The Washington Nationals already got a clear answer on a couple of core pieces this past season. Cade Cavalli stepped forward as the ace of the rotation, while CJ Abrams and James Wood showed they can be true stars who can carry a team for long stretches.
But if the Nationals are going to take the next step and get back to the postseason for the first time since 2019, they need more than that. Wood was sidelined late in the season and again had a rough second half, which only sharpened the need for a few more young players to emerge. Three names stand out as possible breakout pieces in 2027: a bat, a starter, and a reliever who each have a real shot to become part of Washington’s future.
Abimelec Ortiz was one of the more intriguing additions to the big-league mix after the Nationals moved Luis Garcia Jr. to the Yankees at the trade deadline. Washington called him up to take that spot, and he wasted no time making an impression.
In just his second career game, Ortiz launched his first major league homer. Through only 14 games, he already had five home runs and a 1.017 OPS.
The adjustment eventually caught up with him. Ortiz had trouble handling big-league pitching, and he finished the year with a .188 average to go along with those five homers.
Still, the long-term profile is easy to see. He has the shape of a classic left-handed power first baseman, and his minor league track record backs that up: 118 home runs and 400 RBIs across about five seasons in the minors.
At 24, after that first taste of the majors, he looks like a player who could come into spring training ready to fight for a middle-of-the-order role.
Connelly Early brings a different kind of upside. He drew a comparison to Gio Gonzalez, not because of how they pitch, but because of the timing - a young left-handed arm arriving on a Nationals team that could be on the edge of playoff baseball.
I previously wrote that Washington should lock him up with an extension before the season begins. Paired with Cavalli, Early has a chance to form the best one-two punch the Nationals have had since Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg.
Before coming to Washington, Early showed real promise with the Red Sox, posting a 3.44 ERA with 93 strikeouts in 17 games. The only problem was health.
He was on the injured list when the Nationals acquired him, and that limited him to just one start for Washington this season. Even so, the expectation is that he can make a major jump next year and develop into one of the game’s better lefties.
Then there’s Yovanny Cruz, another trade deadline pickup by President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni. Cruz is a reliever with loud stuff and plenty of room to rise.
His fastball averaged over 99 mph, and his sinker was sitting at 100. He also mixes in a slider that he throws around 49% of the time.
The strikeout numbers are already there. Cruz finished with 59 strikeouts in 42.2 innings between Triple-A Scranton and Triple-A Rochester, and he carried an 8.4 K/9 in 16 major league innings with the Yankees and Nationals. He was used late in games and picked up the first save of his career after his late-season call-up, and it would not be a surprise if he ends up in the closer conversation next season.
In Other News...
Nationals Took A Risk On Luke Williams For One Big Reason
Paul Tobonis first draft with the Nationals came with a clear message: even with pitching the organizations most obvious need, he spent three of his picks on position players. One of the more intriguing names in that group is third-rounder Luke Williams, the Pennsylvania high school shortstop whose athleticism stood out enough to override the usual concerns that come with a prep bat. Washington sees enough in the tools to believe there is real upside here, even if the profile comes with more volatility than a safer, more polished college player.
Williams is expected to move to center field, a switch that makes sense for a player with his range and speed, and he has already flashed some power in exhibition games. Still, the questions are familiar for a young hitter who has not seen much high-level pitching, especially when his approach at the plate is still a work in progress. For the Nationals, the gamble is obvious: if the hit tool comes along, they may have found a dynamic everyday outfielder, but the road to get there is anything but certain. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Suddenly Face A Tough Abimelec Ortiz Decision
The Nationals are headed into the winter with familiar work still on their plate: sorting out the back end of the rotation, where two spots remain open behind ace Cade Cavalli, and trying to stabilize a bullpen that set an MLB record for blown saves. But as much as the pitching questions dominate the roster picture, the front office is also weighing whether the infield needs another bat, with first base emerging as a possible area for a stopgap addition.
Abimelec Ortiz is still part of Washingtons long-term plans, but his rough finish to the 2026 season left enough doubt that the club may prefer a short-term answer while it keeps developing the top prospect. For a team trying to add some consistency to a lineup that has too often had to patch holes on the fly, the first-base decision is becoming one of the more interesting ones on the board. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Face A Real Jake Irvin Decision This Offseason
Jake Irvin has been one of the more dependable arms the Nationals have had since his 2023 call-up, taking the ball regularly and giving the rotation a sense of stability. The broader picture, though, is harder to sort out. Over the past two seasons, his ERA has sat above 5, even as there have been signs of growth in areas the club values, including more strikeouts and a curveball that played well in 2024.
That leaves Washington with a real offseason choice on its hands, one that is part performance evaluation and part roster planning. A projected $3.4 million tender is not an overwhelming number, but it is enough to force a decision about whether Irvin still fits as a starter or might be better suited to a bullpen look. For a Nationals team trying to balance patience with progress, his case is one of the more interesting ones on the board. [Read more 🡒]