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There’s something 2022 Orioles-like about these 2024 Nationals.

That Baltimore team finished above .500 (83-79), and it’d take a heck of a run for this year’s Washington squad (59-73) to find a similar fate. But look at the two clubs through the prism of their prospect promotions.

• Nationals Top 30 Prospects list

Then-No. 1 overall prospect Adley Rutschman debuted for the O’s on May 21, 2022. Three months later on Aug. 31, Gunnar Henderson (ranked No. 2 overall at the time) moved to The Show for the first time, gaining the experience that helped him win AL Rookie of the Year the following season.

Then-No. 2 overall prospect James Wood debuted for the Nats this year on July 1. A little less than two months later, No. 3 overall prospect Dylan Crews joined him on Monday at a time when he is highly unlikely to get enough at-bats to graduate from rookie status in 2024, setting him up for his own NL ROY run in ’25.

The timelines are slightly different, but the sentiment is the same -- two big arrivals were signs that both Baltimore and Washington were ready to turn the corner on their rebuilds from purely Minor League operations to Major League ones.

We know what’s followed for the O’s -- a division title in 2023, another postseason run this season on the back of continued development and using its deep farm to take swings on the trade market. So what are the next steps for Washington? Once again, we have to look at the tiers of its current farm system setup:

Next up among Top 100: Brady House
The 2021 first-rounder joined Triple-A Rochester in early July but is one year younger than Crews. He’s been OK at the Minors’ highest level (.278/.317/.444) and has stood out for his 90th-percentile exit velocity and in-zone contact rates for a 21-year-old playing in such an advanced circuit. He could stand to be more selective at the plate, however, and he’s more likely to get MLB consideration next spring, even though Nats third basemen rank 25th with a collective 0.1 fWAR.

Aiming for 2025: Yohandy Morales, Cayden Wallace, Robert Hassell III
Last year’s second-rounder Morales (thumb) and trade acquisition Wallace (oblique, rib) have missed good chunks of ’24 when they could have been pushing for The Show at Double-A or above. Morales has a greater chance at providing impact at the plate, while Wallace is a better defender at the hot corner. They could see time at other positions in deference to House or give Washington more options at a position in dire need of a long-term solution. Hassell has still been dealing with the effects of a previous hamate injury, but the Nats still believe in his hit, run and defensive tools from the outfield.

Rotation options soon: Cade Cavalli, Tyler Stuart, Andry Lara, Jackson Rutledge, Brad Lord
Dead arm and a bout with the flu have set back Cavalli’s Tommy John rehab, and time is running out on a potential 2024 MLB return. Rutledge has six MLB appearances under his belt, but steps back at Rochester make him little more than rotation depth. Lord’s surge (1.99 ERA in 117 2/3 innings) has him knocking on D.C.’s door despite average stuff, and Lara should be added to the 40-man roster when Rule 5-eligible this offseason. Stuart, acquired from the Mets in the Jesse Winker deal, is carving out a big name in his new organization on his way to Triple-A with his mid-90s fastball, above-average slider and improved changeup. There still might not be more than a No. 4 starter in this group, and Cavalli might be the best bet because of the quality of his stuff if/when healthy (a big if/when these days).

Bullpen options: Zach Brzykcy, Orlando Ribalta, Marquis Grissom
Brzykcy, who is coming off his own TJ surgery, has reached Rochester with closer-level stuff, thanks to a 92-95 mph fastball that shows elite carry up in the zone. The 26-year-old Ribalta got a brief callup earlier this month and has three above-average pitches (fastball, slider, changeup) albeit with subpar control. Grissom has one of the best changeups in the Minors and should get MLB looks against batters from both sides in ’25.

College bats who could surge: Seaver King, Caleb Lomavita, Kevin Bazzell
Washington went the college route with 14 of its first 15 picks in this year’s Draft, and Wake Forest shortstop King, Cal catcher Lomavita and Texas Tech backstop Bazzell were the first three off the board. No one in that trio has Crews’ ceiling, and it’s unlikely they will jump to the Majors in their first full seasons. But all three were Top 60 Draft prospects with legitimate hit tools that could make them quick movers.

Long-term arms: Travis Sykora, Jarlin Susana, Alex Clemmey
This might be the most high-upside group listed here, but one that won’t likely help the Nats until 2026 at the earliest. Sykora, Susana and Clemmey all have a 70-grade fastball and promising mixes of complementary pitches at 20 years old or younger. Control will decide their ultimate fate, especially Susana and Clemmey, but developing systems can never have too many arms.

Long-term bats: Luke Dickerson, Daylen Lile
Believing in his above-average power and plus speed, the Nationals gave Dickerson the largest bonus ever for a non-first-round pick at $3.8 million, and the 19-year-old shortstop is on the long road to the capital. Lile has reached Double-A in his age-21 season, but he should get plenty more time to develop (particularly in the power department) with two-thirds of the outfield taken up by Wood and Crews in D.C.

Verdict
The O’s had a deeper farm system in 2022, and they supplemented Rutschman and Henderson’s debuts with the likes of Colton Cowser, Jackson Holliday, Jordan Westburg and Major Leaguers acquired in deals involving Joey Ortiz, DL Hall and Connor Norby, among others. The Nationals might have better pitchers than their Baltimore counterparts, but that group remains years away. Washington has its cornerstones in place with Wood, Crews and 23-year-old All-Star CJ Abrams in place, but it might have to get all the more aggressive with MLB moves this offseason to give their window as much promise as the one that’s happening up I-95.