The Washington Nationals are set to bring up outfielder James Wood for his MLB debut on Monday against the New York Mets.
Wood has been impressive in Triple-A, hitting .346/.458/.578 with 10 homers, 34 RBIs, and stealing 10 bases out of 11 attempts this season. Drafted in the second round of the 2021 draft, Wood was a key part of the trade that sent Juan Soto to the Padres.
Now, Wood will join MacKenzie Gore and CJ Abrams on the Nationals’ roster.
Wood’s Potential:
CBS Sports had ranked Wood as the sixth-best prospect in minor league baseball at the start of this season. They described him as a fascinating player who stands at 6-foot-6 and weighs 240 pounds. His raw power is already evident—six of his 28 home runs were hit to left or left-center field.
Interestingly, fans might be excited about his potential but also cautious about his high strikeout rate. In Double-A, he struck out nearly 34% of the time, which would have been tops in the majors if he played there.
As he continues to develop physically and adds more muscle, two things are expected: he’ll likely move away from center field and turn into one of baseball’s top sluggers. However, reducing his strikeout rate closer to 30% could unlock superstar potential.
The Nationals will need to make roster changes to accommodate Wood both on their active roster and their 40-man roster.
What do you think? Is James Wood ready for this big step?
