We talk a lot about what a young team the Washington Nationals are, but at times, it seems that we lose sight of how young some of their individual players are. With that in mind, let's take some time to acknowledge some of the team's core players who may be younger than you realize.
Luis Garcia Jr.
The starting second baseman is one of only two players on the roster to have debuted with the Nationals as long ago as 2020. yet, Garcia will not turn 25 years old until later this month.
Sometimes I wonder which of those facts is more surprising. His youth may be part of why Davey Martinez doesn't trust Garcia against left-handed pitchers. But on the other hand, Garcia has now spent parts of six seasons in the majors.
All in all, I would still venture to say that Garcia is overlooked when discussing Washington's young core. Without listing each individual name (because some of them will be mentioned later), it's pretty clear that Garcia isn't mentioned on the Mount Rushmore of young assets on the major league roster, right? Coming off a year in which he batted .282 and narrowly missed a 20-20 season (home runs and stolen bases), perhaps he should be viewed as a core building block.
CJ Abrams
It's a similar story for the shortstop. Like his infield neighbor, Abrams still isn't 25 years old - he'll be 24 until October. Abrams debuted in the big leagues in 2022, first with the Padres and later with the Nationals, and he's been an everyday lineup fixture for Washington ever since.
Since the start of 2023, Abrams has hit 42 home runs and stolen a ridiculous 85 bases. That's frankly not normal for a player in their early 20s, and it shouldn't be taken for granted. For the second straight season, he is also making a push towards an All-Star nomination. If he can improve in areas of overall consistency at the plate and in the field, the sky is the limit.
Garcia and Abrams have been entrenched as the middle infield duo since late in 2022, and both have multiple seasons of remaining club control. Yet neither of them are even 25 years old yet.
Keibert Ruiz
The starting catcher is a little bit older than the prior duo, but the conversation is similar. It seems like many fans feel some sort of fatigue towards Ruiz. It's not without some merit, as since being acquired from the Dodgers in 2021, he has produced mixed results from the batter's box and has typically struggled behind the plate.
That ignores what may be the most essential point, though: Ruiz is still only 26 years old. In other words, he's just now entering what should be his prime, which is fitting, considering that he is in the midst of what is on track to be his best big league season.
Sure, Ruiz has been a major leaguer for a while now. He debuted in 2020 and has been a full-timer since 2022. Still, he would be far from the first player to not break out until age 26 or later.
James Wood
Okay, we know this guy is young. Still, I think we need to take a step back and acknowledge what James Wood is doing. At just 22 years old and in his first full big league season, he is off to a borderline MVP type of start to 2025.
Through 37 games this season, the 6-foot-7 lefty has a .928 OPS. He also leads the team in categories such as hits, home runs, doubles, runs scored and walks. If he hadn't debuted so soon in 2024, he'd be the runaway favorite to win NL Rookie of the Year at this point.
First, we had Bryce Harper as a young superstar slugger in the outfield and batting from the left side. When his time was up, Juan Soto took his place. Now, that guy appears to be James Wood. That might make what Wood is doing seem normal, but don't fall for it; 22-year-olds aren't supposed to have this much success.
Are there any other players that you think should've been mentioned for being younger than people think? Let me know at @stephen_newman1 on X.