After tearing up opposing pitching in Triple-A this season, Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood has reportedly received the call to the majors and is set to make his much-anticipated MLB debut on Monday.
Wood was close to making the Nationals roster out of spring training after putting up a .364 batting average with four home runs and seven RBI in 44 at-bats, but was sent to the minors to get some more experience.
In 51 Triple-A games, the 21-year-old is slashing .346/.458/.578 with ten home runs, 34 RBI and ten stolen bases. Most importantly, he has shown tremendous improvement at the plate, cutting down on his strikeouts with only 41 this season after having 173 in 2023.
Acquired in the trade that sent outfielder Juan Soto to the San Diego Padres, Wood was a part of a franchise-altering haul including shortstop C.J. Abrams, pitcher MacKenzie Gore and outfield prospect Robert Hassell that could help the Nationals become contenders in the coming years.
A second-round draft pick in the 2021 MLB Draft by the Padres, Wood stands at 6-foot-7 and possesses plus speed. While not the prototypical centerfielder, he is more than capable of playing the position in the majors.
With speedy outfielder Jacob Young currently patrolling centerfield, Wood will likely slide over to a corner outfield spot, or he could also spend time as a designated hitter during his debut.
Thanks to his advanced feel in the batter’s box, Wood is the type of player who is very likely to see instant success and could become the new face of the Nationals franchise, one that has not seen very much success since its World Series title run in 2019.
Having suffered through four straight losing seasons, the Nationals currently sit four games below the .500 mark at 38-42. With their added firepower, they will look to end that streak this season.
If Wood is still available in your fantasy baseball league, he is a must-add talent who could pay huge dividends in the second half of the season.