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.

Rookie left-handers DJ Herz and Mitchell Parker earned Major League callups last season earlier than projected. They seized the opportunities and established spots in the Nationals' starting rotation.

Next season, right-hander Brad Lord is looking to accomplish the same goal.

“That is definitely motivation,” Lord, 24, said at the end of the season. “You turn on the game and watch, and they’re going six, seven innings every outing. Not necessarily super-high Draft picks, too. So for a guy like me, that really motivates me, like, ‘I can do this, too. I can compete at the same level.’”

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Lord, a 2022 18th-round Draft pick out of the University of South Florida, had never pitched above High-A ball before last season. He was promoted to Double-A Harrisburg after his first start of 2024, and he advanced to Triple-A Rochester in June.

With an overall 10-4 record and 2.43 ERA in 25 starts, Lord earned the final spot in MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 rankings of Nats prospects and was the co-recipient of the 2024 Nationals Way Award for his performance on and off the field.

“Aside from work ethic, it’s pitching off his fastball,” said Eddie Longosz, Nationals vice president and assistant general manager for player development and administration. “He has always been dogged with that since we drafted him. His secondary’s gotten better, first-pitch strikes, going deeper into games, and with everyone not walking a lot of batters … that was key for [his] success.”

Lord led Nationals Minor Leaguers in ERA, opponent’s batting average (.224) and winning percentage (.714). He also ranked second in wins, WHIP (1.20), strikeouts (135), starts and innings pitched (129 2/3). Lord garnered Eastern League Pitcher of the Month honors for June and July.

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“This year, it was really highlighting where I needed to throw my pitches and execute that, tweaking some pitch grips here and there to get the sharper break or the more depth out of the changeup,” Lord said.

“I would have to say that the biggest thing I’ve learned is really learning how to read batters and read the swings. It’s kind of been what has really elevated my career this year, taking the mental side of the game.”

Building on the momentum of his 2024 season, Lord is one promotion from reaching the Majors. The Nationals have to determine their starting rotation for 2025. The young group of right-hander Jake Irvin and left-handers MacKenzie Gore, Herz and Parker are returning. Veterans Patrick Corbin and Trevor Williams became free agents.

Right-hander Cade Cavalli (the Nats’ No. 8 prospect) is on track to come back from Tommy John surgery and contend for a spot. Such fellow prospects as righties Tyler Stuart (No. 19) and Jackson Rutledge (No. 27) also will aim to earn a place in the bigs.

“Obviously, I want to be in the big leagues as quick as possible,” Lord said, “but I try to kind of keep that out of mind and just focus on the day-in, day-out stuff of keeping my body healthy and just really trying to put together quality starts every week. That’s kind of the mindset of that.

“When you put together the quality starts, the promotions happen. So it still doesn’t feel real to be one step away.”