money they save will give the Nats more shots in a draft that is seen as lacking in sure things at the top, but heavy in depth.

Seth Hernandez is a very exciting prospect, but also a risky one. There will be some in the fanbase that don’t want to take the risk, and that is understandable. However, Hernandez has ace upside and allows the Nats to spend more money later in the draft. Brad Ciolek, who runs the Nats draft room has a lot of experience going underslot, both in Baltimore and last year with the Nats. It is an interesting option in a draft with a ton of uncertainty at the top, but a lot of depth down the board.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/202...025-seth-hernandez-has-chance-to-make-history