Nationals Pipeline Report: Three New Players Now Considered Top 100 Prospects
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With so many talented players in their pipeline, the 2026 campaign was shaping up to be a huge year for the Washington Nationals. And so far, things have gotten off to an incredible start.
Not only did president of baseball operations Paul Toboni give a positive report about the pitching development that has taken place in the early going of this season, but multiple prospects now look like bona fide future stars.
Three players who fit that billing are Seaver King, Ronny Cruz and Devin Fitz-Gerald. They all have gotten off to tremendous starts this season. And now midway through the month of May, that trio has been moved into Baseball America's top 100 prospect rankings, which gives the Nationals five total players who are on that list.
Ronny Cruz - No. 91
Right now, it's safe to say the 19-year-old is one of the fastest rising stars in baseball. He tore up Single-A to start the season with a .333/.460/.627 slash line, three home runs, eight extra-base hits and 14 RBIs across 14 games. That earned him a promotion to High-A, where he has not slowed down.
With Wilmington, Cruz has put up a slash line of .319/.397/.536 with four homers, six extra-base hits and 12 RBIs through 17 contests. His red-hot form has drawn comparisons to superstar Fernando Tatis Jr., which is something that should excite every member of this fan base.
Now ranked as the No. 91 prospect in the sport, per Baseball America, the secret is out regarding the talented infielder. And how he develops over the next few years will be huge for Washington.
Seaver King - No. 94
While the rise of Cruz is exciting, the fact that King is now considered a top 100 guy should be relieving. The 2024 first-round pick did not have a good season last year, and there were concerns about what his ceiling could be in the professional ranks. But he seemed to get his mojo back at the Arizona Fall League, and he has not slowed down since departing that showcase event.
On the season, King has slashed .319/.412/.575 with five home runs, 10 doubles, two triples, 22 RBIs and 19 walks to 28 strikeouts at Double-A. He's hitting the ball at a noticeably higher rate this year, and he has much better plate discipline.
It will be interesting to see how the Nationals approach things with King. Based on how he's performed thus far, he could be a promotion candidate at some point in the near future. However, they might also want to further develop him this season before pushing him to face increased competition to make sure he continues perfecting his new habits.
Either way, it's great that King has found his groove this year. And with him being a top 100 prospect like he was expected to be when he was taken at No. 10 overall, the arrow is pointing up on his career.
Devin Fitz-Gerald - No. 99
Finally, the newest member of Baseball America's top 100 is Fitz-Gerald, the 20-year-old infielder who was acquired as part of the MacKenzie Gore return package. Fitz-Gerald has been nothing short of impressive since becoming a professional, and it was only a matter of time before he made this coveted list. Now sitting at No. 99, the rising star is officially on the national radar.
After dealing with an injury last season that cut his campaign short, the 2024 fifth-round pick has slashed .310/.439/.593 with six home runs, eight doubles, three triples and 21 RBIs across 28 games at High-A. He's also drawn 22 walks compared to striking out 22 times, and he's stolen 10 bases.
Eli Willits, Jarlin Susana Remain in Top 100
Eil Willits and Jarlin Susana remain in the top 100 at Nos. 21 and 54, respectively. Willits is living up to his billing as the No. 1 overall pick of 2025 draft after getting off to a slow start. He's now slashing .264/.396/.432 with four homers, seven doubles, a triple and 20 RBIs through 31 games at Single-A. At 18 years old, it's clear his ceiling is high. And he will likely remain on this list until he makes his debut in The Show.
As for Susana, he is working his way back from offseason lat surgery. He's currently on the 60-day injured list and it's not clear when he's going to return. But by still being ranked at No. 54, there is optimism that he'll return to being one of the best pitchers in the minors.
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Brad Wakai graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Journalism. While an undergrad, he worked at the student radio station covering different Penn State athletic programs like football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports. Brad became the Lead Contributor for Nittany Lions Wire of Gannett Media where he continued to cover Penn State athletics. Currently, Brad is the Publisher for Washington Nationals On SI and covers multiple teams across the On SI network. He is the host of the sports podcast I Said What I Said, where he and his co-host discuss topics across the NFL, College Football, the NBA and other sports. You can follow him on Twitter: @bwakai