Could This Nationals Prospect Be the Next Travis Sykora?

This Washington Nationals prospect could be the next rapid riser.

Brett Davis-Imagn Images

While the Washington Nationals didn't have a whole lot of pitching success on the big league roster they could enjoy this past season, there were plenty of head-turners down on the farm.

Travis Sykora was the one who stood out the most, as the 21-year-old right-hander flashed elite strikeout stuff that had many people outside the organization wondering if he could push to make his major league debut in 2026 just three years after he was taken in the third round of the 2023 draft.

Unfortunately, that won't be the case. Sykora was the latest Nationals top pitching prospect to undergo Tommy John surgery, and the expectation is that he'll be on the shelf until at least the start of the 2027 season.

It's hard not to be disappointed by that. Washington needs as many high-end arms as they can get, so seeing yet another up-and-comer go down with a long-term injury is frustrating. However, there could be another young pitcher in their pipeline who follows a similar trajectory to Sykora.

Landon Harmon Could Be Next Nationals Riser

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Sam Sallick of Federal Baseball took a look at some underrated Nationals prospects and had quite a statement regarding Landon Harmon, the team's sixth-ranked prospect after being selected in the third round of the 2025 draft.

"When Travis Sykora was drafted in 2023, Nats fans knew they got a steal. His performances before going down with Tommy John Surgery have proved that. 2025 third rounder Landon Harmon seems like the next Travis Sykora type arm to emerge in the Nats system," he wrote.

While that might feel like an aggressive projection for a young pitcher who has yet to throw a professional inning just yet, it should also be noted that Sykora also didn't make his professional debut until the season after he was drafted.

How aggressively the new regime wants to move Harmon through the farm system will be interesting to see. They could start him out in rookie ball like usual or they could decide to sent him straight to Single-A, which is what happened with Sykora.

It should also be noted that the similarities between the two go beyond just both being third-round picks as right-handed pitchers out of high school. There is some major upside to Harmon, which is something that Sallick dove into further.

𝙁𝙍𝙄𝘿𝘼𝙔 𝙁𝙐𝙕𝙕 ⛽️⛽️⛽️ #PBAAG24@PrepBaseballMS | @ShooterHunt | @landonharmon51 pic.twitter.com/Gd47G3cbdB

— Prep Baseball (@prepbaseball) October 25, 2024

"Despite being a high school draftee, Harmon's fastball already sits in the mid-90's and can even touch 99 MPH. Harmon's fastball is more than just pure velocity though. The pitch has really good shape and spin as well. It is one of those fastballs that just explodes out of the hand. ... He has shown the ability to use multiple different breaking ball shapes. Like Sykora, his command is also solid for a high school flame thrower. With his natural athleticism, the command can become an asset for him one day," Sallick added.

Harmon is a clear player to watch in 2026. If his ascent is as rapid as Sykora's, then the Nationals are going to have multiple top-of-the-rotation arms in the near future.