Two Nationals Minor League Pitchers Are Top 10 in Notable Metric
In this story:
As the Washington Nationals begin their weekend road series against the Milwaukee Brewers, all eyes will be on the pitching staff.
Following a rough week from both the starting rotation and bullpen, there are major concerns about how those units will perform across the entire season. Already sitting with the highest ERA in the majors (6.06), some changes could be ushered in at some point to rectify the situation.
Luckily, Washington has some internal options to choose from. With Mitchell Parker and Andrew Alvarez in Triple-A, the organization can turn to pitchers who have MLB experience if needed. However, there are two other names fans should keep an eye on for callups later this year, as both Luis Perales and Riley Cornelio are top 10 in tjStuff+ for Triple-A pitchers who have thrown at least 50 pitches, with Perales leading the way.
AAA Starters Top tjStuff+ pic.twitter.com/g9sWNYW8vq
— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) April 10, 2026
Perales, who has made two starts for Rochester, has a tjStuff+ number of 110. His high octane fastball is his best pitch when it comes to "stuff," as his figure sits at 115. His changeup comes in at 108, while his slider is graded at 107 and his cutter at 105.
As for Cornelio, his emergence continues to be more and more impressive. He was a positive surprise during spring training with one earned run allowed across five innings pitched in his two outings, and he's carried that over into the regular season.
The right-hander has a tjStuff+ figure of 107. His sinker leads the way at 109, which is his primary pitch. He counters that with a slider that has a tjStuff+ number of 102, while he rarely throws his changeup despite that pitch getting graded at a figure of 107.
Riley Cornelio Could Get Promoted Before Luis Perales
Despite Perales being highlighted as someone who could be a potential impact callup for the Nationals this season, it could be Cornelio who is the first one promoted to the bigs. Much of that has to do with the fact that Washington is taking things slowly with Perales because he's still working his way back from Tommy John surgery. But Cornelio has also been impressive enough so far where he is putting himself in position to earn a shot in The Show.
Following his strong performance during spring training, the 25-year-old has posted a 2.89 ERA across his two starts with Rochester. He's also struck out 13 batters across 9 1/3 innings pitched, while walking five. Command has been an issue for the Nationals staff at the major league level, so getting his walks under control will be an important next step for Cornelio. But if he is able to do that during his next few starts, he'll be on the short list when it comes to a promotion.
The other thing to keep an eye on with Cornelio is what role Washington envisions for him. While they have used him as a starter coming up the minor league ranks, his lack of arsenal could cause them to deploy him as a reliever in the MLB. As seen above, his stuff is good enough for that type of role, so converting him into a relief arm might be something that happens.
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