Nationals Star Prospect Jarlin Susana Is Turning Heads During His Rehab
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A prospect to watch for the Washington Nationals coming into 2026 was Jarlin Susana, the flamethrowing right-hander who has been a strikeout machine coming up the minor league ranks.
There was some thought that he might be able to make his major league debut at some point this season, but that seems unlikely based on the fact that he's still recovering from a torn lat that caused him to undergo surgery at the end of last year.
However, there are no concerns about Susana's velocity following that injury. Per Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic (subscription required), the 22-year-old is back to hitting triple digits on the radar gun, and he's been impressing a veteran MLB reliever who has been doing rehab bullpens with him.
Jarlin Susana Hitting 102 MPH in Bullpen Sessions
"Nationals reliever Max Kranick had never seen anything like it," wrote Nusbaum. "He spent his first month with the organization rehabbing with Susana at the team's complex in Florida. One day, he stopped and stared as Susana took a running start and delivered a max effort throw. The radar read 106 mph. In his first bullpen, Susana hit 102."
It goes without saying that's impressive. And that velocity is also something the Nationals don't have on their MLB roster.
Cade Cavalli is Washington's hardest thrower, with his four-seamer sitting at 96.6 mph on average. That puts him at No. 71 in the majors, per Baseball Savant. The issue is the closest player to Cavalli when it comes to fastball velocity is Gus Varland at 95.1 mph, but he's down in the minors because he hasn't been consistent. Justin Lawrence is at 95.7 mph, but he's only made one appearance for the Nationals since he was claimed off waivers, and he's struggled throughout this season.
Washington is lacking big-time arms, and there's no doubt that Susana is one. The flamethrower has continued to get better and better as he's come up the ranks. He posted an ERA of 3.61 across 11 starts at Double-A last year with 79 strikeouts over 47 1/3 innings pitched.
There is clear relief risk when it comes to Susana due to his high-velocity four-seamer that's paired with a devastating slider. But, for now, the Nationals are viewing him as a starting pitcher. And once he's back on the mound in a game setting later this season, they will continue to build him up in that role until it's clear he has to shift into the bullpen.
Regardless of what happens on that front, Washington has a special pitcher on their hands. And based on what he's done during his rehab work -- including impressing veteran pitcher Max Kranick with his sheer velocity -- it feels like only a matter of time before he's starring the nation's capital.
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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