Washington Nationals Rookie Ranks High on Long-Term Value List
Major League teams don’t just want rookies to have a great rookie season. What teams really want is for rookies to have great careers. It creates the most bank for the buck in player development.
This year, Pittsburgh pitcher Paul Skenes and New York Yankees pitcher Luis Gil were the National League and American League rookies of the year, respectively. Both had terrific seasons. But it doesn’t ensure they’ll have great careers.
Projecting that, however, is an inexact science. But MLB.com’s Jim Callis tried recently.
Before the rookies of the year were announced, he set about ranking each of the game’s Top 35 rookies and their long-term value. The Washington Nationals had one rookie rank high on the list.
First, it wasn’t outfielder Dylan Crews. He is technically still a prospect and Callis’ piece only considered rookies. Those were players who, in 2024, graduated from rookie status by exceeding 130 at-bats, 50 innings or 45 days of active service time.
A Nationals outfielder did make the list, though. It was James Wood, who made his debut in July and was ranked No. 6.
Washington got Wood as part of the package of players in the Juan Soto trade in 2022. Callis noted that Wood may end up being the best of the five players received.
In 79 games last season he had an averaged exit velocity of 92.8 mph and sprint speed of 28.7 mph. Callis wrote that the only other MLB players that could boast those numbers, or better, were Oneil Cruz and Gunnar Henderson.
Wood finished the season with a slash line of .264/.354/.427/.781 with 13 doubles, four triples, nine home runs and 41 RBI. He also stole 14 bases.
Along the way he etched his name in franchise history. He had a .366 on-base percentage in his first 63 games. The only other player with a higher on-base percentage in Nationals history in their first 63 games, dating back to 2005, is the player he was traded for — Soto.
Soto had a .419 on-base percentage in his first 63 games in 2018. This only includes players that had at least 200 plate appearances in 63 games. Looking at Nationals history, Wood was better on on-base percentage than other Nats rookies like Ryan Zimmerman (.362, 2005) and Bryce Harper (.354, 2012).
Earlier in 2024 Wood was the Nationals’ No. 1 prospect and was considered among the best prospects in all of baseball before he was called up on July 1 and began playing every day.
Wood was the San Diego Padres’ second round pick in 2021 out of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
