The Washington Nationals are in an interesting place when it comes to their present and future.
Right now, there is no doubt that the weakest unit on their major league roster is their pitching staff. Not only did their bullpen have the worst ERA in the MLB last season, but their starting rotation finished with the second-worst. And without MacKenzie Gore to lead the way, there’s a good possibility that both their relief and starting staffs could have the highest ERAs in 2026.
However, the arms the Nationals have in their pipeline have a chance to be special. Travis Sykora looked like a future ace before his Tommy John procedure last year created question marks about his future. Jarlin Susana has wipeout stuff and could be a dominant force. Same goes for Luis Perales. And both Alex Clemmey and Landon Harmon have top-of-the-rotation potential.
That’s a good place for Washington to be when it comes to the future. But Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report doesn’t have them stopping there in their pursuit of building an array of elite arms.
Nationals Select Liam Peterson in Latest Mock Draft
Liam Peterson of the University of Florida | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images
In Reuter’s latest mock draft, he has the Nationals selecting right-handed pitcher Liam Peterson out of the University of Florida with the 11th overall pick. He would be the latest high-upside arm added to Washington’s pipeline, as his strikeout stuff could have him get drafted much higher than this slot.
“If the results start to better match the pure stuff this spring, he could be the first arm off the board and a top-five selection, but potential alone makes him a clear first-round prospect,” Reuter wrote about the 6-foot-5 starter.
The strikeout stuff is clear when watching Peterson. He rung up 172 batters in 132 innings pitched across 33 appearances (30 starts) during his freshman and sophomore years. But he also has a career ERA of 5.18 that included a mark of 4.28 across 16 outings (15 starts) last season.
Peterson punches out Stanford here with the yak.
That’s 4 straight K’s for Liam. pic.twitter.com/74niadejDX
— Gator Diamond Pod (@GatorDiamondPod) January 27, 2026
Still, when it comes to upside, there aren’t many better in this 2026 draft than Peterson. His fastball sits in the mid-90 mph range and he can reach the upper 90s. He combines that with a slider and 12-6 curveball action that MLB Pipeline believes is his best off-speed pitch.
If Peterson falls to Washington at No. 11, then it’s hard to imagine they wouldn’t select him. Not only would they be landing someone who has top-five pick potential, but he would be the latest pitcher in their farm system who has a chance to become an ace if he reaches his ceiling.
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