5 Top Nationals Prospects Who Could Make Impact for Team During 2026 Season

These five top Washington Nationals prospects could all have a chance to make an impact on the team during the upcoming season.

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The Washington Nationals don't seemed poised to make any splash additions this offseason.

That was largely a pipedream based on the fact that new energy had been infused into this organization following the hiring of Paul Toboni as president of baseball operations. But he wasn't brought in with the short-term in mind, as his goal is to get this franchise to the point where they can have sustained success for the future.

Because of that, the winter will likely be a quiet one. A MacKenzie Gore trade could bring a jolt of life to things at some point, but it's expected that the Nationals will go into the 2026 campaign with mostly the same group of players they had this year.

Roster augmentation will come eventually. And it likely will come from those players Washington already has in their pipeline. That's why these five top 30-ranked prospects are names to keep an eye on when it comes to making an impact in 2026.

Christian Franklin/Jake Bennett

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This is a two-for-one special because it's obvious that both players are going to get a shot at the bigs at some point since they were added to the 40-man roster as protection ahead of the Rule 5 Draft.

Jake Bennett is the easier one to predict as someone who will have an immediate impact. The left-handed starter showed well during the Arizona Fall League this year after he had a great return season following the Tommy John surgery procedure he underwent back in September 2023. The Nationals desperately need pitching, and their 10th-ranked guy seems poised to provide that during the upcoming season.

Christian Franklin is entering a crowded outfield situation, but he also has some tools that could carve out playing time for himself if he is able to show well when he does get his opportunities. Acquired from the Chicago Cubs ahead of this past trade deadline in the Michael Soroka deal, Franklin slashed .290/.382/.427 with four home runs and 23 RBIs across 31 games with Triple-A Rochester.

He has high-end bat-to-ball skills and is able to hit the ball hard, which bodes well for him becoming a solid player for Washington in the bigs since he's still just 25 years old. Cracking the outfield rotation is going to be easier said than done. But with Jacob Young's struggles at the plate, there is an opening for the 12th-ranked prospect to make a name for himself.

Jarlin Susana

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There might not be a player Nationals fans want to see debut more in 2026 than Jarlin Susana.

Ranked third in Washington's pipeline, the flamethrowing right-handed pitcher has turned heads every step of the way during his professional career based on his ridiculous strikeout numbers. While that also comes with a high walk rate, seeing Susana fan 380 batters across 268 minor league innings is hard not to get excited about.

How he recovers from his lat surgery this offseason will be crucial. He just made it to Double-A Harrisburg this year where he made 11 starts and had a 3.61 ERA before he was shutdown. The Nationals are likely going to start him at that affiliate level again next season and see how he looks.

From there, it could be a rapid ascension for the 21-year-old as Washington continues to look for their next high-end starting pitcher.

Alex Clemmey

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This one is bit more of a projection, but there's a chance Alex Clemmey could make his major league debut next season.

Drafted in the second round of the 2023 draft out of high school by the Cleveland Guardians, the Nationals acquired him and two other pieces in the Lane Thomas deal ahead of the trade deadline in 2024.

Now ranked fifth in Washington's pipeline, the left-hander had a good showing at the High-A level with a 2.47 ERA across 19 starts. He struck out 113 batters in 87 1/3 innings pitched and held opponents to a batting average against of .182. But he also walked 60 and had a WHIP of 1.33.

Still, the Nationals decided it was time to see what he could do against Double-A competition. Unfortunately, that's where he ran into some major problems, as he posted a 6.44 ERA across six starts and was only able to ring up 23 batters in 29 1/3 innings pitched while he walked 13.

Those struggles coupled with his lack of experience and age make it hard to believe Washington will fast-track him through the pipeline to the point where he pitches in The Show next year. However, if he is able to figure things out early with Double-A Harrisburg and is solid when facing Triple-A hitting after that, then there's a chance he's a late-season call-up in 2026.

Yohandy Morales

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Back to a much more reasonable projection, it would be shocking not to see Yohandy Morales get called up for his major league debut in 2026.

With Andres Chaparro the only true first baseman on Washington's 40-man roster right now, not giving Morales a chance after the numbers he put up this past season would be strange. The 20th-ranked prospect dominated Double-A with a slash line of .315/.366/.520 across 33 games before he got called up to Rochester.

There, across 95 games, he showcased more of his power. Not only did he slash .249/.330/.401 during his first Triple-A experience, but he also hit 11 home runs, had 21 doubles and two triples and finished with 49 RBIs.

His strikeout stuff is a major concern, though. He was rung up a staggering 131 times during those contests, which does not bode well for being a consistent hitter in the bigs. However, he should be given an opportunity early during the 2026 season, and there's a chance he could solidify the first base position at least for the time being.