Looking at what the Nationals already have in place

We spend most of our time around here asking what the Nationals are going to do about their most glaring roster needs. Are they going to sign a big-name slugger to play first base? Are they going to spend money on a proven starting pitcher? Are they going to bolster a now-depleted bullpen with experienced late-inning arms?

So far, we don’t have the answers to any of those questions. The Nats have not yet acquired a major league player this offseason, aside from reliever Evan Reifert in last week’s Rule 5 Draft. Their most glaring holes remain holes to this point.

Let’s start this week off, though, looking at the roster in an entirely different way. We know what the Nationals need. Which means we also should know what they already have. It’s worth remembering where around the field they already appear to be set, because it’s actually a majority of the positions on the team.

The Nats have a middle infield, no questions there. CJ Abrams, despite his end-of-season demotion, is the everyday shortstop, coming off an All-Star year that showcased his elite combination of skills. Yes, he needs to prove he can put those skills together on a more consistent basis over a six-month season. But the team remains fully committed to him, of that there appears to be no doubt.

They’re also fully committed to Luis Garcia Jr., who after a spring full of tough love finally blossomed into the second baseman they always believed him to be. Garcia was the most pleasant development of the 2024 season, and the expectation will be for more of the same, if not even more improvement from him in 2025.

The Nationals have a starting outfield, one of the youngest, but also one of the most promising outfields in baseball.

James Wood arrived in July as one of the sport’s top prospects, and though there were some bumps along the way, he looked far more like a legit future star than a bust. With rare patience for a 21-year-old, the ability to hit the ball as hard as anyone in the sport and the ability to hit for power to the opposite field, he’s the most exciting young player to come through Washington since Juan Soto (for whom he was traded, of course).

Dylan Crews arrived in August, also as one of the sport’s top prospects. His debut six weeks were bumpier than Wood’s debut three months, with some clear struggles to hit big league breaking balls. But the 22-year-old did show off his power stroke, not to mention his strong skills in right field. And above all else, he showed maturity and awareness beyond his years, suggesting he only needs some time to settle in before realizing his potential.

Jacob Young isn’t nearly as touted as his two outfield-mates, but his first full season in the majors was eye-opening in its own way. Young’s defense (specifically his ability to read and track down fly balls in every direction) made him a Gold Glove Award finalist and gave the Nats little reason to think about using Crews or Wood in center field instead. And he showed real improvement at the plate as the season progressed; by September he was consistently hitting the ball on a line to the opposite field, with a solid .289/.351/.375 slash line over his final 35 games.

The Nationals have promising young starting pitchers, including a pair who often looked like a legit 1-2 combo this season.

MacKenzie Gore still needs to learn how to avoid blowups, and how to avoid slumps that stretch out over a series of starts. But he still allowed two or fewer runs over five or more innings in 16 of his 32 starts. And he recorded more strikeouts than innings pitched in 17 of those starts.

Jake Irvin also needs to learn how to avoid blowups, and how to sustain success over a full season. But through the first half of this season, he was legitimately good enough to be an All-Star, with a 2.80 ERA and 1.000 WHIP through July 4. And by season’s end, he had totaled 187 2/3 innings, fifth-most in the National League.

DJ Herz and Mitchell Parker, meanwhile, outperformed expectations as rookies. Herz had some of the most dominant starts by any Nationals pitcher in years. Parker showed surprising poise upon his earlier-than-planned debut, and the durability to make 29 big league starts as a rookie.

The Nationals bullpen probably has more holes right now than any other part of the roster, but it’s not barren. Derek Law is one of the best workhorse relievers in baseball. Jose A. Ferrer and Robert Garcia are promising young left-handers who have the ability to retire hitters from both sides of the plate.

The team needs more from its catchers, no doubt. But Keibert Ruiz, after an abysmal opening six weeks, did produce a .710 OPS over a 93-game stretch from mid-May through mid-September.

So, yes, there are obvious needs that must be addressed sooner or later (preferably sooner, because we’re all getting pretty bored around here waiting for some semblance of news). But the Nationals also are unquestionably in a better position today than they were one year ago, when there were far more unanswered questions and far more players who had yet to make much impression in the big leagues.

What they need to do now is complement the guys they already have in place with some calculated additions from the outside, then hope it all comes together during a successful 2025 season.