The Washington Nationals got a clearer look at their core this past season, and it came with both promise and a reminder of how much more is needed.
Cade Cavalli emerged as the ace of the rotation. CJ Abrams and James Wood showed they can be the kind of stars who carry a team.
But Wood also missed time late in the year, and the second half once again exposed some of the bumps the Nationals still have to smooth out. If Washington is going to push back toward the postseason for the first time since 2019, it needs a few more young players to take a real step forward.
Three names stand out: Abimelec Ortiz, Connelly Early, and Yovanny Cruz.
Ortiz got his chance after the Nationals dealt Luis Garcia Jr. to the Yankees at the trade deadline, and he wasted no time making an impression. In just his second big-league game, he launched his first career home run. Through his first 14 games, he had already piled up five homers and posted a 1.017 OPS.
The majors eventually brought him back to earth. Ortiz struggled to adjust to big-league pitching and closed the season with a .188 average and those five home runs.
Still, the power profile is hard to miss. Across roughly five seasons in the minors, he hit 118 home runs and drove in 400 runs.
At 24, he fits the mold of a left-handed power-hitting first baseman, and after his first taste of the majors this year, he looks like a player who can use the offseason to make the needed adjustments and come into spring training ready to win a middle-of-the-order spot.
Early brings a different kind of intrigue. The left-hander drew a comparison to Gio Gonzalez, not because of the way he pitches, but because of the timing and the opportunity around him.
Like Gonzalez when the Nationals brought him in, Early is a young lefty arriving with a team that has hopes of climbing back into playoff baseball. In a previous article, I explained why I think the Nats should sign Early to an extension before the season starts.
Him and Cade Cavalli have a chance to become the best one-two punch the Nationals have had since Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg.
Before joining Washington, Early had already shown real promise with the Red Sox. He posted a 3.44 ERA with 93 strikeouts in 17 games.
The problem was health: when the Nationals acquired him, he was already on the injured list, and that limited him to just one start this season in a Nationals uniform. Even so, the expectation is clear - he has a chance to make a big leap and become one of the game’s better lefties next season.
Cruz may be the most electric of the three. Another trade deadline pickup by President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni, he comes with pure bullpen upside and loud stuff.
His fastball averaged over 99 mph, and his sinker sits comfortably at 100. He mixes in a slider about 49% of the time, giving him a weapon to pair with the velocity.
The strikeout numbers back it up. Cruz finished last season with 59 K’s in 42.2 innings between Triple-A Scranton and Triple-A Rochester.
In the big leagues with the Yankees and the Nationals, he put up an 8.4 K/9 in 16 innings pitched. Late in the season, he was used in leverage spots and picked up the first save of his career after his call-up.
It would not be a surprise if he works his way into the closer conversation next season.
In Other News...
Nationals Just Lost A Hitting Voice Other Teams Clearly Wanted
CJ Gillman is on the move after a season in Washington, where he worked as the Nationals director of hitting before the Mariners moved to bring him in as their new hitting coach. For Seattle, the hire adds an internal voice it already knew well from his time as the clubs minor league hitting coordinator, and it comes amid a broader staff shake-up that began with the departure of former hitting coach Kevin Seitzer.
For the Nationals, it is another reminder that the organization has people around the league paying attention to its player-development work. Gillman leaving for a division rivals staff is the kind of move that can sting a bit because it suggests other teams see value in the approach Washington had in place. It also underscores how quickly the coaching market can shift, with Seattle making its first appointment even before naming a new manager. [Read more 🡒]
Jarlin Susana Is Giving Nationals Fans A New Reason To Dream
Jarlin Susana is back on the radar in a big way this fall, and the Arizona Fall League is giving Nationals fans a fresh look at why he has been such a coveted arm in the system. The hard-throwing right-hander has been flashing fastballs that climb past 100 mph, a reminder of the power stuff that made him one of Washingtons most intriguing pitching prospects in the first place.
What makes the showing even more encouraging is the context around it. Susana is coming off a lat muscle injury that interrupted his 2025 season, yet he has still emerged as the only top-100 pitching prospect in the league this fall. With his MLB debut currently projected for 2027, the Nationals are watching closely for signs that he can keep building toward an Opening Day role in the years ahead. [Read more 🡒]