Unheralded Rookie Outfielder a 'Hidden Gem' for Washington Nationals This Season

The Washington Nationals had a ton of young talent on their roster, but one player stands out as a hidden gem.

Aug 30, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals outfielder Jacob Young (30) singles during the ninth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Nationals Park. / Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

The 2024 season is going to be the fifth year in a row that the Washington Nationals miss the postseason. They have not played October baseball since winning the World Series in 2019.

That will put some pressure on manager Dave Martinez heading into the winter as, despite the title, his coaching seat has to be getting pretty warm.

Luckily for him, he has a team on the rise and could make some noise during the 2025 season with a few upgrades to the roster.

One area that looks set for the foreseeable future is their outfield.

The Nationals have two star prospects in James Wood and Dylan Crews who will be manning the corners for years to come. 

Wood, called up July 1, has adjusted to Major League pitching right away and produced since Day 1. Crews has had some struggles, but the talented player has been flashed on more than one occasion across the board.

Those two get all of the attention in the outfield, but it is the player they flank in center field who has emerged as a hidden gem.

Fellow rookie Jacob Young has come out of nowhere to lock down the starting job in the middle.

While his production at the plate could leave something to be desired, he more than makes up for it with his glovework. An argument could be made that the Florida product is the best defensive center fielder in the game.

“The 25-year-old rookie is hitting .255/.315/.336 for an 87 OPS+ with 27 extra-base hits and 31 steals in 134 games, but he is tied for the team lead with 2.8 WAR thanks to his elite defensive metrics (14 DRS, 9.3 UZR/150) in center field,” wrote Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report.

As a bottom-of-the-order bat, that role on offense is more than acceptable when a player is producing at the clip that Young is while in the field.

Anything he gives at the plate is gravy.

Coming into 2024, he had a projected WAR of 0.1. He has blown that out of the water, providing a 2.8 WAR, which is tied with All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams for first on the team.

Young wasn't the only one mention as Washington’s hidden gem.

Starting pitcher Mitchell Parker gave him a run for his money, producing a WAR of 2.2 with a preseason projection of 0.2.

Both players look like long-term pieces for the franchise to build around as core contributors.