James Wood is the crown jewel of the Nationals rebuild. He has the potential to be one of the best hitters in baseball. His combination of size, power, and plate discipline is impressive. Even though he had an impressive rookie season, the 22-year-old has only just scratched the surface of his abilities.
James Wood is already a good hitter. he Posted 120 wRC+he had a solid OPS of .781. But Wood clearly still has a lot of room for improvement. He only hit a home run in about half of the season. For a player with 80 grade raw power, this can and will improve in total.
He has all the best power in the world, but his batted ball profile is less than optimal. It’s hard to hit a lot of home runs when you hit the ball on the ground. 55.6% at the time. If Wood can get the ball in the air more often, he can reach his full potential. Wood has the raw power and advanced approach to hit over 40 home runs. He just needs to get the ball in the air more.
It would also help if Wood gets the ball in the air more often. Of his nine home runs, 7 of them I went to the field on the other side. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with hitting a home run into the opposite field, and it’s a useful club to have in your bag, but the easiest way to hit a home run is to pull the club. That’s what he needs to do to reach the full potential of his powers.
Despite these fairly significant flaws, Wood is already a very good hitter. My mouth waters when I think about what’s about to happen. He hits the ball harder than anyone in the league and understands the strike zone very well. It’s a combination reserved only for the best of the best. In a year or two, James Wood might have a seat at that table.
Defensively, Wood is still developing. Despite possessing breathtaking speed belying his size, Wood struggled in left field, a position he had rarely played before entering the big leagues. He was -6 outs below average and looked very awkward in his first MLB action. Wood may develop into an average defender, but his bat will always be the star of the show.
James Wood is the only national player with truly elite attacking ability. With a little more work, Wood could become a perennial Silver Slugger winner. James Wood is a very good hitter, but he has only just scratched the surface of his upside.
