LOVERRO: Lipscomb making plays in a play to join Nationals infield

WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. — The future of the Washington Nationals is called “Hope Row” — a series of lockers you see when you first walk into the team clubhouse at their spring training complex.

The first belongs to Dylan Crews, the former LSU star and Washington’s No. 1 draft pick in 2023. But that’s not necessarily where hope begins.

It may start further down, when you get to Trey Lipscomb’s locker.

There are more heralded names in the group of young prospects seen as the foundation of the Washington Nationals’ future. But don’t be surprised if Trey Lipscomb is the first to make it to Nationals Park.

The 23-year-old infielder, who grew up in nearby Urbana in Frederick County, is having an outstanding camp, and the Nationals brass loves him.

“He’s done really well,” Washington manager Dave Martinez said. “He’s a natural third baseman, but I’ve played him at second and short, and he’s looked really good at all three. He’s had a good camp and is another fun kid to watch play the game.”

Lipscomb won a minor league Gold Glove at third base last year while spending much of his time playing at Double-A Harrisburg. But his ticket to the major leagues may be second base, where he has played much of this spring. Luis Garcia is playing himself out of the job with one mistake after another. Lipscomb presents the opposite option — he made just eight errors last year — and was named the Nationals’ Minor League Defensive Player of the Year.

“He has a chance to impact the club in a lot of different ways — his versatility, his skill set, his winning attitude and his makeup,” said general manager Mike Rizzo, who drafted Lipscomb out of the University of Tennessee with the third pick in the 2022 draft.

“Being versatile can really benefit me, to do as many different things as I can do,” Lipscomb said.

Lipscomb reminds me of another Nationals infielder who became a two-time All-Star and was considered one of the greatest leaders this team has ever had in the clubhouse — Ian Desmond, who just arrived this week in camp as a special instructor.

He is big and strong, at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds – almost the same size as Desmond. His size, along with C.J. Abrams at shortstop at 6-foot-2 and 190 would make an imposing keystone combination.

Lipscomb is not one of those good glove, no-hit players. He is a presence at the plate.

Last season Lipscomb batted .272 between Class A Wilmington and Harrisburg, with 29 doubles, 14 home runs, 72 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. He is batting .370 (10 for 27) in spring training.

Tuesday night, getting the start against the New York Mets, Lipscomb stroked a two-run triple.

“He runs well and has double and home run type of power,” Rizzo said. “I’ve seen him get better and better, from high school to college and then from college to pro ball and his minor league career.”

Lipscomb never seems overmatched. Martinez marveled at one particular at-bat in a game last week when the prospect handled himself like a veteran, instead of a minor leaguer in a major league spring training camp.

“The other day we had a guy on second base with nobody out and he hit a bullet up the middle to get the guy over,” Martinez said. “I thought that was impressive that he knew what his job was in that situation and did it with no problem.

“He’s very mature.”

How mature? This mature: “It’s nice to have time off in the off-season and spend time with my family, but at the end of the day, this is what I do. I play baseball. It’s what I get paid to do and I love it.”

Lipscomb could give some lessons to beleaguered former National Anthony Rendon, who made his case poorly for this recently.

“I played a lot of different sports growing up. But I loved baseball. I like the difficulty of the game. Anybody can be strong or fast, but the big part of baseball is the mental part. That was one of the coolest things for me, learning the game of baseball in and out mentally.”

Lipscomb spent part of his off-season in Knoxville, where he went to college, working out with Nationals outfielder Lane Thomas, who lives there.  “I’ve known him for the last two or three years and watched him grow,” Thomas said. “Hopefully he has a chance to make the team. I think he’s proven he is good enough. At some point I think we’ll see him for sure.”

I think sooner rather than later, and perhaps as the first evidence of a new era of Nationals stars.

“I feel like there is something special happening here,” the 23-year-old said.

It may start with Lipscomb. 

• You can hear Thom Loverro on The Kevin Sheehan Show podcast.