Nationals Top 30 Prospect 'Poised' to Make MLB Debut Early in 2026
In this story:
With spring training action underway, what will be a roughly month-long evaluation period for this new Washington Nationals regime has begun.
A position that is perhaps the biggest mystery when it comes to how that group is going to be finalized is first base. Right now, Andres Chaparro seems to be the leader in the clubhouse when it comes to winning the starting role. But there are others who are in the mix, too.
From minor league signings Matt Mervis and Warming Bernabel to top 30 prospects like Yohandy Morales and Abimelec Ortiz to even current second baseman Luis Garcia Jr., there are options the Nationals can choose from. However, Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report believes it will be only a matter of time before Ortiz is handed the reins to that position.
Abimelec Ortiz Predicted to Make Major League Debut Early in 2026
"Ortiz broke through with a 33-homer, 101-RBI season in 2023, and he has produced every step of the way as a bat-first prospect. The Nationals acquired him as part of the blockbuster deal that sent MacKenzie Gore to the Texas Rangers, and after posting a .953 OPS with 18 extra-base hits in 165 plate appearances at Triple-A last year, he is poised to debut soon," Reuter wrote.
It will be interesting to see if that's the case. There's no doubt Ortiz was the lone MLB-ready prospect acquired in the aforementioned MacKenzie Gore trade. But to unseat Chaparro -- especially early on in the season -- he'll have to prove something during the spring.
Thus far, that has not been the case. While there's a lot of time to go, he's failed to record a hit across six plate appearances with three strike outs and one walk. Again, he'll get more opportunities throughout spring training. But for a bat-first player, he needs that part of his game to stand out.
Andres Chaparro Considered Worst MLB Starting First Baseman
However, the main reason why Reuter believes an MLB debut could be coming soon for Ortiz in 2026 is because he has Chaparro as the worst starting first baseman across the majors.
Chaparro has struggled against big league pitching, which resulted in a .182/.247/.258 slash line last year across 34 games where he hit just one home run with two doubles and five RBIs. For his career in The Show, his slash line is .203/.268/.358.
If that continues early on in 2026, then there's little reason why Ortiz shouldn't get a chance as the everyday starting first baseman. And depending on how the rest of the options look in camp, this position could see changes made to it throughout the upcoming season.
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