Keep an eye on these Nats prospects in 2025

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 -- Ten prospects made their Major League debuts with the Nationals this past season. Who will be next, and who is on the path to the bigs? Let’s look ahead at the Nationals' Minor League system for 2025.

“The guys that got up here -- that means everyone in the Minor Leagues is doing their job and getting players where they should be, because that’s the ultimate goal,” vice president and assistant general manager, player development and administration Eddie Longosz said at the end of the season. “[Single-A Fredericksburg] winning a championship is awesome. I think winning sometimes gets overlooked. Obviously, we want to develop players -- it’s the most important thing -- but winning’s part of the game, too. ... And pitching development this year has been outstanding."

3 players who forced their way onto the radar this year

RHP Travis Sykora (Nationals’ No. 2 prospect, MLB No. 79): Sykora, 20, burst onto the pro ball scene after being drafted out of high school in 2023. In his first full season, Sykora was named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Year and the Nationals Minor League Pitcher of the Year. He dominated with a 5-3 record, 2.33 ERA, 129 strikeouts and 27 walks in 85 innings across 20 starts. Since debuting on May 1, Sykora ranked first among all Minor League pitchers (with a minimum of 85 innings) in opponent’s batting average (.168) and hits per nine innings (5.29).

“He’s a competitor,” said Longosz. “He’s outstanding. His stuff’s outstanding. He’s a winner.”

RHP Marquis Grissom Jr. (No. 26): Grissom earned a spot on the Nationals’ top 30 rankings this season, in which he played at High-A and Double-A. He posted a 2.21 ERA in 41 relief appearances across 53 innings. Grissom’s nine saves ranked fourth among all Nats Minor League pitchers. He did not allow an earned run the entire month of July.

RHP Brad Lord (No. 30): Lord, a recipient of the 2024 Nationals Way Award, advanced from High-A to Triple-A this season. He went 10-4 with a 2.43 ERA, 135 strikeouts and 49 walks in 25 starts across three levels. Lord led the Nats’ Minor League system in ERA, opponent’s batting average (.224) and winning percentage (.714).

“Aside from work ethic, it's pitching off his fastball,” said Longosz. “He has always been dogged with that since we drafted him. His secondary has gotten better, first-pitch strikes, going deeper into games.”

2 possible breakout players to watch in 2025

3B Cayden Wallace (No. 11): The Nationals acquired Wallace, a 2022 second-round pick, from the Royals in the Hunter Harvey deal in July. He recovered from an oblique injury and broken rib, and he is currently playing in the Arizona Fall League.

“He's great defensively at third,” said Longosz. “I think that's going to be the spot to set him there next year, starting. It’s an impact bat right away. [He] doesn't chase a lot, works the count. There's power in there, too, so we’re excited about him.”

LHP Andry Lara (No. 17): Lara has been a familiar name on the Nationals' Top 30 since he signed with the club in 2019. The 21-year-old made strides this season in High-A and Double-A. Among Nats Minor Leaguers, he ranked first in wins (11) and WHIP (1.16), second in ERA (3.34) and batting average (.227), and third in strikeouts (132).

1 big question for next season: When will Brady House (Nats’ No. 3, MLB No. 84) arrive?

After dealing with injuries early in his Minor League career, House played a full season between Double-A and Triple-A in 2024. House, 21, batted .241 with 19 home runs, 21 doubles and 66 RBIs. He logged 54 games with Rochester, and he is projected to debut with the Nationals next season.

"The biggest thing for him is playing that full season,” said Longosz. “He wanted to play 130 games. He told me that the first day of Spring Training, that’s his goal. He wanted to go home tired and he did that, he achieved that. I think that was the biggest thing -- staying healthy. He played tremendously well at third base, his defense was outstanding.”