Youth movement defines Nats' 2024 campaign
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This story was excerpted from Jessica Camerato’s Nationals Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
WASHINGTON -- The Nationals’ 2024 season was tabbed as another chapter in their reboot for the future.
This year, Washington got closer to establishing its young core with the Major League debuts of top prospects Dylan Crews and James Wood, rookie additions to the starting rotation and the emergence of players still in the early stages of their careers.
Let’s take a look back at key points this season.
Defining moment: Top prospects invited to Spring Training
All the way back in February, the Nationals began building for this season -- and years ahead. They invited top prospects Crews (ranked No. 1 overall by MLB Pipeline), Wood, Brady House (Nats' No. 2 prospect and No. 65 overall), Robert Hassell III (No. 13), Trey Lipscomb and Darren Baker to Major League camp.
It was an opportunity for these big league hopefuls to bond with one another as anticipated pieces of the Nats’ future. Given how this season played out, it turned out to be an early chance to get to know their future Major League teammates.
What we learned: Youth movement is here
Ten prospects made their Major League debuts this season with the Nationals. While the promotions of outfielders Wood and Crews were highly anticipated, the first-half callups of starting pitchers Mitchell Parker and DJ Herz gave the rotation a steady boost when Josiah Gray and Trevor Williams were sidelined.
“Their talent exceeds any kind of statistic or performance that they have on the field, and I just like the way both of them -- since they got to the big leagues -- have developed a Major League routine,” general manager/president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo said of Crews and Wood. “I like the way that they are coachable and they're like [sponges] absorbing the information and absorbing the big league life. I think that both those guys are going to be big parts of this organization for a long time.”
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Best development: Jacob Young’s defense
Young, who debuted on Aug. 26, 2023, emerged as a Gold Glove contender as the Nationals’ starting center fielder this season. Heading into the final game of the season, he leads all players in Outs Above Average (20) and Defensive Runs Saved (18). He is also tied for the MLB lead in OAA to a player’s left (10) and tied for first among center fielders to a player’s right (six).
“To me, he’s a Gold Glover and he deserves it,” said manager Dave Martinez, adding, “The emphasis of him changing stuff when it comes to playing the outfield is zero. I always tell him all the time, ‘Be aggressive, that’s all I want you to do. You can catch everything.’”
Area for improvement: Offensive production
For the third season in a row, the Nats rank last in the NL in home runs. They also entered the final game of the season ranked second-to-last in the NL in slugging percentage and runs scored, and third-to-last in OPS. Their struggles were recently exemplified by a 31-inning scoreless skid.
“Knowing the restrictions we have [with] home run power … we have to be very efficient offensively,” Rizzo said. “We utilized our asset, which was speed, this year, I think to the betterment of the organization. But I think that to score runners with men in scoring position, less than two outs and to move runners and to run the bases intelligently and not recklessly, I think are all things that will be addressed in Spring Training and throughout the offseason.”
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On the rise: LHP Jose A. Ferrer
Ferrer missed the first 97 games of the season because of a left lat strain sustained in Spring Training. He returned in July and showcased late-inning potential in his second year in the Major Leagues. In 23 appearances since Aug. 10, Ferrer has a 1.42 ERA with 19 strikeouts to just two walks. Over his last 14 games heading into Sunday, he has limited lefty batters to a .118 average.
Team MVP: 2B Luis García Jr.
After being optioned to Triple-A Rochester for 25 games last August, García grew as a player through participating in the Dominican Winter League and returned as the Nationals’ top performer. He entered the final game of the season leading the team in batting average, hits, RBIs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS. This season, the 24-year-old established career highs in games played, at-bats, hits, doubles, homers, RBIs and stolen bases.