Nationals Opening Day Roster Prediction Version 1.0
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The Washington Nationals have a day off from playing a spring training game on Monday, so I'm going to make my first Opening Day roster prediction for how I believe things are going to line up on March 26 against the Chicago Cubs.
Things could change in a hurry based on injuries or new additions, but there are also many spots that seem to be solidified. The starting rotation and bullpen have the most question marks right now, but after the team agreed to a deal with Zack Littell, it seems like they have their five starters in place.
How the rest of the roster gets filled out on the fringes will come down to who performs well during the final stages of spring. So there is still plenty of stuff to keep an eye on. However, this is as good of a time as any to make an initial prediction about how the initial 26-man roster will look.
Starting Rotation (5)
-Cade Cavalli
-Zack Littell
-Foster Griffin
-Miles Mikolas
-Brad Lord
I believe the Nationals will roll with a five-man rotation to start the year despite multiple arms battling it out in camp for a shot at the final spot. My prediction has Josiah Gray, Jake Irvin, Mitchell Parker and Andrew Alvarez coming up short since I think Littell will be ready for the start of the season.
There's a chance that's not the case, though. Because Littell signed so late in the process, it's not a given he'll be ramped up. So there could still be an opportunity for one of those aforementioned players to be part of the rotation.
I'm also expecting Brad Lord to be a starter based on comments made by president of baseball operations Paul Toboni. He seemed adamant that they want to give the right-hander every opportunity to be a starting pitcher, so I believe that will still be the case after spring training.
Relief Pitchers (8)
-Clayton Beeter
-Cole Henry
-Cionel Perez
-Drew Smith
-Jackson Rutledge
-PJ Poulin
-Griff McGarry
-Jake Irvin
I think Washington is going to roll with veterans Cionel Perez and Drew Smith to start the year after signing both to minor league deals in free agency. So far this spring, both have pitched well. Neither has allowed a hit across two innings in their two outings, which is a good sign for the duo after Perez struggled last season and Smith continues to make his return from injury.
Griff McGarry has to be kept on the MLB roster for the entire year or the Nationals have to return their 2025 Rule 5 Draft pick back to the Philadelphia Phillies. He has the stuff that can play out of the bullpen, so there's a good chance he'll be used throughout the season if he can be effective.
As for Irvin, one thing this bullpen was missing was a long reliever or swingman. And after losing out on a rotation spot in this roster prediction, I think Washington will look to use him in that role based on the lack of other options they have to fill that spot.
Catcher (2)
-Keibert Ruiz
-Harry Ford
It will be interesting to see what the Nationals ultimately do here, but I think they are going to go with both Keibert Ruiz and Harry Ford on the MLB roster. Manager Blake Butera made it clear that Ruiz is still in the organization's plans, and while Ford could start in Triple-A, it's obvious that he's ready for a step up in competition at this point in his career.
How Washington would deploy things so each player is able to get into a rhythm and be effective when they are on the field isn't quite clear. But that's for the coaching staff and front office to figure out if they truly want to have their most talented catching tandem on the roster at the same time.
Starting Infield
-Luis Garcia Jr.: First Base
-Nasim Nunez: Second Base
-CJ Abrams: Shortstop
-Brady House: Third Base
I'm fully bought into the idea of Luis Garcia Jr. becoming the starting first baseman, and it seems like the Nationals are, too. This decision would improve the infield's middle defense with Nasim Nunez taking over at second base. And while Garcia will certainly get time at the keystone throughout the season, moving to the cold corner might be the best thing for his career.
As for the left side of the infield, that tandem could be pretty dangerous if Brady House is able to take what he's done this spring into the upcoming season. It was known he had power coming up the minor league ranks, but he struggled to adapt against MLB pitchers. If he takes a step forward this time around, House could be inline for a breakout year alongside CJ Abrams, who is aiming to become an All-Star again this season.
Starting Outfield
-James Wood: Left Field
-Dylan Crews: Center Field
-Daylen Lile: Right Field
Jacob Young continues to be sidelined with a wrist injury. Because he hasn't been able to swing the bat, it's hard for me to project that he's going to be ready for Opening Day, especially when his major weakness already comes at the plate.
That's why I think there's a good chance it will be Dylan Crews manning center field on March 26, with James Wood and Daylen Lile around him in left and right field, respectively. It will be interesting to see how that unit looks, as it could be their best overall offensive trio, but also their worst defensive one.
Designated Hitter/Bench (4)
-Robert Hassell III
-Andres Chaparro
-Jose Tena
-Jacob Young
While Young isn't predicted to be a starter at this point in time because of his current injury, he also might not have to go on the injured list, either. Instead, he could hold a bench spot while he rehabs and gets to the point where he's back in the outfield rotation.
As for the other three, Robert Hassell III appears to have found something at the plate this spring. He can play both corner outfield spots and in center, so he's a great depth piece to have if he can continue to hit. Andres Chaparro, the incumbent starting first baseman, would be a solid backup behind Garcia. And Tena is a classic infield utility man who can be deployed at second, third and shortstop.
The designated hitter role is also something that is hard to predict. All signs are pointing to Butera using a rotating cast there throughout the year, so it doesn't seem like there is going to be a consistent DH on an everyday basis.
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