Washington Nationals Have a Future Rotation Ace Tearing Up Minor Leagues

One area that the Washington Nationals could look to upgrade this offseason is their pitching staff.

Veteran closer Kyle Finnegan is the only player projected to make more than $5 million, so there will be money to spend. Patrick Corbin and Trevor Williams are both hitting free agency, creating some openings in the starting rotation.

Finding an established pitcher, should their two veterans not return, would be smart. Someone who can continue teaching the young guys the ropes and to lean on during the season.

The Nationals look like they have a potential ace in MacKenzie Gore, who sandwiched an incredible start and even better finish with a brutal summer. If he can find more consistency, he has all of the tools to be a staff anchor.

DJ Herz and Mitchell Parker both provided solid contributions as rookies. Jake Irving is a middle-of-the-rotation workhorse who Dave Martinez could rely on every time it was his turn to pitch.

All between the ages of 23 and 27, the future is very bright for Washington on the mound. Don’t forget about Josiah Gray and Jackson Rutledge as well.

But, there is even more help on the way down the road. Top pitching prospect Travis Sykora has the look of an ace and dominated the Minor Leagues in 2024.

A third-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft out of Round Rock High School, he wasted no time announcing his presence within the organization. He performed so well, that Jonathan Mayo, Jim Callis and Sam Dykstra of MLB.com selected him as the Nationals’ Pipeline Prospect Pitcher of the Year.

“Washington had high hopes for its 2023 third-rounder, but the 6-foot-6 right-hander might have exceeded them by striking out 39.2 percent of his batters faced in 85 innings for Single-A Fredericksburg, giving him the highest K rate among Minor Leaguers with at least 80 frames. He also finished with a 2.33 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and .168 average-against -- numbers that would sparkle over any sample size,” they wrote.

Sykora is already the No. 2 ranked prospect in the organization, behind only outfielder Dylan Crews, who was selected No. 2 overall in the 2023 MLB Draft. The talented righty is already garnering attention in the industry, as he is the No. 79 overall ranked prospect.

He passed on a commitment to Texas, as Washington wanted to get him into the system as soon as possible. It could pay off, as he has a 2027 ETA to the Major Leagues, but that could be accelerated if he continues the form he showed this past season.