Washington Nationals Top Prospect Drawing Attention From Front Office With Work Ethic
The 2024 season provided us a glimpse at what the future could look like for the Washington Nationals. One of the brightest spots on the team is their outfield.
This year we saw two of their top prospects get the call up to the Major Leagues. Left fielder James Wood made his much-anticipated debut on July 1st and Dylan Crews was a few weeks later on August 26th.
With Jacob Young’s elite defense between them in center field, the Nationals seem set for years to come in the outfield. But, there is more help on the way as their pipeline.
Daylen Lile is the team’s No. 12 rated prospect and someone who is garnering a lot of attention from the front office. His work ethic is unparalleled as he has overcome some devastating injury hardships.
He missed the entire 2022 campaign as he recovered from Tommy John surgery. In Spring Training this year, a scary fall occurred when he flipped over an outfield fence.
Lile was able to overcome both incidents and continue developing his skills. His approach off the field, where he has begun focusing more on the mental aspect of the game, has benefitted him greatly and is something Washington vice president and assistant general manager, player development and administration Eddie Longosz has taken notice of.
“You don’t touch Daylen Lile. He has all the tools, he has a gift that a lot of people don’t have. It’s like he said, it’s working on the mental component. It’s not flipping over fences, because he did that again when I was in Harrisburg at one point [laughs]. … But it’s building that confidence, studying pitchers. I think that’s going to be his next big thing making that jump,” Longosz said via Jessica Camerato of MLB.com.
A second-round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft out of Trinity High School in Louisville, Kentucky, there is no doubt about the talent he possesses. He wasn’t selected that highly without attending college by accident.
Lile made it to Double-A Harrisburg in 2024, as he continues climbing the farm system despite those injury setbacks. He was very productive, showcasing his athleticism with 23 doubles, 10 triples and 25 stolen bases.
“It’s a gift where some things you can’t teach,” said Longosz. “With his hitting ability and what he was taught or taught himself, it’s hard to describe, it’s hard to have another person replicate, but he’s able to do it.”
The outfield in the Major Leagues looks crowded for now, but things can change in the future. Lile is someone that the Nationals think highly of, as he is a key part of their depth at the position.
