Miguel Sime Jr. Impressed His Nationals Teammates During Spring Breakout
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Spring Breakout this year was exciting for the Washington Nationals and their fans.
17 out of their top 30 prospects made the gameday roster, including their newest star Gavin Fien, who set a record with his five-RBI performance. With No. 1-ranked prospect Eli Willits batting first in the lineup and Fien batting behind him, the talented duo was able to give this fanbase a glimpse into the future.
But if it wasn't for Fien's performance, perhaps there would have been more buzz surrounding right-handed pitcher Miguel Sime Jr. after what he he displayed during that exhibition contest. Known as a flamethrower, he put all that on display and then some during his lone inning of work.
Miguel Sime Jr. Impressed His Teammates With Electric Stuff
The 18-year-old did not disappoint on March 19. Sime tossed 21 pitches, and nine of them were more than 100 mph. That included an electric battle with St. Louis Cardinals superstar prospect JJ Wetherholt -- who is ranked fifth in the sport -- where Sime battled back from a 3-0 count to blow a 100.8 mph fastball by Wetherholt for strike three that knocked the helmet off his head.
"He's a big boy, but when you see him get on the mound and just throw 101, it's like, 'That's real,'" Fien said after the game, per Jessica Camerato of MLB.com.
For his age, Sime is certainly an imposing figure on the mound. But he's not just a one-trick pony when it comes to his arsenal. The fourth-round pick of the 2025 draft already has the ability to throw a curveball and changeup, and he's been toying with adding what he calls a gyro slider this spring.
101 MPH at 18 years old 😳🔥
— MLB (@MLB) March 19, 2026
Nationals prospect Miguel Sime Jr. is pumping GAS at #SpringBreakout! pic.twitter.com/37uk3uKLvp
Fien wasn't the only one who was impressed by Sime, as the right-hander also caught the eye of Willits during the Spring Breakout game and how he's gone about things since joining Washington's organization.
"It's crazy," Willits said about Sime's velocity. "He puts the work in. He works hard every day."
The next step for Sime is to consistently find the zone. That will be the most important thing for him and the Nationals to focus on during his first professional season this year. Ranked 16th in Washington's pipeline, there is a chance he's a major riser when this minor league campaign comes to an end if he can accomplish that.
He's firmly entered himself into the "prospect to watch" category after what he did during Spring Breakout. And if he is able to improve his arsenal to pair with his velocity and become a more accurate thrower, then the sky is the limit for the youngster.
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