The Washington Nationals enter the season with a laundry list of questions. To whom will the Lerner family sell the team? Will manager Dave Martinez and general manager Mike Rizzo, the architects of the Nationals’ first World Series title in 2019, be offered contract extensions before their deals expire at the end of the season?
For fans, the most pressing question is likely: How much longer will this excruciating rebuild last?
While the Nats are still years from competing again for the NL East crown, this season could be a showcase for a bevy of talented prospects the team has acquired from its fire sales.
Here are three Nationals X-factors to keep an eye on during the 2023 season:
1. Shortstop CJ Abrams
Abrams, the most coveted piece in the blockbuster Juan Soto trade, will have no shortage of expectations in his first full season in the majors. The sixth overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, Abrams surged through the minor leagues, playing in the 2021 All-Star Futures Game before making San Diego’s Opening Day roster last year.
Between the Padres and Nationals, Abrams played in 90 games last season, producing a .246/.280/.327 slash line. While these numbers don’t jump off the page, he flashed enough potential to be penciled in as the team’s Opening Day shortstop — a decision that required moving Luis Garcia, a former top prospect of the Nationals, to second base.
Abrams has the rare combination of size, speed and arm strength that has left scouts gushing and Nats fans daydreaming. With the Nationals focused on player development, he’ll have no shortage of opportunities to showcase his skills.
2. 1B/OF/DH Joey Meneses
After spending close to a decade bouncing around the minor leagues, Meneses finally got his shot in the big leagues in 2022. He made the most of it. Last season, the 30-year-old rookie hit .324 with 13 home runs and 34 RBI in 56 games for the Nationals and was named to the MLB Pipeline All-Rookie Team.
Meneses also became an instant hero in his native Mexico after launching two home runs against Team USA in the World Baseball Classic en route to a shocking 11-5 victory.
His unexpected ascendance was one of the few bright spots for a Nationals team that lost 107 games last season. This year, Meneses will be a fixture in the middle of the order and could serve as a trade chip come July.
3. Starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore
Another highly touted prospect acquired in the Soto trade, Gore — the third overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft — will try to cement his role as a big-league starting pitcher.
After a strong start to his rookie year in 2022 with San Diego (1.72 ERA, 47 strikeouts), the left-hander’s season went sideways due to lingering elbow inflammation.
Gore was shut down for good in July and has yet to make his Nationals debut.
