Nationals open spring training with eyes on young talent

Sizzling fastballs and the “pop” of mitts emerged from hibernation Wednesday as pitchers and catchers began spring training with the Washington Nationals in Florida, where manager Dave Martinez told reporters he’s looking forward to seeing a promising crop of young minor leaguers and draft picks step up.

The Nationals invited six top prospects to spring training, including 2023 second-overall pick Dylan Crews.

“I’m really excited about this year,” the sixth-year manager said. “I talk a lot about what our young players did last year, and now they’ve got another year under their belts.”

This year, Nationals fans will look for development from high-profile prospects like Crews. He is currently assigned to AA Harrisburg alongside fellow outfielder James Wood and third baseman Brady House. The official MLB prospect rankings estimate that Wood and Crews will make their major league debuts in 2024. 

Crews, Wood, and House all received spring training invites this year. Other top prospects, including outfielder Robert Hassell III and infielders Darren Baker and Trey Lipscomb, also made the trip to West Palm Beach.

“I sit back and I think about the possibilities with all these guys. There’s a lot of opportunity,” Martinez said. “I’ve talked to some of our young guys already and they’re not so young. They’ve done it, they’ve been in the grind every day.”

While the Nationals hope to see continued improvement in 2024, it’s unlikely that they’ll see immediate results in the win column. FanGraphs’ ZiPS calculation projects Washington to finish as the worst team in the National League with a 66-96 record. Another down year could earn the Nationals their fifth-consecutive last-place finish in the NL East.

Martinez and general manager Mike Rizzo signed multiyear contract extensions last summer, keeping them in Washington through 2025. With that measure of job security, the duo said they’re remaining focused on developing young talent.

The youth movement is in full swing for Washington, as the franchise’s farm system ranks 11th in MLB according to The Athletic’s Keith Law.

In 2022, before receiving a haul of prospects for slugger Juan Soto, the organization measured last in Law’s rankings.

The 2019 World Series run is now five years into the rearview mirror. Only one active player, pitcher Patrick Corbin, was on the Nationals’ roster that year.

But Washington will keep former players nearby. Gerardo Parra, who became a fan favorite after choosing “Baby Shark” as his walkup song in 2019, joins the staff as a first-base coach. He has worked in the team’s front office since his playing career ended in 2021.

Sean Doolittle, who earned a save in Game 1 of the 2019 World Series, joined the organization as a pitching strategist in January. The two-time All-Star will link pitchers with analytics staff and assist with mental preparation and mechanics, the team said.

Stephen Strasburg has not officially retired, though he hasn’t pitched since 2022. The Nationals’ former ace has only appeared in eight games since 2019. Still struggling with a shoulder injury, Strasburg is not at spring training. Rizzo expects the 35-year-old to arrive in the coming weeks to help mentor young pitchers.

Based on their offseason moves, the Nationals don’t seem to be in a rush to make a playoff push. According to Spotrac, a website that focuses on sports contracts, Washington spent just $9.25 million this offseason on free-agent acquisitions, ranking 24th in MLB. With the additions, the Nationals will have a 2024 payroll of $110 million, $50 million below the league average.

Washington only brought in a handful of free agents, each on one-year contracts. 30-year-old first baseman Joey Gallo ($5 million), reliever Dylan Floro ($2.25 million), and center fielder Nick Senzel ($2 million) join a roster that ranked as the sixth-youngest in 2023. The team also signed 2021 All-Star outfielder Jesse Winker to a minor league deal this week.

With a roster in transition, Martinez said he’s encouraged by the mix of veterans and upstart players on his roster. He noted that he isn’t thinking about the lack of free-agent spending or future roster moves.

“Right now, my focus is on the guys in camp, trying to get them ready,” the manager told reporters Wednesday. “I’m really happy with where we’re at. Like I said, there’s opportunity here.”