Nationals Stat Outfielder's Power Potential Held Back by One Thing
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Washington Nationals young star outfielder James Wood possesses prodigious power potential.
Standing 6-foot-7 and weighing 234 pounds, he can generate power very few players in the MLB are capable of. He hasn’t quite unlocked it fully, but there have been signs since he made his Major League debut last year.
During his rookie campaign in 2024, Wood had an average exit velocity of 92.8 mph and a hard-hit rate of 52.3%. Both were well above the league average of 88.3 mph and 39.1%, respectively.
Early in 2025, Wood is already showcasing an improvement in maximum exit velocity, which will change a player’s projections for the better.
He has shown an improvement in the statistic, per Eno Sarris of The Athletic (subscription required), going from 112 in 2024 to 115 in the first week of the 2025 campaign.
“Wood just matched what he did in the minors, so this isn’t really a surprise — it just illustrates how his smaller sample last year masked that he has immense power potential behind what he showed,” Sarris wrote.
In 79 games and 336 plate appearances last year, Wood had nine home runs, 13 doubles and four triples. He possesses a rare combination of power, speed and athleticism, especially for a player of his size.
His 2.7% home run rate was below the league average, as he hasn’t quite found that home run stroke yet as a pro.
The increase in maximum exit velocity will certainly help, but he isn’t going to realize his immense power-hitting potential until he starts putting the ball in the air more.
Right now, the biggest obstacle he has to overcome is his hitting too many ground balls.
Wood had a ground ball rate of 55.1% as a rookie. This year, he has been even worse at getting lift on the ball with a 75.0% rate.
He is hitting the ball with authority, improving his hard hit rate to 56.3%, according to Baseball Reference. But it is going for naught as his fly ball rate is a minuscule 12.5% out of the gate; the league average is 17.8%.
Wood being able to tap into that power potential is key for the Nationals being able to take steps forward this year. They are lacking pop in general and he is one of the players who look capable of being a 30+ home run threat.
Alas, until a change is made with his swing path and he gets more launch angle and isn’t hitting the ball into the ground, his power numbers will remain subdued.
