Washington Nationals Sign Former Phillies Top Prospect to Minor League Deal
Washington Nationals fans are still patiently waiting for the team to sign a Major League free agent that will help push the franchise another step or two out of their rebuild.
While no major splash has occurred to this point, they continue churning out transactions looking to find some diamonds in the rough. In the Rule 5 Draft, they came away with pitcher Evan Reifert, who has already cracked their top 30 prospects list.
On Wednesday, they made another move for a young player, agreeing to a Minor League contract with outfielder Carlos De La Cruz.
As shared by Andrew Golden of The Washington Post, the deal does not include an invite to Major League Spring Training in 2025.
This is certainly an intriguing signing by the Nationals, as De La Cruz has some potential that can be unlocked. He was the No. 25 ranked prospect in the Philadelphia Phillies organization and could certainly find his way into the top 30 in Washington.
Standing 6’-8 and weighing 208 pounds, he possesses prodigious power. Harnessing it and adjusting to what pitchers are throwing at him, however, has been a challenge for him at times.
Strikeouts have piled up at times, as he has been sat down 761 times in 588 games across all levels of baseball since graduating from high school. If the Nationals can continue building off of the success he had reading pitches and controlling the zone in 2023, there is a lot to work with talent wise.
He has hit 73 home runs over the same span and possesses good athleticism and speed on the bases; 29 stolen bases have been recorded as well. With the ability to play all three outfield positions and first base, he could be a name to keep an eye on.
Washington needs an infusion of power to their lineup. If he can produce near the clip he did in Double-A while in Triple-A, a midseason call-up is certainly within the realm of possibilities.
