Washington Nationals 2026 Spring Training Storylines

The Nationals are in quite an intriguing spot when it comes to the entire pitching staff. The team has a multitude of young arms, plus some newly acquired veterans that could fill spots in the rotation.

This spring training is going to be huge for these young pitchers to see who belongs, as any of them could have a stellar spring showing and swipe a spot from an underperforming arm.

Potential New Ace?

After trading away team ace Mackenzie Gore to the Rangers, the rotation is looking for someone to take over the number one spot.

One name that immediately stands out as the possible future ace would be former top prospect Cade Cavalli. The big right-hander has battled through many injuries and setbacks, but Cavalli is looking to take over as the new No. 1 heading into 2026.

Following his selection in the first round of the 2020 MLB draft, Cavalli quickly rose through the minor-league ranks in 2021. He ended his first pro season in Triple-A, leading the entire minor leagues in strikeouts with 175.

Cavalli made his major-league debut in August of the following season in 2022, but he suffered shoulder inflammation that ended his season early.

The injury was a sign of more bad things to come, as Cavalli needed Tommy John surgery in the spring of 2023, sidelining him for nearly two full seasons. Cavalli returned in the second half of the 2024 season, but multiple injuries limited him to just three appearances.

Cavalli returned to the mound in 2025, beginning the season in Triple-A before eventually being called up to finish the year with the Nationals. The righty posted a 4.25 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP in 48.2 innings last year with Washington.

For Cavalli, it’s always been about the potential of his arsenal and having it all come together. The righty features a fastball in the mid-upper 90s and a sharp curveball that is his best breaking pitch.

Observing Cavalli closely throughout the spring and regular season is crucial, as he has the potential to establish himself as a reliable major-league starter.

Rest of Rotation

As the season starts and progresses, there are several names and configurations we could see for the Nationals’ rotation, especially with the addition of pitchers on rehab.

DJ Herz and Trevor Williams are each rehabbing from severe elbow injuries and are projected to start the year on the injured list.

Josiah Gray, a former top prospect who spent nearly two years recovering from Tommy John, has also returned to the mound and is competing for a spot in the rotation, potentially right from the start. Gray was a big return piece in the Max Scherzer/Trea Turner trade with the Dodgers in 2021.

Some healthier names are guys like Jake Irvin, Brad Lord, and Mitchell Parker, who have all seen time in the rotation over the last few seasons and are sure to be options again.

Lord was a surprising camp breakout last year, making 48 appearances and 19 starts for the club last season. The 26-year-old logged a 4.29 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP in his first MLB campaign.

Over the offseason, the Nationals also signed a couple of veteran names to add to the mix: Miles Mikolas and Foster Griffin.

Mikolas is entering his 11th major-league season and brings an immense amount of experience to the young group. The 37-year-old will likely begin the season in the rotation, but with several young arms pushing for a chance, Mikolas could be the first rotation arm to go if he underperforms expectations.

Griffin is a cool story for the Nationals in spring camp. The left-hander made his major-league debut in 2022 with the Royals but has spent the last three seasons in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league.

The southpaw is sure to be in the conversation for the rotation, given a solid spring showing in his return to American baseball.

Even after all these names, we still haven’t mentioned young starters like Andrew Alvarez and Riley Cornelio. Alvarez spent September with the Nationals after getting his first call-up, posting a 2.31 ERA in his five starts.

Young right-hander Cornelio has been making a name for himself over the last year. The 25-year-old crossed three minor-league levels in 2025, posting a 3.28 ERA and a 1.146 WHIP while punching out 135 batters in 134.1 innings.

The season stats earned him the title of Nationals’ 2025 Minor League Pitcher of the Year.

The right-hander has already impressed in the early showings of camp and could potentially force his way into a rotation spot later in the season or possibly even out of camp.

There is no shortage of names that could find themselves making starts for the Washington Nationals in 2026, and it’s definitely one of the biggest storylines to watch in spring training for the team. 

Clutter of Position Players

While being a young team can be a good thing in different ways, it also presents a difficult challenge for a young manager like Blake Butera. There are plenty of guys in camp who could make it hard on the staff when it comes to leaving them off a rebuilding major-league roster.

The organization’s unique situation has led to some overall position group clutter that will need to be sorted out in the coming weeks.

While most of the team spots are up for competition, we are going to look at two position groups in particular that are going to be big watches for National supporters.

Outfield

One of the team’s most exciting areas of young talent is in the outfield. The Nationals currently have two potential young stars in James Wood and Dylan Crews, along with several other outfielders fighting for playing time.

For both Wood and Crews, watching their overall development is more key, as they will each be major pieces for the Nationals’ rebuild going forward until further notice.

Daylen Lile, Jacob Young, and Robert Hassell III all saw significant action last season for the team, while newcomer Joey Wiemer also joins the mix this year.

Lile broke onto the scene last season, getting called up towards the end of May and never looking back. The 22-year-old posted a .845 OPS and a 132 wRC+ while roping 11 triples in just 91 games.

Lile has shown the potential to make it a trio of Nationals outfield stars, and his 2026 season will be one to watch. Seeing if he can take that next step while getting a full season’s worth of action will be a thrilling watch this year.

For Young, he has been one of the better defensive center fielders in the game over the last couple of seasons, but his bat has definitely lagged, leaving something to be desired overall.

Lastly, Hassell III spent most of the second half with the Nationals, getting his first taste of big-league action. The lefty struggled at the dish in 70 games last year, posting a below .600 OPS in the short stint. The 24-year-old was a major prospect involved in the Juan Soto deal with the Padres in 2022.

The Nationals also have Christian Franklin on the 40-man roster, whom they acquired in the Mike Soroka deal last deadline. Franklin carried an .817 OPS while stealing 19 bags, playing solid defense, and having stellar plate vision in the minors last season.

The primary focus for the Nationals’ outfield in 2026 is to identify which young players can advance and establish themselves as major-league mainstays.

Catchers

The catcher position has been a topic of much discussion among the Nationals faithful, and the conversation only grows louder after an offseason acquisition at the spot.

Keibert Ruiz has been the team’s main starting catcher since 2022, but the backstop has struggled both offensively and defensively through the years. Ruiz was the other major part of the previously mentioned blockbuster deal with the Dodgers in 2021. Last season, Ruiz only appeared in 68 games due to multiple concussions that kept him off the field.

A big aspect of Ruiz still being the starting catcher even after struggles is the fact that the old regime signed Ruiz to an eight-year extension worth around $50 million back in 2023.

Ruiz will need to show significant improvements on both sides of the ball to be a key piece of the future.

The Nationals also acquired highly rated catching prospect Harry Ford from the Mariners for reliever Jose A. Ferrer this past winter. The young backstop has the potential to challenge Ruiz for the team’s catcher of the future.

The 22-year-old posted impressive numbers in Triple-A Tacoma last year, logging an .868 OPS while smacking 16 home runs and walking nearly as many times as he struck out. Ford is leaving camp to compete for Team Great Britain in the WBC, making the position battle even more interesting.

While Ford could easily see himself beginning the year in Triple-A Rochester, the backstop should see time in the majors with his new organization at some point this season.

Non-Roster Invitees to Watch

With a team as young and unestablished as the Nationals, non-roster invitees have a slightly higher chance to make an impact in the upcoming season. Here are a few names to monitor closely as the spring season progresses.

While it would have been exciting to see the teams’ top farmhands shine in spring, Nationals’ top pitching prospects Travis Sykora (JB No. 67) and Jarlin Susana (JB No. 54) will each be rehabbing from injuries to start the year and will not make any official appearances in games.

Both pitchers have already been reassigned to minor-league camp following the first couple of weeks in big-league camp.

Headlining the players invited to camp and still at camp is the 2024 first-round pick selection, Seaver King. The 22-year-old ended his first professional year in Double-A and is getting his first opportunity to show off in spring camp.

Last year, King swiped 30 bags but ended with a .631 OPS in his first pro season, showing some potential but also room for improvement in the bat.

For King, spring camp will be about showing some offensive improvement and learning as much as he can in the limited time. The young infielder will likely spend the entire season in the minors developing and aiming for a possible camp breakout in 2027.

Another name to watch is infielder Yohandy Morales. The 24-year-old was mostly a third baseman in college and his first pro year, but he has since shifted to playing more first base in the minors. The position change or addition could also end up giving him a better shot at making the major-league club in the future, with less depth at the position.

The righty had an impressive 2025 campaign across Double-A and Triple-A, launching 15 home runs and ripping 31 doubles while posting a .769 OPS in 128 games. Given the aforementioned lack of depth at first base for the Nationals, Morales could see himself getting the call-up this season.