Where Does Washington Nationals Outfield Core Rank Among Peers?

The Washington Nationals young stars were among the 'honorable mentions' group for the recent top 25 outfielder rankings.

Aug 3, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz (20) and center fielder James Wood (29) celebrate scoring two runs with center fielder Jacob Young (30) at Nationals Park. | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

The Washington Nationals have an exciting young outfield, but their players are still trying to prove themselves among their peers.

Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter released an updated ranking of the 25 best outfielders in baseball from last season. While none of the Nationals youngsters made the ranking, a couple of them were honorable mentions.

There were actually two players that started the year with Washington but ended up on other teams that made the list.

Jesse Winker, traded at the deadline to the New York Mets was an honorable mention. His season declined after the trade, however.

Victor Robles began the year in his eighth year in a Nationals uniform, but was DFA'd and released after a horrid first 14 games. He was quickly picked up by the Seattle Mariners where he posted a career-best .328/.393/.567 slashing line over 77 games. Robles was ranked at No. 25 of the outfielders list.

Dylan Crews - Unranked

Washington's best prospect was the one of the big three that didn't make the list in any capacity. That should not come as a surprise given the slow start to his career.

He is expected to come back strong next season and compete for the NL Rookie of the Year honors. He is one to watch to shoot up this list in his first full campaign on the MLB roster.

Jacob Young - Honorable Mention

Young has not yet figured it out at the plate, but his elite glove has landed him at least some recognition.

If he can figure out how to get on base more often, he will be a massive threat. Despite his weak .256/.316/.331 slashing line, he finished second on the team in runs scored thanks to his speed.

The 25-year-old hit 24 doubles and stole 33 bases last season. He also finished with 20 outs above average and a fielding run value of 16.

James Wood - Honorable Mention

Wood still needs to work on giving the ball some carry on his bat, but had a very promising first year on the MLB roster.

He posted a .264/.354/.427 slashing line with nine home runs, 41 RBI and 14 stolen bases in 79 games. He should quickly jump up in the rankings if he can become a 20/20 threat.

The 22-year-old's elite bat makes up for the fact that he has not been a great defender early on. Having Crews and Young has his outfield partners should allow him to be a little weaker there, though.