There seemed to be an assumption regarding the ordering of Washington Nationals top prospects to make their MLB debuts. As the common thinking was assumed, James Wood would be called up first, then Dylan Crews, and finally Brady House from the Nationals’ Top-3 prospects. That group of prospects, who all finished their 2023 seasons together at Double-A Harrisburg, arrived at Spring Training this year to find side-by-side lockers, that manager Dave Martinez nicknamed as “Hope Row”.
“It did not hurt — and it was no coincidence — that we had [several top prospects] play together a little bit at the end of last season [in Double-A Harrisburg]. So that was helpful to them. …”
— General Manager Mike Rizzo said in Spring Training
That triumvirate of top prospects have been looked at as being one-third of the next contending starting lineup for the Washington Nationals. But what if the ordering changed and House was up before Crews? On July 1, the Nats already called up Wood, and he has helped the Nats win games — like today with a 3-run triple.
Here is the main concern about calling up Crews and House at the same time: It could put both of them, plus Wood, on the exact same team-control timetable of reaching free agency after the 2030 season. Most teams strategically try to stagger free agency like the Nats had initially with Stephen Strasburg, Bryce Harper, and Anthony Rendon. The team did a pre-emptive extension with Strasburg, however, they gave him an opt-out, and everyone remembers what it was like when Stras triggered his opt-out and became a free agent after the 2019 season along with Rendon. Could you imagine having Wood, Crews, and House all reaching free agency at the same moment?
In theory, the Nationals could try to extend some of these young top-prospect players to long-term contracts. Earlier this year, the Brewers extended Jackson Chourio‘s contract before he ever appeared in an MLB game. The deal was for 8 years and $82M guaranteed with two club options. Chourio’s deal set a new blueprint for extending young top prospects.
With Jacob Young, Alex Call, and Wood holding down the starting outfield spots, could general manager Mike Rizzo pivot to a callup of House to play third base, and leave Crews in Triple-A?
Right now, third base and the catcher’s position seem like the two weakest spots in the Nationals positional lineup. There is no heir apparent to play catcher near-term — but House certainly looks like he could play third base for the Nats in the next few weeks.
When MLB Network’s Mark DeRosa asked Martinez in Spring Training if Wood and Crews will help his team this year, Martinez said, “I really believe that. I really believe so. They’re close.”
The full video from MLB Network is a classic of Davey the Optimist. He has good reasons to be excited about the future Nationals’ roster, and especially if the Lerner ownership group gives Rizzo the greenlight to spend on some top free agents.
While the last offseason didn’t meet the average fan’s expectations, Martinez knows that he can only work with the roster that Rizzo and ownership bestowed upon him. In 2018-2021, he had very good rosters, and won a World Series in 2019 — but since July of 2021, the team has been in rebuild mode and four consecutive losing seasons — and short of a miraculous finish — five consecutive losing seasons.
We think Martinez will be back to manager the 2025 team. But you never know if change will come to a new direction at the top of field management and coaching staff.
Tomorrow, there will only be 49-games remaining in the 2024 season after the conclusion of Monday’s game for the Nationals. Players like Call, Juan Yepez, and Harold Ramirez — and any callups are auditioning for the 2025 roster.
There are five position players that seem to be locks on the 2025 roster: Wood LF, Young CF, CJ Abrams SS, Luis Garcia Jr. 2B, and Keibert Ruiz C. That leaves right field, first base, third base, and the DH spots as open.
At some point, Crews and House will take over in right field and third base leaving just the first base and the DH spots open. Could Yepez take one of those spots? What about signing Juan Soto as a free agent?
The team could also use an established ace to secure the top spot in the starting rotation to go with Jake Irvin, MacKenzie Gore, Mitchell Parker, and DJ Herz. The team will not have Josiah Gray available until late 2025 or possibly not until 2026 because of an elbow reconstruction surgery.
The bullpen could use an extra arm or two to take on high leverage innings. By not trading Kyle Finnegan at the trade deadline, the team has a closer to enter the offseason.
Suffice it to say that the real need is a big bat to play first base and an ace pitcher. Can the Nats get one or both? That will be the pressing question today, tomorrow, and into the offseason, and possibly beyond. Those types of players cost a lot of money. Yes, you pay for “quality” either figuratively or literally, unless you can produce those players within your own farm system. Yes, developing star players are the least expensive way to build your roster — but eventually those players start costing more and more money after their third MLB season.
Getting back to contention sooner than later will take money. The rebuild won’t stop until the signal is that the team is going to be spending — or else they will get their organically from building from within. We don’t have the answer on what course the team will take, but when Rizzo said recently that the team had “payroll flexibility,” it was a good sign for the future.
