On January 30th, the Washington Nationals announced the organization’s top players who will participate in this year’s big league spring training. Their 2024 list includes outfielders “Dylan Cruz, Robert Hassell III, and James Wood” and infielders Darren Baker, Brady House, and Trey Lipscomb. , each will be participating in major league spring training for the first time. ”
Speaking at the Winter Meetings in early December, Nats skipper Davey Martinez said the players he ultimately invited are with the big league players as everyone prepares for the 2024 season. He said he would definitely benefit from this.
“I hope they’re all in major league camp because I want to see them play,” he told reporters.
“They’re definitely going to get a lot out of it. The most important thing is really getting to know them and working with them to understand what we’re looking for and how to attack the game.” It’s about giving them an idea of what they want to do. That’s going to be the biggest thing.”
Managers, coaches and Nationals front office personnel aren’t the only people in the organization who want to see what the top prospects do this spring.
Josiah Gray, who turns 26 in December and will be entering his fourth major league season, said in a recent interview with MLB Network Radio that he was excited to get to see some of MLB’s top prospects up close in spring training. He said he is doing so.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how they perform,” Gray told MLBNR hosts Mike Ferrin and Jim Duquette. “You know the organization is committed to them, but just to see how they prepare and how they step up to the plate. I’m going to be on the top step every game. , just watch and see what they do and how they do it. Because I, as well as anyone in the organization, look at the new lifeline of talent that’s coming out. Because I am eager to see.”
Assuming prospects who receive invitations are not on the opening day roster, clubs will need to decide where to send them to start the season.
Cruz, Hassell III, Wood, House and Lipscomb, the No. 2 overall pick in last year’s draft, all finished last season in Double-A Harrisburg in the Nationals’ system, and Baker played most of the season in the same league. Triple-A Rochester said the club is taking an aggressive approach to development and is happy to see the organization take on top prospects, according to new scouting director Eddie Longosz. .
So how do Nationals leaders decide when these players are ready to take the next step, whether it’s a promotion to Triple-A or eventually to the majors? Is not it?
“The players will definitely tell you,” Longosz said. “They tell you about their abilities, and you know it. That’s Mike. [Rizzo] Ask some of them. Of course, there are groups that can win, but I’m glad I was able to challenge them this year. It was fun to watch the players move quickly and succeed so well. And some guys fail from time to time, but this whole group, especially a lot of them were college players, obviously they’re mature, they’re sophisticated, they need a challenge, and we’re going to do that. The we.
“So I’m glad they did that and we’ll see where they start. We haven’t really talked about the system yet, where everyone’s going to go, but we’ll see where they go. It would also be a good decision.”
