Washington Nationals Have Even More Top Prospects Coming Next Season
This past year saw the debut of a couple top prospects for the Washington Nationals, jumpstarting the new era of baseball for the team.
The upcoming season could also hold more professional debuts of intriguing players.
In examining the top players in the Nationals farm system for MLB.com, there are a couple of prospects who are estimated to make their debuts next season.
The highest rated player should be no surprise in third baseman of the future Brady House. Though he's still just 21, many view him as a potential starter for the MLB roster next year.
House posted a .241/.297/.402 slash line this past season while hitting 19 home runs and 66 RBI.
His bat has been his biggest calling card as a prospect, along with his cannon of an arm. That makes him a shoe-in for the hot corner in Washington at some point in his career.
Third base was a huge weakness for the Nationals in 2024. That spot in the lineup accounted for a slash line of just .228/.285/.304 which is not acceptable for a team trying to become a contender, let alone win a World Series.
Next up is another slugger who could figure into the rotation on the corners of the infield, Yohandy Morales.
He was second round selection in the 2023 MLB draft coming from the Miami Hurricanes, and similar to House, he was drafted because of a plus-power bat and a strong arm.
Washington has mostly been working Morales out at first base, with the assumption that House takes over duties at the hot corner soon.
The 22-year-old improved his defense this past season and the Nationals need help at first base. It wouldn't be too surprising to see him move up the system quickly if they can't find a solid answer for the start of the year.
Speaking of players climbing through the farm quickly, soon-to-be 22-year-old Daylen Lile is also listed as a player that could make the jump up next season.
He was a second round pick out of high school back in the 2021 MLB draft and has quickly developed into a solid bat with plus-speed on the bags.
Lile spend most of his season in left field, which is where he could end up if the team decides to move on from the Jacob Young experiment.
While Washington is expected to be a team that could open up the pocket books this winter, they will still need some rookies to emerge as solid contributors this season.
