Washington Nationals Center Fielder Proposed as Player To Trade
The Washington Nationals are heading into the offseason looking to take the next step in their rebuild, as the franchise saw a lot of improvement from last year.
2024 was a year of development for the Nationals, as a lot of their young players were able to get plenty of playing time, and they started to make an impact in the big leagues.
While it has been a rough couple of seasons for Washington, the 16-win improvement in 2024 from 2023 is a clear sign that the franchise is heading in the right direction.
Even though it was a nice improvement, the Nationals are still nowhere near where they want to be. This offseason, the organization has the chance to make some improvements and, with the young core getting better, they should be able to aim for an 80-win season.
Recently, Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report proposed some unpopular offseason trade ideas, and for Washington, he believes they should move on from center fielder Jacob Young.
“But when one looks at Young, one basically sees the next coming of Myles Straw. The 25-year-old is an exceptionally talented defensive center fielder, yet one with little to offer on offense apart from a solid bat-to-ball skill and speed on the basepaths. Granted, this is not a flattering comparison in the context of the Nationals keeping Young. But given the Astros turned Straw into Yainer Diaz and Phil Maton in a 2021 trade, the comparison could end up looking a lot better if they move him.”
The idea of trading Young is certainly one that can be categorized as unpopular, as the rookie center fielder had a very good campaign in 2024.
In his rookie season, the right-hander totaled a .256 batting average, three home runs, 36 RBIs, and 33 stolen bases.
While the 25-year-old might not be the elite level prospect like James Wood or Dylan Crews who play in the outfield with him, he has proven to be a solid contact hitter that can steal bases.
Where Young really thrives is on the field, as he is a Gold Glove caliber center fielder, which is an important position to have an elite level defender.
As the Nationals currently stand, making too many significant offseason deals seems unlikely this winter, as the franchise will likely be looking to add in free agency. However, if for some reason, the organization doesn’t believe that Young is the answer in center field, there would be no better time than now to trade him.
