Looking at Nats' organizational depth chart

Before they can start figuring out who to pursue in an attempt to improve their roster for next season, the Nationals must first take stock of their roster as currently constructed and figure out what they already have in place.

That roster went through a whole lot of change this year; only 22 players who were on the 40-man roster at the end of spring training are still on it today. Some were traded, some became free agents, some were released along the way.

In their place is a much younger group of players that club officials now hope will form the core of the franchise's next contender. But there's a lot of work still to be done.

When you break down the Nationals' current organizational depth chart, including players both on and off the 40-man roster (the latter are denoted below with an asterisk), you get a better sense of the state of things, where they're well-stocked and where they are lacking ...

CATCHER
Keibert Ruiz
Riley Adams
Tres Barrera
Drew Millas*
Israel Pineda*

Comment: The Nationals completely remade their catching corps over the last year, going from a veteran-dominated group to nothing but rookies. They're promising rookies, though, headlined by Ruiz, who over the season's final few weeks showed why he was the No. 1 prospect acquired for Max Scherzer and Trea Turner. Adams came to D.C. with less pedigree but impressed at the plate in his own right and looks like a strong No. 2 catcher (and potentially backup first baseman, as well). Barrera was the odd man out but could still figure into the mix as a backup. Millas, acquired from the Athletics, needs more minor league experience, but could work his way up over time.

FIRST BASE
Josh Bell
Jake Noll
Mike Ford

Comment: After an awful opening six weeks to his first season with the Nats, Bell rediscovered himself and proved to be the player they thought they were getting all along. He's back for one more season before he can become a free agent. The club will need a backup for Bell, though. First dibs, of course, go to Ryan Zimmerman if he wants to play another season. If not, Adams could get a look, or the team could add a right-handed bat this winter if it doesn't believe Noll or Ford is up to the task.

SECOND BASE
Luis García
Alcides Escobar
Jake Noll
Yasel Antuna

Comment: By season's end, García had shown enough to merit the starting job heading into 2022. But the young infielder remains very raw and very inconsistent. If he falters, the Nationals could use Escobar (who was re-signed right after the season) at second base or seek outside middle infield help. Antuna hasn't played above Single-A, so he's still got a ways to go before making his debut at one of the infield positions.

SHORTSTOP
Alcides Escobar
Luis Garcia
Yasel Antuna
Jackson Cluff*

Comment: After resurrecting his career following his July acquisition, Escobar quickly re-signed for $1 million. He could remain the starting shortstop, but that's not guaranteed. The Nationals could look for a bigger name and use Escobar in more of a utility role. Cluff, who played at Double-A this season, is making a name for himself in the Arizona Fall League right now and should get a look in spring training.

THIRD BASE
Carter Kieboom
Alcides Escobar
Yasel Antuna

Comment: How committed are the Nationals to Kieboom as a long-term answer? That is very much up in the air following another disappointing season from their 2016 first-round pick. At minimum, you'd think the club would want to bring someone else in to compete with him for the starting job next spring. There really isn't a younger, in-house option waiting to take over.

LEFT FIELD
Yadiel Hernandez
Lane Thomas
Andrew Stevenson
Donovan Casey*

Comment: Like third base, this is a position the Nationals could look to upgrade over the winter. Hernandez did a nice job when given the chance to play regularly for the first time in his big league career, but he didn't produce as much as an ideal corner outfielder would, and defensively he struggled. There's a chance Thomas winds up in left field if Victor Robles wins back the center field job. Stevenson remains a solid fourth outfielder, though he has been more productive as a pinch-hitter. Casey (one of the players acquired in the megadeal with the Dodgers) should push for a backup job as well next spring.

CENTER FIELD
Lane Thomas
Victor Robles
Andrew Stevenson
Donovan Casey*

Comment: As things currently stand, you'd think Thomas is the frontrunner to start in center field, but he'll need to continue to hit the way he did in August and September to ensure it. Robles will get another opportunity to prove he can still develop into the player the Nationals always hoped, but his standing in the organization is as low as it's ever been after a dreadful season that ended at Triple-A.

RIGHT FIELD
Juan Soto
Andrew Stevenson
Yadiel Hernandez
Donovan Casey*

Comment: No question about the identity of the starting right fielder in 2022 (or 2023 or 2024). Soto is the face of the Nationals now, and he is more than up to that responsibility. Any of the backup outfielders is capable of filling in for him if he needs a day off, though obviously the team would be in big trouble if one of them needed to take over for a longer stretch.

STARTING PITCHERS
Stephen Strasburg
Patrick Corbin
Josiah Gray
Joe Ross
Erick Fedde
Paolo Espino
Josh Rogers
Joan Adon
Seth Romero
Cade Cavalli*
Sean Nolin*
Tim Cate*
Ben Braymer*
Gerardo Carrillo*

Comment: So many possibilities, so few certainties. This used to be the surest aspect of the Nationals roster. Not anymore. The club desperately hopes Strasburg and Ross return healthy, but it's impossible to know for sure at this point if either will. Corbin hopes to bounce back from an awful 2021 on the heels of a bad 2020. Likewise, there's no guarantee it'll happen. Gray looked more promising than disappointing after his acquisition, and much of the Nats' long-term rotation hopes rest on his shoulders. Fedde, Espino, Rogers and Adon all could figure into the mix in some capacity. And waiting in the wings to make his highly anticipated debut at some point is Cavalli. He'll need a monster spring to warrant consideration for a spot in the opening day rotation, but barring catastrophe, we will see him in D.C. sometime in 2022.

RELIEF PITCHERS
Tanner Rainey
Kyle Finnegan
Will Harris
Austin Voth
Andres Machado
Mason Thompson
Patrick Murphy
Ryne Harper
Wander Suero
Sam Clay
Paolo Espino
Erick Fedde
Francisco Pérez
Jhon Romero
Gabe Klobosits
Alberto Baldonado

Comment: This unit is woefully short on experienced late-inning arms. Rainey and Finnegan each had their moments, but neither is anything close to a trusted closer yet. Harris, who still has another year at a salary of $8 million on his contract, will attempt to return from thoracic outlet surgery. The others all will get a look at some point along the way, but the Nationals desperately need to add multiple relievers with some kind of proven track record, at least one of them a left-hander.