Plenty of opportunities for Taylor Jordan and A.J. Cole this spring

As January began a year ago, the Nationals starting rotation appeared locked and loaded for the 2015 season. But by month's end, general manager Mike Rizzo had stunned everyone by adding another considerable piece, dominant right-hander Max Scherzer.

Despite the losses of right-handers Jordan Zimmermann and Doug Fister through free agency this winter, Rizzo maintains satisfaction with a projected starting five arsenal featuring aces Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg, veteran lefty Gio Gonzalez, and right-handers Joe Ross and Tanner Roark.

But questions remain whether the 22-year-old Ross will continue the success off his rookie campaign and if Roark can replicate the success of his 15-win season in 2014 after a shift back to the bullpen last year.

With those uncertainties, Rizzo has flirted with some of the top free agent starters this winter. The Nationals showed strong interest in Mike Leake early on before the right-hander eventually inked a five-year, $80 million deal with the Cardinals. And Washington was reportedly among a handful a teams considering Scott Kazmir until the Dodgers signed the lefty to a three-year, $48 million contract last week.

With three months still left before opening day, there remains plenty of time for Rizzo to swing a deal for another starter, but publicly he is excited for the positioning of the his starting arms for the immediate future and beyond.

"We think that we have five qualified and quality starters that we match up with anybody in the division," Rizzo said. "We have the secondary pitching depth that we have in the Taylor Jordans, the A.J. Coles, those prospect type of guys. And, of course, we have the second wave of prospects coming with (Lucas) Giolito, (Austin) Voth, (Reynaldo) Lopez and that group."

The Nationals will give Giolito, widely considered the top pitching prospect in all of baseball, his first shot at major league spring training next month. The 21-year-old could make his big league at some point in 2016, but isn't projected to factor into plans early in the season.

Jordan and Cole enter spring training with an opportunity to make a strong push for major league innings. Both were leapfrogged when Ross emerged after a successful debut in early June last season.

A ninth-round pick by the Nats in 2009, Jordan underwent Tommy John surgery two years later. He recovered and went 1-3 with a 3.66 ERA in nine starts during his 2013 rookie year. He earned a spot in starting rotation out of spring training the following season, but lingering effects from a broken right ankle and elbow soreness led to a disappointing 0-3 record with a 5.61 ERA in April. He was sent back to Triple-A Syracuse, where his season ended not long after when he underwent surgery to remove bone chips from the elbow.

The 26-year-old Jordan made just four appearances for the Nationals last season - one spot start and three long relief outings - going 0-1 with a 5.29 ERA over 17 innings. In 19 starts at Syracuse, he posted a 2.95 ERA with 61 strikeouts and 27 walks.

"I don't think that there is a turn to get a shot," said Jordan during Winterfest. "It's almost like a luck game. Whoever is doing well, whoever is in the slot to go. A little bit of luck is involved and whoever's hot right now."

Cole got shelled for nine runs (four earned) in two innings in his major league debut against the Braves in the game that resulted in a crazy 13-12 comeback win for the Nats on April 28. It turned out to be Cole's lone major league start of 2015. The 6-foot-5, 23-year-old made two other long relief appearances with the Nats in May, but pitched primarily at Triple-A Syracuse, going 5-6 with a 3.15 ERA in 19 starts.

"The way I look at it is it's good to get up there and get the feel for it. I went down and had a couple of hard outings up there and you get to see what you need to work on," said Cole, a 2010 fourth-round pick, at Winterfest. "You get a little taste of it and say, 'Hey, OK, now I need to work on this.' It's nice to being able to get a feel for it and then work everything on it."