Nationals Fans Should Keep Their Eyes on These Two Pitchers From 2026 Draft Class

These are two pitchers who could become impact arms for the Washington Nationals.

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The Washington Nationals selected 20 players as part of their 2026 draft class.

With first-round pick Chris Hacopian now locked into an under-slot deal, the Nationals will focus on locking up the rest of their selections, as two out of their four Day 1 picks are from the high school ranks and are committed to play for high-profile universities at the college level.

One of those prospects -- right-handed pitcher Cooper Harris -- is someone who Carlos Collazo of Baseball America (subscription required) highlighted as his favorite Day 1 selection by Washington. And when he looked at what transpired on Day 2, the draft analyst lauded another pitcher as his favorite selection, as Collazo applauded the pick of right-handed pitcher Gage Peterson.

Cooper Harris Is High-Upside High Schooler Who Dominated His Competition

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It was interesting that Harris was Collazo's favorite Day 1 pick that the Nationals made this year. Consensus has been positive on Hacopian based on his ceiling and how quickly he could become a big league player, so that should indicate what type of prospect Washington potentially added by selecting Harris in the fourth round.

The 18-year-old has a fastball that can sit in the mid-90 mph range, but he isn't able to consistently stay at that velocity throughout his outing just yet. Still, according to Collazo, he was able to dominate his high school competition this past season by primarily using his heater. Outside of that, Harris possesses a slider and curveball, so there are building blocks when it comes to his arsenal.

Signing Harris could be the tricky part for the Nationals, though. The Texas kid is locked into a commitment to play at the University of Texas, and with him getting taken in the fourth round, there's a chance he decides to spend three years in college instead of turning pro now. That's where the savings on Hacopian's under-slot deal comes into play, as Washington does not want to let this high-upside right-hander get away from them by not being able to lock him into a contract.

Gage Peterson Brings in Whiff Element That Washington Is Lacking

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Day 2 of the 2026 draft for the Nationals was mainly filled with collegiate players, which should add more polished prospects to their farm system. Because of that, it's notable that Peterson was who Collazo highlighted as his favorite pick from Rounds 5-20 for Washington.

Peterson was not a big-time college player. He began his career at Walters State Junior College in Tennessee, where he spent two seasons, before transferring to Appalachian State. With the Mountaineers, the right-hander posted a 3.28 ERA across 15 starts with 107 strikeouts to 39 walks over 85 innings pitched. That was enough to get him drafted in the seventh round by the Nationals, and now he has a pathway to become an impact arm for this franchise in the coming years.

According to Collazo, Peterson is able to get whiffs due to his elite extension. That is something Washington is missing, as they rank No. 29 in the majors this season with a whiff rate of 22.3%. In turn, that has resulted in a strikeout rate of 20.2% that puts them at No. 25, while they have also given up a hard-hit rate of 41.4%, which has them sitting at No. 26.

Peterson alone can't fix those numbers, but he could carve out a role for himself if he's able to translate his college whiff and strikeout figures to the professional ranks. And with a low-to-mid-90 mph fastball that has a chance to get faster based on his 6-foot-5 frame, he has a chance to either remain a starter or turn into a formidable reliever by the time he reaches The Show.