The Nationals have lost 13 of their last 15 and are all but out of the playoff picture. Washington is spiraling, and it’s clear the team needs an injection of energy to shake things up. A few familiar names down in Triple-A might be exactly what the Nats need to stop the bleeding.
Robert Hassell III
Robert Hassell III, ranked as the Nationals’ No. 11 prospect by MLB Pipeline, made his big league debut on May 22. The 23-year-old outfielder was one of the biggest pieces acquired in the Juan Soto blockbuster trade, as a former top-100 MLB prospect and first-round pick. His first stint in D.C. was rocky (.218/.228/.269, 1 walk in 79 plate appearances), and he was sent back down to Triple-A on June 15, but he’s now making noise again in Rochester.
Since being optioned back to Rochester, Hassell has looked like a different hitter. In just four games, he’s hitting .500 with a 1.535 OPS, including a 4-for-5, two-homer outburst on June 20. His discipline has improved as well. He’s walked four times and struck out just once in those four games, which is a drastic contrast from his stint in the majors, where he walked once and struck out 21 times.
With Robert Hassell III heating up in Triple-A, someone may soon have to make room for him. Jacob Young has provided the Nationals with plus defense in the outfield and good speed, but he’s failed to use that speed to his advantage due to poor baserunning. Offensively, he’s been a liability, hitting just .243/.313/.294 with a 75 wRC+, well below league average.
With Dylan Crews working his way back from injury and Daylen Lile playing well since his call-up, Young may be the one sent down to make room for Hassell. A second chance in the majors could be coming for Hassell shortly, especially if he keeps raking in Triple-A.
Drew Millas
Washington’s catching situation has become a full-blown disaster. Keibert Ruiz and Riley Adams have combined for a -1.4 WAR this season, the worst catcher production in all of baseball. They’re also the only catching tandem in MLB with a combined WAR below zero. Individually, they sit second-to-last and third-to-last in catcher WAR league-wide. Adams currently has just six hits on the season and is batting .103 with a 41.7 K% and a 1.7 BB%. He was also in a 0-for-32 slump before homering against the Dodgers on June 20.
Enter Drew Millas. A switch-hitting catcher known for his athleticism and defense, Millas has held his own in small stints of MLB action during 2023 and 2024 (.259/.330/.365 across 85 ABs). Despite the Nationals’ struggles behind the plate this year, Millas has yet to appear in the big leagues. In Triple-A this year, he’s hit .271 over the last month with a .742 OPS and is heating up again with a .333 average over his last four games and a .906 OPS. Beyond the numbers, Millas likely offers improvements in defense, contact, and athleticism over Adams.
FanGraphs noted that "even after his lousy start, the projection systems see [Millas] as better than both Ruiz and Adams right now." That alone should put him on the radar. Millas would likely replace Riley Adams, and with Adams out of options, the Nats would need to DFA him to make room. If Washington is serious about improving its catching situation, Millas deserves a shot to provide a spark at a position on pace to post the worst catcher WAR in two decades.
Cade Cavalli
Cade Cavalli hasn’t pitched in the majors since his debut in August 2022, when he allowed seven runs and struck out six over 4.1 innings. Since then, he’s undergone Tommy John surgery and spent over a year rehabbing, a stretch during which many fans began to give up on his potential due to his injury history. Now, finally healthy, Cavalli is rounding back into form and starting to look like the first-round talent the Nationals once envisioned.
Currently ranked as the Nationals’ No. 7 prospect by MLB Pipeline, Cavalli was once viewed as the organization’s top pitching prospect and is now making a statement at Triple-A Rochester. Over his last five starts, he owns a 2.59 ERA. In a late May outing, he went 5.0 innings with three hits, no runs, one walk, and 10 strikeouts. Most recently, on June 20, he tossed 6.0 innings of two-run ball with five strikeouts, reaching 85 pitches. He’s sitting in the mid-to-upper 90s with his fastball, his breaking stuff looks sharp, and both his stamina and command are rounding back into form.
Cavalli should get called up shortly before or after the All-Star Break, as he’s nearing a full return from injury. The most obvious move would be to replace Trevor Williams, who has a 5.54 ERA and sits in the first percentile in fastball velocity (87.5 mph), per Baseball Savant. Opponents are teeing off on his four-seamer, and both his strikeout and whiff rates rank near the bottom of the league.
Moving Williams to a long relief role, where he has had success in the past, or off the roster entirely seems like the most logical way to make room for Cavalli. If the Nationals want to inject youth and upside into the rotation, he’s the clear next man up, and Nats fans should be ecstatic to see what their former top pitching prospect can bring to the big leagues.