#29
The Washington Nationals are still rebuilding, but many of their highly-touted prospects are on the verge of a big league debut. How long before they can contend again?
#29 - 5th in NL East
MIH - Joey Meneses
MIP - MacKenzie Gore
PTW - Cade Cavalli
FP - The last of the remaining players from the 2019 World Series run will play their last games in a Nationals uniform in 2023.
2023 Results
#26 - 71-91, 5th in NL West
Highest WAR (Position) - CJ Abrams
Highest WAR (Pitching) - Josiah Gray
The extend that the rebuild has gone since the 2019 World Series win is extensive and impressive. The 2023 season was one of very little consequence or relevance for the Nationals. In one of the most competitive divisions in baseball, they were locked in the cellar from the moment the season started. It also saw the end of the Stephen Strasburg era as injuries forced him to retire. However, there were sparks of promise from the likes of CJ Abrams, Stone Garrett, and Lane Thomas. If only Patrick Corbin could pitch well, he could have been traded for more prospects.
Additions / Subtractions
The Nats took some fliers on some reclamation projects in the few off-season moves they made. The master of the three true outcomes, Joey Gallo, will be contributing his 30 homers and and .150 average to the DC area in 2024. The more interesting add is infielder Nick Senzel, once a top Reds prospect, now getting a fresh start after new top prospects left him without a job at the ripe old age of 28.
Most Important Hitter
Keibert Ruiz
One of the main prizes of the Max Scherzer trade a few years back, Keibert Ruiz has turned himself into one of the more promising young catchers in the league. Now, entering his age 25 season, he is poised to take the next step and become a potential face of the franchise.
Most Important Pitcher
Patrick Corbin
Patrick Corbin turned a career year with the Diamondbacks in 2018 into a huge 6 year contract with the Nationals. Despite being a major piece in the championship run in 2019, the Nationals would admit the contract has been an epic disappointment, being a below average pitcher the last 4 years and leading the league in losses each of the last 3 years. Now he is entering his final year of his contract, and the only value he can provide the Nationals would be to show a version of his younger self in the early parts of the year so he would have some trade value at the Trade Deadline. There's a good chance if he doesn't perform well enough to be traded, he might just be DFA'ed and see his career possibly come to an abrupt end.
Prospect to Watch
James Wood
Now for the exciting part of the Nationals! Not only do they have some young talent already in their lineup like CJ Abrams and Keibert Ruiz, but they have more phenoms ready to burst on the scene as they sport the 14th best farm system in baseball. The name baseball fans should get to know first is probably James Wood. This 21 year old outfielder was a key piece the Padres sent in the Juan Soto trade of 2022, and now he is ready to show why. Ranked the 12th best prospect in baseball, Wood is a 6'6" 234lb athlete that can crush the ball and outrun the best of them. The only thing that could keep him from being the centerfielder of the future in DC is Dylan Crews, the 2nd overall pick last year that also could debut this season.
2024 Prediction
5th in NL East
If all their promise breaks out like they could, this could be the last season the Nationals spend in the cellar for awhile, which is saying something considering the division they are in. There's a chance their lineup truly becomes elite by the end of the season, but their pitching will hold them back. There's just no depth and much fewer reinforcements from their top prospects to help.
Fearless Prediction
MacKenzie Gore will be an All Star in 2024.
Another prize of the Juan Soto trade, along with CJ Abrams and James Wood, was MacKenzie Gore. Good enough to be the 3rd overall pick on 2017 out of high school, Gore has yet to show much of the promise everyone expected. With that said, 2023 did show some progress, having a 2 win season and almost being league average. He's only entering his age 25 season. There's a chance this is the year Gore puts it all together and shows why he was a top pick, a top prospect, and such a valuable trade chip.
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