Although it’s been an up-and-down season through 38 games for the Washington Nationals, it seems like they are in good hands with the young studs that they have put together.
Since winning the World Series in 2019, the Nationals haven’t posted a winning season – but with the emergence of several young rising stars, Washington could be trending upward soon.
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With a record of 17-21, all eyes have been set on three of their most promising prospects to help turn the ball club around.
Dave Martinez, Washington Nationals manager.Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
ESPN analyst Paul Hembekides broke down how impressive starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore, shortstop CJ Abrams and outfielder James Wood have been in the 2025 season.
“At 26, Gore might have the best breaking-ball combination in all of baseball. Leads the majors with 68 strikeouts and 38 of which are on his breaking balls. He has a 52% whiff-rate using his curve ball and his slider. That’s an astronomical number.”
“CJ Abrams is in the 86th percentile in expected average and 85th in expected slug… And James Wood, at 22 [years old], is demonstrating that he has more backside power than any lefty in baseball,” Hembekides explained to Buster Ulney on ESPN Baseball Tonight.
This goes to show that the combination of the three players makes for the Washington Nationals being in great hands for years moving forward.
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It will be up to Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo on what he wants to do with the three players, but the team has control of the three through the 2027 season.
It’s also worth to note that the Nationals general manager acquired all three of the prospects from the San Diego Padres in 2022. The trade sent Juan Soto and Josh Bell to the Padres in exchange for Gore, Abrams and Wood along with other prospects.
With youth comes growth, and this could be just the beginning for these three players and a Nationals team that ranks as the third-youngest in baseball, according to ESPN.com.