Nationals Rising Star Prospect Now Considered Top 10 at His Position
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The Washington Nationals are trying to bolster their farm system.
That is going to be a key part to their rebuild under president of baseball operations Paul Toboni, and it was something he focused on during his first offseason in charge this past winter. Following the acquisitions of right-handed pitcher Luis Perales and catcher Harry Ford, the executive shipped out MacKenzie Gore for a package of five top 30 prospects from the Texas Rangers.
Gavin Fien was seen as the headliner of that return since the 2025 first-round pick has star power written all over him. However, there are plenty of analysts out there who think Devin Fitz-Gerald could wind up being the best player the Nationals received in that trade. And after a good start to the year, he's now considered a top 10 prospect at second base.
Devin Fitz-Gerald Ranked No. 10 Amongst Second Base Prospects
MLB Pipeline has Fitz-Gerald ranked 10th amongst all second base prospects in baseball. This comes after Houston Astros second baseman Brice Matthews graduated from prospect status. While Fitz-Gerald is still not considered a top 100 guy at this point, jumping into the top 10 at his position is a huge step in the right direction.
It also comes after the 20-year-old has had an impressive start to the season. Sent to High-A Wilmington to start the campaign, he has slashed .333/.444/.500 with a home run, two doubles, five RBIs and five walks compared to five strikeouts through seven games. Fitz-Gerald has also stolen seven bases without getting caught, which is impressive for someone competing at that level for the first time.
The 2024 fifth-round pick has firmly cemented himself as someone to keep an eye on going forward when it comes to Washington's pipeline. And if he is able to continue this type of performance at High-A, then he is going to be a huge riser when it comes to the prospect rankings.
Long-Term Position of Devin Fitz-Gerald Still a Question Mark
While MLB Pipeline clearly views Fitz-Gerald as a second baseman with their ranking, it seems like the Nationals are still trying to figure out where he best fits. Through seven games, he's started four at the keystone and three at shortstop. In the past, he also played third base in the Rangers' system, but it doesn't appear like Washington believes he's a fit at the hot corner.
It's largely assumed that Fitz-Gerald is going to be a second baseman because Eli Willits is a shortstop. The No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 draft has more elite defensive tools than Fitz-Gerald, which is why Fitz-Gerald is expected to slide over to the keystone on a full-time basis. But it's notable that he's still getting reps at short, which suggests Washington is continuing to keep their options when it comes to his long-term defensive position.
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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