The Nationals now have two of the Top 7 prospects in baseball according to MLB.com, top pick Dylan Crews slotting in at No. 4 while James Wood hangs on at No. 7 – and both guys, among others, have been on fire.
So much so that when GM Mike Rizzo joined the Junkies for his weekly appearance Wednesday, he couldn’t help but crow about not only the top two of the group, but the entirety of his minor-league bounty.
“Our whole system is playing well, and we’ve had a gradual improvement over the last two years,” Rizzo said. “We have a good young crew own there, as good as we’ve ever had, and we’re seeing the upper-echelon guys getting talked about – but to me, it’s those second-tier guys that are most exciting. We’re deeper than we’ve ever been at many positions, and when you talk about Crews and Wood and Hassell and House and that group, they’re not only young, they’re advanced for their level and playing well. I think you can see the results of that are coming fast, and when we talk about getting back to a championship-caliber club, you see the light at the end of the tunnel is coming.”
Rizzo harkened it back to 2010, the first rebuild where they first saw the light at the end, and while it took nearly a decade to win the World Series, they had the best record in baseball in 2012. And speaking of Brady House, the No. 3 prospect in the system and No. 43 overall who has moved from shortstop to third base this season, he could be the closest prospect to making an impact, and could be an option at the hot corner in DC sometime next year.
“House is a beast. We finally made the transition to third base, and he’s got great hands and feet and a cannon for an arm. He’s got bigtime power and uses the middle of the field, and he’ll be an impact player for us in the near future,” Rizzo said. “People who watch prospects for a living see him as one of the best in the game. He had a back problem last year that curtailed his performance, but that issue is gone, and we’ve been very careful this year to try to get him through the season. He’s been everything we hoped he would be and more, and he fits right in as a 20-year-old in Double-A.”
Could the same go for Wood, also in Double-A, and even top pick Crews, who is at Low-A right now?
“I don’t want to put a timetable on it, because everyone develops at their own pace. Juan Soto came up after seven games in Double-A and never looked back,” Rizzo said. “These guys are great players and I believe they’re close to the big leagues. Take that in the spirit it’s given; I don’t know how soon close is, but it’s going to be fun when all of these prospects graduate and can make an impact at the same time. You can see the formation of a team that will be very competitive at the championship level for a long time.”
Take a listen to Rizzo’s entire segment above, which also includes thoughts on the differences this year with a new balanced schedule, as well as how the Nats will handle their rotation going forward!
Mike Rizzo's appearance with the Sports Junkies is presented exclusively by our partners at MainStreet Bank — Cheer Local. Bank Local. Put Our Team in Your Office."
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