5 Nationals Players Who Have Stood Out During Early Spring Training Games

The Washington Nationals have a rare day off on Tuesday during this spring ramp-up period. So it's a good time to sit back and take stock of what has taken place over the course of the early spring training schedule.

Players are working on different aspects of their game as they return to the field, so making judgements based solely on statistics at this stage of the calendar is never a wise thing. However, performance is also key. And doing well is crucial for anyone competing for a roster spot or trying to catch the attention of this new regime.

With that in mind, there are five players who have stood out during the early portion of spring training games who should be highlighted.

Brady House

The overall concern levels surrounding Brady House after his muted debut season last year were minimal. But everyone wanted to see him take a step forward in 2026. So far, that has been the case this spring, as he is hitting the ball hard and for power.

The 22-year-old is leading the Nationals in hits (seven), home runs (two), doubles (three) and RBIs (six). He's also slashing .500/.500/1.143 and has struck out three time across his 14 at-bats. If this is the version of House that shows up during the upcoming season, then he'll be a breakout performer.

Riley Cornelio

With pitching being a major question mark for Washington coming into the year, there were going to be opportunities for players to work themselves into the mix for a role. While the rotation largely seems to be figured out at this point barring injuries popping up, the bullpen setup is a mystery.

Riley Cornelio has made a case for himself to have some sort of relief role in the bigs based on what he's done this spring. Across his two outings, he's allowed just one earned run on three hits in five innings pitched while striking out seven and walking none. He's come up the ranks as a starter, so converting him into a reliever might not be what the Nationals want to do yet. But he's stood out when it comes to being an option in the rotation or bullpen at some point during the 2026 campaign.

Cole Henry

Sticking with pitchers, Cole Henry has been impressive in his limited action thus far. Expected to be an important backend arm for Washington throughout the 2026 campaign, the 2020 second-round pick has handled business during his two outings by not allowing a hit across two innings while striking out three and walking one.

It's just the early part of spring training, so results should be taken with a grain of salt. But after he posted a 4.27 ERA across his 57 appearances last year during his debut major league season, it's good to see him dominate the way he has in 2026.

Seaver King

If anyone needed a strong start to spring training on the field, it was Seaver King. While he got his confidence back during the Arizona Fall League after a disastrous first full season of professional baseball in 2025, things could have fallen apart again if he looked overmatched this spring.

That hasn't been the case, though, as he's gone 4-for-9 with a walk and zero strikeouts in five games. While none of those hits have gone for extra bases and he's yet to record an RBI, the fact he looks comfortable and confident at the plate during MLB spring training is a good sign of things to come.

Warming Bernabel

Coming into camp, everyone knew there was going to be a battle for the first base position. Incumbent Andres Chaparro was going to be hard to unseat, but with multiple players in the competition, there was a chance that could happen.

Warming Bernabel has made a case for himself early on this spring, as he's gone 3-for-9 with a triple, two RBIs and a walk with no strikeouts across his first five games. How long the Nationals keep him around in big league camp and how many more opportunities he gets will be interesting to monitor. But he could be someone who plays his way into a spot if he keeps performing this way.