Devin Fitz-Gerald’s Double-A stint in Harrisburg has been a lesson in how quickly a prospect’s stock can wobble - and how fast it can swing back.
He arrived in June carrying plenty of momentum from a scorching start to his Nationals career. At High A, Fitz-Gerald put up a 132 wRC+ and delivered a May that ranked among the best months ever for a Nationals prospect. The production came with a bonus, too: after showing off the hit tool that had made him a name to watch, he also flashed a power surge that caught attention, launching 12 home runs in 51 games.
But Double A greeted him hard. From his June 7 promotion through the end of the month, Fitz-Gerald was buried under a -1 wRC+, hitting .137 with a .178 slugging percentage.
The power disappeared, and so did much of the polished offensive profile he had shown earlier. He was expanding the zone, chasing too much, walking less, and striking out more than anyone wanted to see.
July brought a step in the right direction. Fitz-Gerald cut back on his swings, drew more walks and trimmed the strikeouts, but the impact still wasn’t there. His slugging percentage sat at .306 for the month, and his 82 wRC+ suggested he was still searching for the version of himself that had torn through High A.
Then came August, and with it, the rebound. Fitz-Gerald was still aggressive in the strike zone, but he chased pitches outside it 13% less often than he had in June, and he made more contact when he did swing.
The power showed back up, too. He hit three home runs in August after managing just one combined in June and July.
The result was a .310 average and a 139 wRC+, numbers that looked far more like the player he had been earlier in the season.
There are still real questions around his profile, especially whether the power can hold up over longer stretches against better pitching. But his season also offers a reminder that prospect evaluation is rarely a straight line. Patience matters, particularly with young players navigating change.
For Fitz-Gerald, that change went beyond a tougher league. He was also dealing with his mother’s tragic cancer diagnosis and spending months away from home to keep playing. Numbers only tell part of the story, and a rough stretch doesn’t erase what was there before.
Looking ahead, Fitz-Gerald is expected to open the 2027 minor league season back at Double A, ideally with Eli Willits beside him at shortstop in what could become one of the most exciting middle infield prospect duos in Nationals minor league history. If another offseason helps him add more strength and refine his swing, Fitz-Gerald could keep unlocking the power that makes his plus hit tool even more dangerous. When those pieces come together, he’s as threatening a hitter as the Nationals have in the system.
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