The Washington Nationals were able to continue developing young talent and had a solid 2024 season considering the expectations heading into the season.
While the win total may not have been what the Nationals had hoped for, there were many encouraging signs of a rebuild. As the franchise heads into the offseason, they will need to make some decisions about how aggressive they want to be in free agency.
The team is loaded with young talent and a transfer opportunity is certainly on the horizon, but this offseason may not be the time for them to pull the trigger.
Regardless of whether or not they make a big move this winter, they have plenty of young talent that will improve even more in 2025.
Here are the top three players under the age of 25 in Washington, which has a lot of young talent.
One of the most exciting moments for the Nationals this season was when top prospect James Wood was called up to the majors. Wood was included in the contract with Juan Soto, and the young outfielder had a great rookie season.
In 2024, Wood appeared in 79 games and batted .264 with nine home runs, 41 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases. Heading into 2025, the slugger has a chance to play a full season as a starting pitcher, and judging by his performance last season, he could have a great season.
Perhaps the best player for the Nationals in 2024 is second baseman Luis Garcia Jr. The slugger improved his consistency and had a great season. In 2024, Garcia totaled 18 home runs, 70 RBIs, and 22 stolen bases.
The slugger was second on the team in WAR behind his middle-of-the-field partner. Washington is evaluating key players for the team, and the second baseman will undoubtedly be a key part of the team for years to come.
2024 was a strange year for the Nationals’ shortstop, as he was named to the All-Star team for the first time, but was demoted to the minor leagues after the season.
When things are going well, Abrams is a good hitter with the ability to steal bases on offense. However, they struggled defensively in 2024 as defensive coverage became a major issue on the field. He also had some issues off the field, which led to his demotion at the end of the year.
I hope Abrams has grown up and learned his lesson because the organization did the right thing in holding him accountable. Despite some struggles, the slugger has the ability to be an All-Star in Washington for years to come.
