In a widely anticipated move, the Washington Nationals will promote outfield prospect James Wood on Monday, per Grant Paulsen of 106.7 FM The Fan. The towering 6’7″ slugger will make his debut at home against the New York Mets, a team Washington is surprisingly competing with for a Wild Card spot.
Sources: James Wood will be called up to debut in DC with the Nats on Monday. The long wait is over. Wood will play his first big league game against the Mets at Nats Park in three days.
One of the best prospects in baseball, Wood is hitting .346 with a 1.036 OPS in Triple-A.
— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) June 28, 2024
The Nationals initially acquired Wood from the San Diego Padres two summers ago in the blockbuster Juan Soto trade. Since the trade, Wood continued to impress evaluators and shot up prospect rankings for various publications. At just 21 years old, he currently ranks as the game’s third-best prospect, according to Baseball America.
Washington experienced a swift fall from grace after finally winning a championship in 2019. After a few painful seasons, Wood represents the hopeful beginning of the next winning era of baseball in the nation’s capital.
Washington Nationals To Promote James Wood
Despite a solid spring training, Wood began the season in Triple-A due to a logjam of veteran lefty outfielders and worried about his strikeout rate. Last year, Wood struck out at an awful 33.7 percent clip at Double-A.Wood has a history of struggling against sliders, changeups, and splitters.
James Wood is getting the call to the Big Leagues!
At just 21 years old, he hit 10-HR while hitting .346 in 51 AAA games
Oh btw, he’s Elly De La Cruz fast… at 6’7 😂 https://t.co/lKeqTL8DdL
— Fuzzy (@fuzzyfromyt) June 28, 2024
Evaluators praise his ability to not chase out of the zone, but these are pitches he will see in the majors. A hitter that can’t adapt to non-fastballs and strikes out too much in the minors will likely have those issues highlighted in the majors. For the Nationals to promote Wood, he needed to show the ability to make adjustments and develop as a hitter, not just a slugger.
To his credit, he did just that without sacrificing his power. In 225 plate appearances, Wood has hit .346/.458/.578 with 10 homers, 10 steals, and a great 18.2 percent strikeout rate. When paired with his natural ability not to chase, limiting whiffs and strikeouts will allow Wood to access his raw power more often than not.
James Wood has officially arrived.
Buy stock now. He may somehow still win the NL ROY. pic.twitter.com/5fh4mGP3Mm
— Calico Joe (@CalicoJoeMLB) June 28, 2024
Additionally, evaluators are impressed with how easily he accesses his speed and athleticism, especially for a human of his size. He runs well and doesn’t have an issue stealing or taking extra bases. Plus, he has made zero errors while splitting playing time at an almost even clip between center and left this season.
Main Photo Credits: Jamie Germano/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK
