When it was revealed Tuesday evening the Nationals had won the Draft Lottery, it was immediately appropriate to mention the two previous times this club held the No. 1 pick and the two iconic players who were selected with those picks.

Obviously, the Nats would be thrilled if the first player taken in the 2025 Draft has the same impact Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper did a decade and a half ago. But there’s a distinct difference to note about this future draft pick from those prior ones. The difference in the state of the franchise at the time of the pick.

When they drafted Strasburg on June 9, 2009, the Nationals were undoubtedly the worst team in baseball. They lost a league-worst 102 games in 2008, which is how they were awarded the No. 1 pick in the pre-lottery days. And on that night, they owned an abysmal 16-41 record, en route to a 103-loss season that would lock up the No. 1 pick again the following year.

It would be three more seasons before the Nats secured their first winning record, which also happened to come with their first division title and postseason berth. By then, the roster had been completely overhauled by still-newish general manager Mike Rizzo, who combined homegrown prospects with experienced veterans acquired via free agency and a few calculated additions via trade.

Strasburg and Harper were a huge part of that. Maybe the Nationals still would have made the 2012 playoffs without either young star, but there’s no way they would’ve won 98 games. And both continued to be critical to the organization’s success over the next several years, leading to three more division titles through the 2017 season.

The Nationals nearly won Major League Baseball’s first Draft Lottery in 2022, finishing runner-up to the Pirates. They technically did win the 2023 lottery but were ineligible to hold the No. 1 pick, which wound up going instead to the Guardians.

There were no such restrictions this time around, just low odds. Which proved not to be a problem when the Nats were revealed the surprise winners of the 2024 lottery.

The grand prize: The No. 1 pick in next summer’s draft, the third time in club history they’ve held the first overall selection. The previous two players selected: Stephen Strasburg in 2009 and Bryce Harper in 2010, a couple of franchise icons.

Strasburg and Harper were drafted during some of the lowest points in the club’s two decades in D.C., immediately following 100-loss seasons. They were key figures in securing the team’s first winning record (and division title) in 2012. This No. 1 pick will join the organization three years into a roster rebuild that already has seen top prospects (Dylan Crews, James Wood, CJ Abrams, MacKenzie Gore) reach the majors, with an eye on returning to contention as soon as 2025.

“We’ve got a good system in place right now. Getting the first pick is just going to add to that, and add value to our organization,” general manager Mike Rizzo told MLB Network shortly after learning the news at the Winter Meetings in Dallas. “We’re extremely excited. We’re lucky. And we don’t want to ever be in this position ever again.”

Twenty lucky fans will receive “golden ticket” redeemable for
authentic 20^th Anniversary commemorative ring

The Washington Nationals today unveiled highlights of the Club’s 2025 promotional schedule, featuring an array of exclusive bobbleheads, collectibles, player-designed wearables and special events for fans of all ages. Single-game tickets will go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, Dec. 11, with early access for Season Plan Holders.

Throughout the season, the Nationals will celebrate two decades of #NATITUDE with special giveaways, alumni appearances and more. To kickstart the 20^th Anniversary festivities and to mark exactly 20 years since the Nationals’ inaugural game (April 4, 2005, at Philadelphia), NATS20 Anniversary Weekend will feature one of the biggest promotions in team history. While 20,000 fans attending the game vs. Arizona on Friday, April 4, will receive a replica 20^th Anniversary ring, 20 lucky fans will receive a “golden ticket” redeemable for the real thing, valued at nearly $6,000. The celebration continues the following day, as 20,000 fans receive 2005 replica jerseys, with additional NATS20 giveaways scheduled throughout the season.

NATS20 Promotions

• Friday, April 4 – Replica commemorative ring (20,000 fans)

o   Among the 20,000 replicas, 20 lucky fans will find a special “golden ticket” in their giveaway box, which can be redeemed for an authentic commemorative ring valued at nearly $6,000

The Nationals’ No. 1 need this offseason is no secret. They need a power bat, ideally at first base but potentially at another position if there’s a good match.

This team ranked last in the National League with 135 home runs. It ranked second-to-last in home runs by first basemen with 14. The only returning candidates to play that position are Juan Yepez and Andres Chaparro, who combined for 10 homers over 381 plate appearances.

If they want to put forth a more productive lineup next season, it’s the obvious upgrade that must occur this winter.

To date, they haven’t upgraded at first base. Nor have they upgraded at any position so far during an awfully quiet offseason. The good news: Nobody has.

Not a single free agent first baseman has signed anywhere yet. And the list includes a good number of prominent names just waiting to be courted and locked up.

Good morning, Nationals fans. For those of you who weren’t up late Sunday night and missed the news … Juan Soto is going to be a New York Met. For a very long time. For more money than any professional North American athlete has ever received.

Hours before the Winter Meetings officially commenced in Dallas, Soto and the Mets agreed to a 15-year, $765 million contract, per every prominent national baseball reporter on the planet. Yes, that’s 15 years and $765 million. That’s $51 million per year, on average, until he turns 41. It exceeds Shohei Ohtani’s previous record-setting $700 million deal with the Dodgers from last winter by a healthy margin.

And it brings Soto back to the National League East, making him the latest in a long line of former Nats greats to sign a massive new contract with a division rival.

Soto’s signing was going to sting for Nationals fans, no matter where he wound up. But it probably would have stung less had he chosen to stay with the Yankees, or instead bolted for another American League East franchise like the Red Sox or Blue Jays. The Mets, though? That’s a tough pill to swallow for many.

In the end, Steve Cohen proved once again he’s the major league owner more desperate to win a World Series than any other in the sport. The Mets haven’t hoisted the Commissioner’s Trophy since 1986. Only seven franchises are mired in longer championship droughts. Desperation (and tens of billions of dollars made in hedge fund management) is a powerful tool this time of year. It doesn’t guarantee success, but it drives an owner to dole out more than three-quarters of a billion dollars to one player in a sport where one player traditionally isn’t the difference between winning and losing.

The Nationals recently announced plans for their 20th anniversary celebration in 2025, with a number of special events and giveaways promised, not to mention a ranking of the 20 greatest moments in club history.

We here were already planning our own 20th anniversary celebration, and why wait until 2025 to get started with that? The Nats already have completed 20 full seasons in D.C., so this is as good a time as any to get the ball rolling with a weekly series that will run every Sunday through the rest of December: The 20 Greatest Players in Nationals History.

What constitutes “greatness?” For these purposes, we’re considering a combination of quantity and quality, plus impact on and off the field. Some of these guys played many years here and had lots of time to make names for themselves. Some of them weren’t here very long but still made a difference with specific acts of greatness.

We only considered a player’s contributions for the Nationals at the major league level. It doesn’t matter what they did before or after they were in Washington. No one singular stat was deemed more important than any other. Postseason performance wasn’t required, but it certainly elevated some players’ cases for inclusion on this list. This is, to be clear, a subjective exercise. There’s no right answer. And that means there will surely be some healthy debate about the choices, which is how these things are supposed to be.

We’ll unveil five names each week, culminating with the top five on Dec. 29. And with that, we begin today with No. 16-20 …

PROSPECT REVIEW: CAYDEN WALLACE

Age on opening day 2025: 22

How acquired: Traded with Competitive Balance A pick (Caleb Lomavita) from Royals for Hunter Harvey in July 2024; originally drafted in second round by Royals in 2022 from Arkansas

Ranking: No. 11 per MLB Pipeline, No. 10 per Baseball America

MLB ETA: 2025
* Projected by MLB Pipeline

PROSPECT REVIEW: CALEB LOMAVITA

Age on opening day 2025: 22

How acquired: Drafted in Competitive Balance A round in 2024 from University of California, Berkeley; pick acquired via trade along with Cayden Wallace from Royals for Hunter Harvey in July 2024

Ranking: No. 10 per MLB Pipeline, No. 9 per Baseball America

MLB ETA: 2027
* Projected by MLB Pipeline

It's been a slow offseason to date, to say the least. The World Series ended more than a month ago, and the Nationals have yet to acquire a major league player, whether via free agency or trade.

The good news: There are still more than two months to go before pitchers and catchers report to West Palm Beach, Fla. And there are tons of available unsigned players looking for jobs, including most of the top free agents on the market. So there's plenty of time for the Nats to get to work. And with the Winter Meetings set to begin Monday in Dallas, you'd like to think we're about to start seeing some action at last.

In the meantime, though, we'll take this opportunity to hold another Q&A with your trusty beat writer. If you've got something you'd like to ask, please do so in the comments section below. Then check back throughout the morning for my responses ...

A lot can happen in 20 years. Two decades ago, the Nationals were scrambling to get RFK Stadium renovated and ready for the park’s first full-time baseball club in 33 years. A roster made up mostly of former Expos players was bolstered with a few affordable free agents. The general manager only had the job on an interim basis. The manager was a legitimate baseball legend finishing out his Hall of Fame career in a manner he never could have foreseen.

The Nationals of 2025 will look nothing like the Nationals of 2005. That’s true of the uniforms they now wear, the ballpark they now play in, the people in charge of the organization and the men who take the field for them. Only a couple of employees who embarked on this adventure from the outset remain.

The franchise was down for several years, then was up for several more, then was on top of the baseball world for a brief time, then came back down to earth and now hopes to climb that mountain again.

There’s a surprising amount of history packed into these 20 years of existence, enough to spur the organization to make the 2025 season a celebration of its history.

The Nationals announced plans this morning for a season-long anniversary celebration, dubbed “NATS20.” It will include a significant prize giveaway, planned appearances by team alumni and a revisiting of the most memorable moments of the last two decades.

NATS20 Celebration Highlights Include:

Cheers to 20 Years Sweepstakes
Fan Favorite Moments
NATS20 Promotional Items
NATS20 Tuesdays

The Washington Nationals today announced the launch of NATS20, a season-long 20^th Anniversary celebration, thanking fans for two decades of #NATITUDE. Highlighted by the Cheers to 20 Years Sweepstakes, the campaign features in-park giveaways, special alumni appearances and the chance for fans to relive their favorite memories from the first 20 years of Nationals baseball. Details of the sweepstakes – the biggest in Club history – will be unveiled next week when single-game tickets go on sale.

“From our first game at RFK, to Ryan Zimmerman’s walk-off to open Nationals Park and of course 2019 World Series, the last 20 years have been filled with so many amazing and memorable moments,” said Mark D. Lerner, Managing Principal Owner of the Washington Nationals Baseball Club. “And while the players, the ballpark and even the logo have changed, our fans have remained constant, which is why we’re so excited to put them at the forefront of our 20^th Anniversary celebration. We look forward to hearing their stories and to making many more with the next generation of our players and fans.”

The Nationals 2025 promotional calendar, including exclusive NATS20 giveaways, will be unveiled next week when single-game tickets go on sale, alongside details of the Cheers to 20 Years Sweepstakes.

PROSPECT REVIEW: LUKE DICKERSON

Age on opening day 2025: 19

How acquired: Drafted in second round in 2024 from Morris Knolls High School in Rockaway, N.J.

Ranking: No. 7 per MLB Pipeline, No. 16 per Baseball America

MLB ETA: 2028
* Projected by MLB Pipeline

PROSPECT REVIEW: SEAVER KING

Age on opening day 2025: 21

How acquired: Drafted No. 10 overall in 2024 from Wake Forest

Ranking: No. 5 per MLB Pipeline, No. 8 per Baseball America

MLB ETA: 2027
* Projected by MLB Pipeline

The predominant headline two weeks ago at the non-tender deadline was the Nationals’ decision not to retain Kyle Finnegan and Tanner Rainey. Drawing less attention at the time was their decision to retain six other arbitration-eligible players: Luis Garcia Jr., MacKenzie Gore, Josiah Gray, Derek Law, Riley Adams and Mason Thompson.

Perhaps the most surprising name on that list was Adams, who after a difficult season that twice saw him optioned to Triple-A Rochester seemed like a potential non-tender candidate. Instead, the Nats opted to keep the 28-year-old catcher, creating a potential tricky situation come March.

With 3 years, 5 days of big league service time, Adams qualifies for arbitration this winter for the first time in his career. He made $750,900 this season and is on track for a modest raise in 2025, with MLB Trade Rumors projecting a salary of $1.1 million.

That’s not a huge difference, of course, but that’s not the tricky part of the situation for the Nationals. If Adams and the team are able to agree to a 2025 salary without going to an arbitration hearing, that salary will be guaranteed in full.

This is a little-known change to the current collective bargaining agreement, which went into effect after the 2022 season. Previously, if a club released an arbitration-eligible player during spring training, it was only responsible for 30 or 45 days’ worth of termination pay, depending on the exact date the transaction was made. We saw the Nationals take advantage of that rule several times in the past, most notably releasing right-hander John Patterson (their 2007 Opening Day starter) in March 2008.

The Washington Nationals have been named the recipient of the 2024 Allan H. Selig Award for Philanthropic Excellence in recognition of a decade of community impact through the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, Major League Baseball announced on Tuesday. The Academy, the signature program of Washington Nationals Philanthropies, the Club’s charitable arm, uses baseball and softball as vehicles to foster positive character development, academic achievement and improved health among youth living in underserved communities.

Established in 2014, the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy embodies the broader mission of Nationals Philanthropies in fueling access and opportunities for all of D.C.’s children, families and communities to thrive. In the decade since, the Academy has served more than 6,000 children ages 5 to 18 through a continuum of holistic youth development programs. Six classes have matriculated from third through eighth grade in the core after-school and summer program, going on to excel on and off the field at some of the region’s most competitive high schools and, more recently, enrolling in colleges across the country.

“Throughout its first 10 years, the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy has grown into a community pillar, helping children, families and communities thrive through year-round programs,” said Marla Lerner Tanenbaum, founding chair and board member of Washington Nationals Philanthropies and president of The Annette M. and Theodore N. Lerner Family Foundation. “We are extremely honored that the Nationals Academy, the signature program of Nationals Philanthropies, has been selected by Major League Baseball and its fans as this year’s recipient of the prestigious Allan H. Selig Award for Philanthropic Excellence. We are proud of the decade of impact the Academy has made thus far, and we remain committed to serving our neighbors across the District with continued resources and programming for years to come.”

“The Nationals Youth Baseball Academy is a terrific example of how our Clubs are making a difference in the lives of young people with opportunities on and off the field,” said Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred, Jr. “I congratulate the Lerner family, the Washington Nationals organization, Nationals Philanthropies, and the entire staff at the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy for this well-earned recognition. We are proud to celebrate their efforts and we look forward to their continued impact throughout the Greater D.C. region.”

The Academy provides a range of free youth development and baseball/softball programs, from fun, free clinics for beginners to structured programming that includes training, tournament play, participation in MLB events and more. Academy offerings have evolved over the last decade in response to community need and the growth of youth participants. 

When the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy opened in 2014, the franchise that bears its name hoped the brand new facility would help make a positive difference in the lives of underprivileged children in Southeast Washington.

Ten years later, the academy has made a difference for more than 6,000 local kids and has established itself as one of the premier youth facilities run by any professional sports organization. So much so that Major League Baseball is now bestowing a significant honor on it to commemorate its 10th anniversary.

MLB announced today the Nationals have won the 2024 Allan H. Selig Award for Philanthropic Excellence, one of the sport’s highest honors, for its decade of service through the youth academy.

The Selig Award, named for former commissioner Bud Selig, was created in 2010 to recognize the charitable and philanthropic efforts of major league clubs. The Nationals become the 12th franchise to win the honor.

“The Nationals Youth Baseball Academy is a terrific example of how our clubs are making a difference in the lives of young people with opportunities on and off the field,” commissioner Robert Manfred said. “I congratulate the Lerner family, the Washington Nationals organization, Nationals Philanthropies and the entire staff at the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy for this well-earned recognition. We are proud to celebrate their efforts, and we look forward to their continued impact throughout the Greater D.C. region.”

PROSPECT REVIEW: ANDREW PINCKNEY

Age on opening day 2025: 24

How acquired: Drafted in fourth round in 2023 from University of Alabama

Ranking: No. 28 per MLB Pipeline, No. 21 per Baseball America

MLB ETA: 2026
* Projected by MLB Pipeline

Thanksgiving has come and gone, the calendar has flipped to December and every other commercial on TV right now is Christmas-themed. We’ve entered a new phase of the year, and that should include the official firing up of the Hot Stove at last.

Though there’s always some baseball news in November, it’s usually the quietest month of the offseason, certainly from an acquisition standpoint. Only a handful of prominent free agents has signed at this point, but that should change in short order as teams finally get serious about making moves of consequence.

The annual Winter Meetings open one week from today in Dallas, and that’s always good for injecting some life into the offseason. And if we look back at recent history, the flipping of the calendar to the 12th month also has spurred the Nationals to get involved.

One year ago, general manager Mike Rizzo signed three eventual major leaguers from Dec. 6-12. He inked Juan Yepez to a minor league deal on Dec. 6, with Yepez becoming a mainstay in the lineup over the final three months of the season. He signed Nick Senzel on Dec. 7, a transaction that did not work out so well in the long run. And he signed Dylan Floro on Dec. 12, a solid addition to the bullpen that was later flipped at the trade deadline for Andres Chaparro.

Go back one year prior, and Rizzo got to work a few days earlier, signing Jeimer Candelario and Stone Garrett on Nov. 29, then Trevor Williams on Dec. 9, then Erasmo Ramirez on Dec. 15.

PROSPECT REVIEW: CRISTHIAN VAQUERO

Age on opening day 2025: 20

How acquired: Signed as international free agent, January 2022

Ranking: No. 23 per MLB Pipeline, No. 12 per Baseball America

MLB ETA: 2027
* Projected by MLB Pipeline

PROSPECT REVIEW: YOHANDY MORALES

Age on opening day 2025: 23

How acquired: Drafted in second round in 2023 from the University of Miami (Fla.)

Ranking: No. 9 per MLB Pipeline, No. 7 per Baseball America

MLB ETA: 2025
* Projected by MLB Pipeline