A New Era to See Through:

The Next wave for the Washington Nationals.

Starting Pitching

By: Michael A. Chase Jr.

8/3/2021

         After a hectic 2021 MLB Trade Deadline, Nats fans have seen many fan favorites and 2019 World Series Champion contributors be shipped to other playoff caliber teams across the league. As for the first time in 9 years the Nats will be embarking in a retooling/rebuilding of the roster and farm system. This is due to the fact since the 2019 Championship run, they have played sub .500 baseball and will miss the postseason for a second straight season. Which is why General Manager Mike Rizzo determined now was the best time to lay the groundwork for a new championship level core to arise. This piece will be the first of four articles that will look to briefly highlight the young players/prospects at each position group that Nationals hope will form their next winning core. Detailing their profiles and skills they bring to the franchise. The first position to analyze is starting pitching as it has been a pillar to the Nats success the last near decade.

Starting Pitching:

-        The position the Nats have prided themselves on is strong starting pitching since Mike Rizzo took over as GM. Building the team with their rotation as the backbone for success. An approach that paid off with a 2019 World Series. Now with ace Max Scherzer having been traded to the LA Dodgers, Stephen Strasburg again fighting major injury, and the poor 2 seasons stretch for Patrick Corbin. How, or better yet who will begin to fill out the next quintet of starting pitching that will look to try to replicate the success the prior group had the last 9 years? Well it comes down to an intriguing group of 4 arms the Nats hope will form another stout rotation to lean on for a decade plus. The 4 starters I am referring to include Right hander Josiah Gray who the Nats acquired in a trade with the Dodgers that sent Scherzer and Star Shortstop Trea Turner to LA. Along with recently drafted Right Handers Jackson Rutledge (1st rounder 2019), Cade Cavalli (1st rounder 2020), and Cole Henry (2nd rounder 2020).

Josiah Gray:

-        In the 23-year-old Gray the Nats acquired as scouts say a highly competitive young arm with great athleticism. This due to him primarily playing shortstop his first two years of Division II baseball. Despite not becoming a full-time pitcher until 2017 Gray has acclimated himself to the position well. As he features a fastball, slider, curveball, and changeup mix. His fastball, slider combination being his main ingredients for success. He made his Nationals debut last night where he went 5 innings, allowing just 1 run, throwing 66% of his pitches for strikes against the Phillies. Displaying noticeably great poise and calm on the mound. One can only imagine as he learns and matures what he can become.

Jackson Rutledge:

-        In Rutledge, a 2019 1st round pick, the Nats added an electric arm to their farm system. A young starter who Nats fans excitedly await the arrival of at the big-league level. Rutledge stands at an intimidating 6’8” 245 lbs. featuring a plus fastball as his lead pitch. It plays up in the mid to high 90s to go with his effective slider to generate strikeouts. He also is developing a curveball and changeup, with the changeup the more advanced pitch of the two currently. This arsenal along with continually improving command, provides this talented righty all the tools to be a top of the rotation starter. He still may be about a year away from his big-league arrival, but fans should be excited about his development.

Cade Cavalli:

-        The 22-year-old Cavalli is currently making waves in the Nationals system. With this young righty having had a start of 12 strikeouts and 2 hits over 6 2/3 innings. As well as a 15-strikeout performance over 7 no hit innings recently. Showing Cavalli is advertised when he was drafted in the first round in 2020. Cavalli has shown a fastball that can reach 99 mph, with a nasty curveball. These two pitches to go with his slider/cutter type pitch and a changeup have allowed him to display elite strikeout ability. Cavalli has the moxie and arsenal to be a future ace for the Nats down the road. For now, fans will have to wait another year like with Rutledge for Cavalli to arrive. But the early returns show he is worth the wait.

Cole Henry:

-         The final piece of this future quartet is 22-year-old Cole Henry. As the 2020 second round pick features a mid-90s fastball, throwing both a 4 and 2 seam heater with late movement on each. These go along with a good sharp breaking curveball and solid changeup which give him a solid 4 pitch mix. He does have an injury history dating back as recently as 2018-2019. Though he is building up innings and moving past these prior issues. Henry seems to project as an above average middle rotation starter. Which if he is behind the likes of Rutledge, Cavalli, and Gray down the road that is a strong rotation.

Overall, in these four young arms the Nationals have tremendous building blocks to quickly retool their rotation. As these young right handers all have skills to be great MLB starters. All these young men should be in the rotation together at some point within the next year or two. Meaning the Nats have a strong base in place to continue their trend of building their team on the backs of a great starting rotation.