Was Adon's impressive debut a sign of things to come?

As the lockout drags on, we're taking this opportunity to break down some players in the Nationals organization who haven't garnered as many headlines. Today we look at right-hander Joan Adon, who spent most of 2021 in the low minor leagues but made a big impression in his major league debut on the season's final day. ...

RHP JOAN ADON

Bats/Throws: R/R

Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 242 lbs.

Age on opening day 2022: 23

How acquired: Signed as international free agent, July 2016

Service time: 1 day

2021 salary: $575,000

Contract status: Under team control in 2022, arbitration-eligible in 2025, free agent in 2028

2021 stats (MLB): 0-0, 3.38 ERA, 1 GS, 5 1/3 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 3 BB, 9 SO, 1 HBP, 1.688 WHIP, .300 Opp. AVG

2021 stats (Single-A Wilmington): 6-4, 4.97 ERA, 17 GS, 87 IP, 77 H, 51 R, 48 ER, 7 HR, 32 BB, 91 SO, 7 HBP, 1.253 WHIP, .235 Opp. AVG

2021 stats (Double-A Harrisburg): 1-2, 6.43 ERA, 3 GS, 14 IP, 15 H, 10 R, 10 ER, 1 HR, 5 BB, 24 SO, 0 HBP, 1.429 WHIP, .263 Opp. AVG

2021 stats (Triple-A Rochester): 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 GS, 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 3 BB, 7 SO, 0 HBP, 1.250 WHIP, .143 Opp. AVG

2021 analysis: Four years after signing him out of the Dominican Republic for $50,000, the Nationals thought enough of Joan Adon to add him to their 40-man roster last winter and protect him from being lost in the Rule 5 draft. They did so even though he had yet to pitch above low Single-A, knowing he still faced a long path to the big leagues.

Adon's numbers at Wilmington, where he spent the majority of the season, weren't eye-popping. But he started putting things together in early August, and that earned him a promotion to Harrisburg, where he was strong in two of three starts. Wanting to let him continue to pitch through the finish line, the Nats bumped him up to Rochester in late September and watched him shut out the Red Sox's Triple-A lineup over four innings, striking out seven.

So when it came time for the final day of the regular season, with the Nationals having long since fallen out of contention and the Red Sox in D.C. needing a win to clinch a wild card berth, the organization made the bold decision to call Adon up and see how he would handle the situation.

Turns out he handled it with aplomb. With a fastball that reached 97 mph and a slider that induced 10 swings and misses, he struck out six of the first 12 batters he faced and finished with nine strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings, a total previously reached only by Stephen Strasburg (14) and Reynaldo Lopez (nine) in their major league debuts for the Nats.

2022 outlook: It's tempting to look at Adon's success in Game 162 and wonder if it's evidence he's ready to be a full-time member of the big league rotation. The Nationals, though, aren't thinking in those terms right now. Remember, he's still spent only a few weeks at Double-A and Triple-A in his professional career. There is plenty of seasoning left for him.

What the Nats want to see from Adon now is consistency and durability. He made 21 minor league starts and totaled 105 innings in both 2019 and 2021. Now they'll want to see him increase his workload and prove he can hold up physically for six full months, whether at Double-A, Triple-A or the majors.

Adon needs to cut down on his walks a bit - he averaged 3.6 per nine innings during his last two minor league seasons - and develop more consistent results with his slider and changeup, truly establishing himself as a three-pitch starter and not a guy whose more limited repertoire could force him to the bullpen long-term.

What Adon doesn't need to improve on is his poise. He handled his quick ascension through the farm system in September as well as anyone could've imagined, and didn't look fazed one bit by his surprise assignment against the Red Sox in front of the biggest crowd he's ever pitched in front of.

If he does everything he needs to, Adon will find himself on the mound at Nationals Park again sometime this summer. Then it'll be up to him to prove he deserves to stay there.