Yesterday afternoon, Prospects Live, a website devoted to protecting the minor leagues, MLB Draft, and dynasty fantasy baseball rankings, put out their prediction for the way the Nationals roster would look within the yr 2028. I needed to interrupt down a few of their decisions, as whereas I agree with a lot of their choices, there are as many who depart me scratching my head. Keep in thoughts, they’re trying to foretell the roster 3 seasons from now with 0 exterior additions, a futile activity as there’s sure to be free company and commerce additions, however there are nonetheless sure components of the roster more likely to go to an inner choice than others.
Predicting Keibert Ruiz because the Nationals’ 2028 beginning catcher is a questionable determination after the latest acquisition of Harry Ford, to say the least. While it’s true Ruiz will nonetheless be below contract that season, making him prone to nonetheless be across the group in some capability, he’s proven little or no to make anybody imagine he can maintain onto the beginning catcher position for 3 extra years, particularly with Harry Ford being large league prepared in 2026. The most sensible clarification to me is that they made their projections and the graphic earlier than the commerce went down and forgot to replace, or maybe Prospects Live nonetheless believes in a model of Keibert Ruiz we haven’t seen in a few years.
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I like the selection of Ethan Petry over Yohandy Morales and Andres Chapparo at first base in 2028, as my future outlook is greater on him than these 2 and some other inner first base choices within the group. This looks as if a place prone to see a free agent signing or commerce acquisition, whether or not that’s this offseason or in a future one, however for the sake of this train, I like Petry as the longer term Nats first baseman.
I additionally like the selection of Luke Dickerson at second base over Seaver King, who’s nearer to the large leagues however doesn’t excite me the way in which Dickerson does along with his nice pace and energy potential. I imagine King might have a robust profession as a utility man for the Nationals, filling in for starters throughout all kinds of spots on the diamond, but it surely’s arduous for me to place him over anybody else on this roster at one singular spot. The absence of Luis Garcia Jr. is notable, as he will likely be a free agent after the 2027 season, and Prospects Live both doesn’t assume he will likely be again in DC or simply leaves impending free brokers off as a rule.
Willits at shortstop was seemingly one of many simpler calls on the listing for them, as the one query I might assume could be in the event that they imagine he can attain the large league degree by his age 20 season. If they didn’t, King would seemingly be in his place on this graphic, however Willits would nearly actually be knocking on the door in 2029 in his age-21 season.
The alternative of Daylen Lile and Dylan Crews within the nook outfield spots was in all probability simple sufficient for the folks at Prospects Live, however the alternative of CJ Abrams in centerfield in his age-28 season is an fascinating one. While Abrams seemingly is speedy sufficient now to deal with centerfield duties, he has additionally gone down in dash pace percentile yearly since he reached the large leagues, and I don’t count on that to cease as he will get older.
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Abrams’ arm can be fringy already at shortstop, and could be one of many weaker centerfield arms in baseball if he made the transition. While I believe it’s an concept price exploring, it appears more likely to me that Abrams makes the transition to second base moderately than centerfield as he matures. Not on the graphic for some purpose is James Wood, who they are saying slots in at DH for the Nationals in 2028, though I believe they shouldn’t rely him out as a fielder so quickly.
In the rotation, Prospects Live sees Cade Cavalli because the ace of this ballclub in 3 years, with the younglings Travis Sykora, Jarlin Susana, and Alex Clemmey proper behind him. The determination to fit Brad Lord over Luis Perales is a captivating one, maybe confirming my suspicion that these projections and graphics had been made earlier than the Ford and Perales trades went down. There can be the shocking absence of DJ Herz, who will solely be 27 years outdated through the 2028 marketing campaign and has proven extra promise on the large league degree than nearly any Nats starter. Overall, I believe they’re totally on the cash with the highest 4 of this rotation, with the query marks being if Cavalli and Clemmey can keep themselves as starters or will develop into bullpen weapons.
The Nationals’ bullpen outlook in 2028 is extraordinarily bleak, based on Prospects Live; nevertheless, that can be the world of the membership that’s most troublesome to foretell, as bullpens are always shuffling by means of arms and can see the addition of a number of failed starters on the Nats farm presently. Cole Henry because the nearer is smart, as he could also be extra seemingly than anybody to nonetheless be round 3 years from now, however I’m not certain he fairly has nearer stuff.
Pablo Aldonis is a 23-year-old lefty who destroyed Low and High A hitters in 2025, and looks as if simply pretty much as good a guess on the Nats farm as any to be of their bullpen in 3 years. Poulin, who will likely be 32 in 2028 and was stable for the Nats in 2025, is an odd alternative as a setup man, however he does have loads of service time remaining, giving him an honest likelihood of nonetheless being round by then.
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Overall, I believe Prospects Live’s prediction for the 2028 Washington Nationals roster could be way more correct if that they had up to date it with the additions of Harry Ford and Luis Perales, however total, they did pretty much as good a job as you are able to do guessing how a group will look 3 years sooner or later with 0 exterior additions. As far as 3-year outlooks go, I imagine that is the most effective trying future because the Nationals have had for the reason that rebuild started, with a mixture of present large league expertise, younger and promising hitters, and intriguing arms down on the farm.