Washington Nationals Rising Star Outfielder Has Future MVP Potential
The Washington Nationals are coming off a 71-win campaign in 2024, in which they saw many of their young players take a nice step forward.
Despite having the same number of wins for the second straight year, the Nationals felt like a team that made improvements and are heading in the right direction. Washington has been stuck in a rebuild and have been under the .500 mark since they won the World Series in 2019.
This lengthy rebuild has been painful, but one benefit has been the acquisition and development of plenty of young talent, whether through the draft or by trade. One of the Nationals' most notable trades sent outfieelder Juan Soto to the San Diego Padres in exchange for a plethora of prospects and players.
One of the prospects that Washington got for Soto was outfielder James Wood. The 6-7 outfielder made his debut for the Nationals in 2024, and the results were promising. Wood’s ability to make plays in the outfield, given his height, was impressive. He also showed he can run the bases well.
Recently, Bobby Blanco of MASN Sports wrote about the potential of the young slugger, as he views him as a potential MVP-caliber player that could follow in the footsteps of previous Nationals award winners Soto and Bryce Harper.
“Wood is coming off his rookie season, but showed he has all the tools that can make him one of the best players in the league. If he taps into his power potential to get his home run total and OPS up while also improving his defensive metrics, he may be the Nats’ best shot as an MVP candidate.”
Wood used up his rookie status in 2024, so he won't be eligible for that award next season. Last year, the slugger totaled a .264 batting average, nine home runs, 41 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases.
With Wood playing half the season after he was called up in July, projecting what 2025 could look like with a full season should cause a lot of excitement. Simply doubling his stats from last season would result in 18 home runs, 82 RBIs, and 28 stolen bases. That doesn't take into account accelerated improvement.
Those would be strong numbers for a 23-year-old, and his power numbers figure to increase with more experience.
As Wood continues to develop, there is elite talent to harness over the next couple of years. Winning an MVP may be a few years away, but he has potential.
