The Nationals reached the pinnacle of the sport in 2019, building a championship team on incredible homegrown talent. While it was many years in the making and through some tough years, the Nats are amassing prospect talent to build the next great team in DC.
Looking at their current minor league landscape, it starts with the uber talents of Dylan Crews and James Wood. These two outfielders have the potential to be among the game’s most fearsome lineup duos for many years. There is an interesting group of potential major league contributors, including some big name players such as Brady House, Elijah Green and Robert Hassell III. Beyond the top, there is enough upside in the pitching and hitting sides to restore optimism to the franchise and give Nats fans an exciting group to follow in the coming years. (@TBDubbs11)
Eight Prospects1500 writers contributed to this column and rankings including Ben Wilson (@TBDubbs11), Scott Greene (@Scotty_Ballgame), Tony Bps (@tonybps1), Greg Bracken (@gregbracken07), Shaun Kernahan (@ShaunKernahan), Adam Greene (@aj_greene1015), Clint Fasse (@ProspectLarceny), and Jeremy Mahy (@JMahyfam). The writer’s Twitter handle follows each player write-up or paragraph.
Prospects1500 Tiers:
Tier 1: Players with high expectations of both making the majors and playing at an All-Star level for a number of years
Tier 2: Players with an above-average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor
Tier 3: Players with an average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor
Tier 4: Players who have the potential to make the majors; possible sleeper candidates for sustained MLB success
Tier 5: Players of interest, worth keeping an eye on, who may make (or have made) the majors but provide minimal impact
J15 international signees Victor Hurtado, OF and Angel Feliz, 3B will likely be ranked on this list come the midseason update. If they slotted in right now, Hurtado would be near the top of Tier 4, with Feliz lower at the end of Tier 4.
Levels listed for each player are the highest levels player reached in 2023
Tier 1
1. Dylan Crews, OF, 21, Double-A
Crews was a borderline first round prospect heading into the 2020 MLB draft, but hadn’t performed all that well on the showcase circuit and then the high school season was cut short due to the pandemic. As a result, he took his name off the board for the draft in favor of attending LSU, and the move paid off. In most years he would have been a no-brainer number one overall selection but went number two overall after his college teammate Paul Skenes. A true five-tool prospect, Crews had arguably the best hit tool in the class to go with plus power. Coming out of high school there were some questions about his ability to stick in center, but he has put most of those concerns to bed and should be an above-average defender in center thanks to his plus speed and arm. Even if he does move off center, he would be plus defender on a corner. Crews has a shot to be the next superstar outfielder in the nation’s capital. (@ShaunKernahan)
2. James Wood, OF, 21, Double-A
Wood is a future All-Star, a mountain of a man at 6’6″ 240 pounds, and one of the top overall talents in Minor League Baseball right now. Selected in the 2nd round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of IMG Academy in Florida, the 21-year-old could potentially get the MLB call-up this coming season, but more likely we’re looking at a 2025 ETA. One of the key pieces in the Juan Soto trade, he launched 26 bombs and totaled 246 bases as a 20-year-old in High-A/Double-A this past season. Harrisburg Senators fans better get out to see him early this season because I don’t expect him to be at that level long. (@Scotty_Ballgame)
Tier 2
3. Brady House, 3B, 20, Double-A
House was one of the most highly touted prep shortstops in the 2021 draft class, but after injuries and fielding concerns he moved over to third. With his 6’4 215 lb. frame, there never has been and likely never will be a concern for House’s quality of contact, the concern is the contact rate itself. He struck out 89 times over his 88 games played in 2023, which was actually his healthiest season to date. It feels like there’s a good amount of untapped potential in House, and despite the offensive lulls he still posts good on base numbers and is one of the better power bats in the Nationals system. (@aj_greene1015)
4. Cade Cavalli, RHP, 25, Injured (MLB in 2022)
Injuries have derailed Cavalli’s train temporarily, but he’ll be back on the tracks soon enough. The former 1st round pick (22nd overall) in the 2020 Covid Draft, ascended the National farm system ladder pretty quickly and made his MLB debut with one start in August 2022 but was shut down due to right shoulder inflammation. Poised to get back to it in Spring Training 2023, he underwent Tommy John Surgery last March and missed the season. Reports are that his rehab is going well and there’s no specific timetable for his return, but MLB.com’s Jessica Camerato says the targeted time frame is this coming June. I saw Cavalli pitch in the 2019 Futures Game in Cleveland and can attest to his ace potential in the near future. (@Scotty_Ballgame)
Tier 3
5. Yohandy Morales, 3B, 22, Double-A
Much like Crews, a non-pandemic year may have seen “YoYo” drafted and signed out of high school rather than making it to campus. He got to Miami as a shortstop, but quickly moved to third base due to his size and lack of range, but he can be a solid defender at the hot corner. Power has never been a question, in fact the raw power is well above plus, but he really struggled to make solid contact early on with the Hurricanes. Initially he had a busy swing and expanded the zone too much, he really got to work improving his game and it resulted in a triple slash line that greatly improved every season, ending up with a .408/.475/.713 his final season in college. Once he joined the National’s organization, he continued his tear, and found himself at Double-A Harrisburg before the season ended. (@ShaunKernahan)
6. Daylen Lile, OF, 21, High-A
The Nationals lost a full year of development with Lile after playing just 19 games in Complex League, due to a Tommy John which sidelined him for all of 2022. Having just repaired his elbow, the organization opted to move him off center in favor of a corner outfield position. At the plate, Lile was pretty consistent and showed good speed on the basepaths (organizational leading 10 triples). Over the course of the season he had a 125 wRC+ and .374 wOBA. It’s tough to place expectations for a young position player coming off Tommy John, but Lile played 100+ games and was regularly driving in runs; if he can improve on that, he has a good chance to climb further up the rankings. (@aj_greene1015)
7. Cristhian Vaquero, OF, 19, Single-A
Washington used 95% of their International signing pool money on locking up Vaquero two years ago. In late August last season, he finally was promoted to Single-A making his debut in the States. As an athletic switch hitter, he has all the upside in the world for his above-average defense, power potential, and especially his speed. For someone walking nearly as much as the strike out, you’d want the on base numbers to be higher, although he still had a .383 OBP last year. This will now be maybe the biggest year of Vaquero’s development, as he’ll be tested against much higher competition in the affiliated minors. (@aj_greene1015)
8. Elijah Green, OF, 20, Single-A
As a top 5 pick in the 2022 draft, the Nationals have super high expectations for Green and arguably so. His electric play style mixing power and speed make him an exciting prospect to follow. He’s an elite athlete making him a dynamic center fielder. Where he’s fallen in the organizational ranking is in part due to the influx of talent, but really his contact numbers. When he does hit, he hits the ball hard and posts exit velocities over 100, but is striking out way too much. It’s early, he’s played less than 100 games and hasn’t even reached High-A yet, but Green has 171 strikeouts to 53 walks. If he’s able to turn those numbers around, then Green can easily climb back up to Tier 2 or even Tier 1. (@aj_greene1015)
9. Robert Hassell III, OF, 22, Double-A
Also coming to Washington in the Soto trade, Hassell was right at the top of the Padres prospect rankings with CJ Abrams at the time. Hassell was initially assigned to High-A after the trade, but was quickly promoted to Double-A where it just hasn’t clicked yet. Besides a quick rehab assignment, he spent all of 2023 in Harrisburg where he only posted a .640 OPS. Like Green, he’s struck out almost three times as much as he’s walked, but the difference is Hassell doesn’t quite have the underlying power. Hassell does have a good hit tool though, and has been known for his contact abilities. It’s almost confusing looking at the numbers for someone that started off unbelievably hot for the Padres, but a good spring camp and another hot start can turn it all back around. (@aj_greene1015)
10. Jarlin Susana, RHP, 19, Single-A
The last prospect dealt over in the Soto trade was the 6’6 235 lb. righty, Jarlin Susana. The flamethrower out of the Dominican has registered fastballs at 103 on the gun. That’s the pitch that catches everyone’s attention, but he’s quietly developed the curveball, slider, and changeup too. He got off to a rough start in 2023 with a 6.94 ERA over his first four starts, but settled in and had an amazing eleven game stretch where he had a 3.09 ERA and 41 strikeouts. Over that stretch he was averaging just 2-3 hits allowed per appearance. Yet to turn 20, Susana looks like he could be one of the Nationals best upcoming pitching prospects. (@aj_greene1015)
11. DJ Herz, LHP, 23, Double-A
Several Cubs fans have told me that Herz is one pitching prospect they did not want to see moved from their system, yet he was traded to Washington (with Kevin Made) for Jeimer Candelario and cash at the deadline last season. He projects to be a middle-of-the-rotation starter, with upside to potentially be a 1-2 guy. Herz was very good at Double-A this season (for both Tennessee and Harrisburg), striking out 133 in 94.1 innings (12.7 K/9) in 22 starts. He was even better after the trade, posting an impressive 2.55 ERA in his eight starts for the Senators. The Nats gave him some more reps in the Arizona Fall League, and the left hander could battle for a spot in the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings rotation to start this season. (@Scotty_Ballgame)
Tier 4
12. Jake Bennett, LHP, 23, High-A
13. Travis Sykora, RHP, 19, High School
14. Nasim Nunez, SS, 23, Double-A
15. Cole Henry, RHP, 24, Double-A
16. Andrew Pinckney, OF, 23, Double-A
17. Jackson Rutledge, RHP, 24, MLB
18. Kevin Made, SS, 21, High-A
19. Jeremy De La Rosa, OF, 22, High-A
20. Trey Lipscomb, 3B, 23, Double-A
21. Jacob Young, OF, 24, MLB
22. T.J. White, OF/1B, 20, High-A
23. Andry Lara, RHP, 21, High-A
24. Mitchell Parker, LHP, 24, Triple-A
Bennett had Tommy John surgery which will keep him from pitching this season, but he has back-end rotation potential if healthy. Sykora was a high school pitcher taken in the 3rd round who has great velocity and could be a 2nd starter type if all goes well. Nunez hasn’t shown much at the plate, but has great speed and very solid defense. Henry has had many injuries limiting what he can do but a healthy 2024 could help determine if he can handle a starter’s workload. Pinckney has enough power in his bat to be a bench player if he can limit the high strikeouts he’s had. Rutledge was the team’s 1st round pick back in 2019 but has struggled with his command and lack of strikeouts. Made has a great glove but hasn’t hit enough in the minors yet. Lipscomb has good power and a solid hit tool and could be an average CI in the majors if it comes together for him. White has a low grade hit-tool and his power decreased this season. Lara was a semi-hyped international signee back in 2019 and could still turn into a back of the rotation starter. Parker looks more like a reliever than a starter in the future. (@tonybps1)
Tier 5
25. Armando Cruz, SS, 20, Single-A
26. Roismar Quintana, OF/1B, 20, Single-A
27. Israel Pineda, C, 23, Double-A
28. Darren Baker, 2B/OF, 24, Triple-A
29. Jared McKenzie, OF, 22, High-A
30. Matt Cronin, LHP, 26, Triple-A
31. Kyle Luckham, RHP, 24, Double-A
32. Jose A. Ferrer, LHP, 23, MLB
33. Aldo Ramirez, RHP, 22, Single-A
34. Brenner Cox, OF, 19, Single-A
35. Tyler Schoff, RHP, 25, Triple-A
36. Luke Young, RHP, 22, Single-A
37. Jermaine Maricuto, 1B/C, 18, Rookie (DSL)
38. Andy Acevedo, OF, 18, Rookie (DSL)
39. Sammy Infante, 2B/3B, 22, High-A
40. Elijah Nunez, OF, 22, Single-A
41. Edwin Solano, SS, 17, Rookie (DSL)
42. Elian Soto, OF/1B, 18, Rookie (DSL)
43. Michael Cuevas, RHP, 22, Double-A
44. Marcus Brown, SS/2B, 22, Single-A
45. Carlos Tavares, 1B, 18, Rookie (DSL)
46. Pablo Aldonis, LHP, 21, Single-A
47. Carlos Batista, OF, 18, Rookie (DSL)
48. Juan Obispo, OF, 17, Rookie (DSL)
49. Liam Sullivan, LHP, 21, Single-A
50. Hector Liriano, OF, 17, Rookie (DSL)
Cruz is a solid defender but hasn’t shown much at the plate. Quintana has good power and can grow into a serviceable outfielder. Baker has very little power but a solid hit-tool and could be a utility type in the majors. Luckham hasn’t shown much on the mound in his two seasons with the team. Ramirez hasn’t pitched since 2021 due to Tommy John surgery but will be given every opportunity to keep starting in the minors. Cox has struggled in his two seasons at the plate. Young looks more like a backup outfielder with no power and moderate speed. Acevedo struggled to a sense in his first year in Rookie ball. He had more walks than strikeouts showing a good sense at the plate. Infante hasn’t hit much and his power output decreased from 2022. Solano struggled in his first year in Rookie ball but has the tools to improve this season. Juan Soto’s little brother, Elian, also struggled last season but has the pedigree to keep an eye on in 2024. Cuevas has not shown as much improvement as the organization hoped for since being picked in the 23rd round back in 2019. Obispo has great speed and potential to grow into some power if he can get better at making contact at the plate. (@tonybps1)
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Adam Greene is a Sport Management and Marketing double major at UMass Amherst's Isenberg School of Management. His main focus is sport marketing, where he's already had internships with the local Westfield Starfires and Springfield Thunderbirds. He now writes for the Cape Cod Baseball League. From Longmeadow, MA, Adam is a huge Red Sox fan and has been following the team his whole life. When Covid hit, he started paying a lot more attention to the Red Sox minor league teams, and now, follows them almost as much as the big league squad. Follow him on Twitter at @aj_greene1015 and Instagram at the same handle.
President of Prospects1500. Founder of Diamond Duos dynasty fantasy baseball leagues and the MLB Fantasy Playoffs Parlay. Participant and champion in several dynasty/fantasy baseball and football leagues. Sales Manager for Reminder Publishing in real life. Huge Bruce Springsteen and pro wrestling fan. Along with his wife and two boys, lives in Longmeadow, MA. Follow on Twitter at @Scotty_Ballgame.
Tony Bps Spina is a lifelong baseball fan hailing from the City of Brotherly Love - Philadelphia! Tony has loved baseball since 1980 and has followed the Phillies through good and bad times. Tony is married with 3 kids and works for a financial institution but has enough free time to play in 20 fantasy baseball leagues with 75% of them being Dynasty Leagues. He lives a few blocks away from Citizens Bank Park and attends many Phillies games per year in addition to their minor league teams in Lehigh Valley and Reading. He can be reached on Twitter at @TonyBps1.
Shaun Kernahan is the MLB Draft correspondent for Prospects1500. When not at a game, chances are the TV and/or tablet has a game on and he has a notepad out taking notes. When not scouting draft prospects, he is the Director of Baseball Operations for the Mile High Collegiate Baseball League, a collegiate wood bat league in Colorado. Shaun can be found on Twitter at @ShaunKernahan.
Ben is an Assistant Editor and also covers the Red Sox and Dynasty/Fantasy baseball content for Prospects1500. He also runs the #2EarlyMiLBMock, an annual prospect-only mock draft, for the Prospects1500 website. Ben is an experienced fantasy baseball player and is a deep league dynasty specialist. He has also contributed at FantraxHQ, RotoFanatic, and retired blogs Real McCoy Minors and Notes from the Sally. Follow Ben on Twitter @TBDubbs11.
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Ben Wilsonhttps://www.prospects1500.com/author/tbdubbs11/
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Ben Wilsonhttps://www.prospects1500.com/author/tbdubbs11/
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Ben Wilsonhttps://www.prospects1500.com/author/tbdubbs11/
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Ben Wilsonhttps://www.prospects1500.com/author/tbdubbs11/
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