After a successful Night 1 that saw Dylan Crews and Yohandy Morales become the newest Washington Nationals, Mike Rizzo and company are sitting pretty with the first pick of Round 3 when Day 2 kicks off at 2 PM EST.
With plenty of talent still on the board, it’s hard to peg exactly where the Nationals go with the 71st overall selection. With Crews reportedly requiring an overslot deal, Washington could look to target a senior sign or other underslot candidate in Round 3, or they could get aggressive, front-load their class, and opt to save money in the later rounds.
The best path to take should be determined by what Rizzo expects the upcoming Trade Deadline to hold for the Nats:
If controllable names like Lane Thomas, Hunter Harvey and Kyle Finnegan are available (in more than just a “no one’s ever untouchable” sense), the team stands to acquire at least 7-8 prospects of some note in the coming weeks, and could afford to get aggressive with adding another premier name or two in the draft at the expense of a deep class.
If the team is projecting a leaner deadline that only sees a few rental pieces (Jeimer Candelario, Carl Edwards Jr., Corey Dickerson, etc.) on the move, the depth play is perhaps more necessary to continue rounding out the farm system.
With that in mind, let’s take a look some of the most appealing names available entering Day 2:
Maui Ahuna - SS, Tennessee
The Nationals prioritized college bats on Day 1, adding some much-needed collegiate track record to the existing position player group. Ahuna’s 2023 offensive production didn’t stand out, but he has plus speed with enough pop to be a 15+ homer bat in the big leagues as either a high-end rotational player or low-end regular.
While the Nationals obviously have both CJ Abrams and Luis Garcia already in the big leagues, there’s currently not much in the way of notable middle infield depth in the system beyond the pair of Darren Baker and Jake Alu (both at AAA). It’s not good practice to draft for “need” in the sense of solving big-league roster holes, but the Nats could stand to build out their middle infield prospect group with someone like Ahuna.
Jack Hurley - OF, Virginia Tech
In the same way that it’s not good to draft for big-league need, it’s also not good practice to avoid quality prospects simply because you already have depth in a given area. That means the Nationals should by all means take more outfielders on Day 2 if they can inject additional talent into the farm system.
Many thought that Virginia Tech’s Jack Hurley was a candidate to be the Nats’ 40th overall selection in Round 2, which makes him one of the most logical fits at Pick 71. Hurley is solid or better with all five tools, and also boasts one of the more fiery and competitive personalities in this year’s draft class.
Even prior to a potential selection of another outfielder, the Nationals already boast significant depth at the position, and another quality addition would likely put Washington in a position to dip into their depth in a trade this offseason.
Cameron Johnson - LHP, IMG Academy (HS)
Johnson is a local product that previously pitched for Bishop McNamara in Forestville, MD before heading to IMG Academy for his senior year. At 6”5, 240, Johnson has a very projectable frame with two plus-pitches: his fastball and his slider. He also mixes in a changeup which has the potential to be at least an average third offering.
Johnson came into the draft as MLB Pipeline’s 42nd-ranked prospect, and his presence still on the board would suggest he’s commanding a high number to sign him away from his commitment to LSU. Having missed some time at the end of the 2023 season due to elbow tendinitis, it seems likely that teams have balked at that number given the uncertainty of his health.
In the 3rd round, however, any injury risk is more than the worth the gamble if the Nationals want to be aggressive. At just 18 years old, Johnson’s young enough that he would have more than enough runway to develop even if he ultimately needs to miss time due to the injury.
Quinn Mathews - LHP, Stanford
Mathews famously threw 156 pitches for Stanford in their Super Regional victory over Texas back in June. At the time, he said he was motivated by being a 19th-round pick in 2022.
A 6”5 lefty with a deceptive delivery, a four-pitch mix, and an absolute bulldog mentality is the exact kind of player any team would love to add to their organization. Mathews was 86th on MLB Pipeline’s draft rankings, and is also a senior sign, meaning he profiles as a underslot target that wouldn’t require the Nats to sacrifice quality with their selection.
Andrew Lindsey - RHP, Tennessee
Tennessee’s Andrew Lindsey is an older prospect who, despite getting the chance to start at Tennessee, seems like he’ll be bullpen-bound as a pro (whether that be right away or after being tried as a starter). Lindsay’s fastball ticks up to 98 MPH, and he also features a slider, curveball and changeup.
As a senior with perception of bullpen risk, Lindsey is a likely target for one of the Nats’ early Day 2 picks if they opt to hunt for underslot candidates.