Washington Nationals Top Prospect's Debut Delayed After Recent Surgery
The Washington Nationals are not expecting pitcher Travis Sykora to help them in their starting rotation this season. But they will have to wait for him to make his minor-league debut this year.
Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo told reporters, including MASN Sports, in West Palm Beach recently that their third-round pick from 2023 needed minor labrum surgery for a hip injury he suffered during the offseason.
The 20-year-old Sykora entered this spring training as the Nationals’ No. 2 overall prospect and the No. 59 prospect in all of baseball, according to Baseball America.
The only Washington prospect ranked ahead of Sykora is outfielder Dylan Crews, who is assured of a Major League job and will graduate prospect rankings shortly after the start of the regular season.
Washington selected Sykora out of Round Rock, Texas. The prep star signed an over-slot deal of $2.6 million to start his pro career, though he didn’t pitch until 2024.
With Class-A Fredericksburg, he went 5-3 with a 2.33 ERA in 20 games, with 129 strikeouts and 27 walks in 85 innings.
The hope was that Sykora would pitch his way to Double-A during spring training. Instead, Rizzo said he expects the right-hander to make his minor league debut sometime in May. It’s not clear where he’ll be sent, but a rehab assignment at the team’s West Palm Beach complex is certainly an option.
Other Nationals pitching prospects are in Major League camp on non-roster invites, including Jarlin Susana, who is Washington’s No. 3 prospect and No. 67 in baseball.
Susana is another piece of the Juan Soto trade from 2022. The 20-year-old right-hander’s performance at Fredericksburg didn’t look good, as he went 1-7 with a 4.47 ERA in 14 starts, with 83 strikeouts and 30 walks in 56.1 innings.
But he was promoted to High-A Wilmington and things turned around. He went 3-3 with a 4.10 ERA in 10 starts with 74 strikeouts and 18 walks in 47.1 innings.
Some of Washington’s position players are already working out at the team facility. The rest of the position players are required to report no later than Feb. 18.
Washington will play its first spring training game against the Houston Astros on Feb. 22. The two teams share the West Palm Beach facility.
Washington will open the regular season at Nationals Park when they host the Philadelphia Phillies on March 27.
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