Washington Nationals Young Catcher Could Be 'Steal' of 2024 Draft
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The Washington Nationals drafted a catcher in the competitive balance portion of the first round of the 2024 MLB draft, and some believe that may have been a bargain for the player.
Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report recently predicted one prospect from each farm system to become a breakout star next season, and it was catcher Caleb Lomavita for the Nationals.
"He has a well-rounded game with above-average tools across the board and a chance to be one of the steals of the 2024 draft class," said Reuter.
Lomavita has sky-high potential all around and could become a true star at the next level.
He closed out his college career with the California Golden Bears hitting for a .322/.295/.586 slash line with 15 home runs and 12 stolen bases. It is not hard to see why there is a lot of excitement around his game.
The Hawaii native stumbled out of the gate in Single-A with a .213/.310/.246 slash line. It was just a 17-game sample size, though, and he did swipe three bases, so there is little to worry about.
If he can come back strong next year, all will be forgotten and he will continue to rise up the ranks of the Washington farm system, where he is currently the No. 16 overall prospect.
Lomavita coming into his own could be a saving grace for the Nationals since Keibert Ruiz has not exactly developed as the team had hoped when they have him an eight-year extension.
Ruiz had a career-worst performance at the plate in 2024 with a .229/.260/.359 slash line and just 13 home runs.
The 26-year-old catcher still doesn't strikeout very much, but also rarely draws walks. He makes a lot of contact, but is isn't very good contact.
It has never been something he excels at, but balls were just not falling for him as much as they have in the past.
Perhaps it was just a cold streak and he can get back to a promising level, but being a low OBP and low power hitter is not going to cut it for very long.
Ruiz was one of the cornerstones of the Trea Turner and Max Scherzer trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers, so him failing to progress at the plate hurts even more.
He also is not much of a defensive catcher, so his offense has to be his calling card.
Lomavita, on the other hand, has plenty of upside.
He is a bit raw in his own right, but is athletic and has a strong arm.
He'll be someone to watch the next couple of seasons in the minors to see how he progress, because he could be the next star prospect who is a featured part of this Nationals roster.
