This One Thing Could Turn Washington Nationals Outfielder Into an All-Star
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The Washington Nationals are full of young players.
The prolonged rebuild the organization undertook after winning the World Series in 2019 has resulted in this current state of the roster, brimming with talent that has potential to be key contributors and All-Stars.
James Wood and Dylan Crews are the names circled in the outfield, and CJ Abrams and Luis Garcia Jr. are the ones highlighted in the dirt.
If those four are able to reach their ceilings, then the Nationals will have a core group who can compete in a loaded division for years to come.
But, they're also going to need others to step up and become major factors in their own right.
Center fielder Jacob Young is one of the most intriguing young players on this team, mainly because he has shown his elite potential as a defender, but there are questions if he'll be able to swing the bat at a high enough level to keep himself in an everyday role.
He was a Gold Glove finalist this past season as a rookie, but his .256/.316/.331 slash line and 86 OPS+ across 150 games and 521 plate appearances left much to be desired.
However, Andrew Lang of Talk Nats simplified things for Young which could turn him into an All-Star; get just one more hit per week.
"He will have to show he can hit at better than .256 with more walks at the MLB level — but it's really just one more hit a week that separates Young from being an All-Star. His goal should be to increase his 6.17 hits per 28 at-bats by one more hit. That is all Young needs — basically one more hit a week to be an All-Star," he wrote.
That's an interesting way to look at things.
One more hit each week for an everyday player is certainly doable, and while that's easier said than done, this could be on the horizon for Young as he continues to progress at the plate.
Since he's still a relatively inexperienced hitter at the MLB level with just 642 plate appearances for his career, there's no reason to completely dismiss the idea he could accomplish this.
If it does occur, Young's batting average would have been .292 last year.
Again, that is easier said than done since only 14 qualified players hit for that number or higher, but since he's never going to be a power-hitting outfielder, his focus should be on getting on base by any means necessary.
It goes without saying that would completely change the outlook of Washington's lineup.
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