Spring Training is very early on in its month-long season. However, impacts are already being seen across the league, and especially with the Washington Nationals. As of Feb 27, you will be hard-pressed to find any National player playing baseball better than Brady House. The former first-round pick continues to show progress, and just maybe this new management will have House find his form as an elite 3rd baseman.
Preseason Statistics
House has played in three Spring Training games, as of Feb 27. In that sample size, he is batting .375, with 5 RBI and 2 home runs. In House's most recent game, he led all 35 participating batters with an Exit Velocity of 110.7 mph.
Expectations Rise For Brady House in 2026
House made his long-awaited MLB debut in 2025. Across 73 games played, he batted .234 with an OPS of .574. He impressed no one, and the former 11th-overall pick had begun to spark speculation about whether he was a bust.
The Nationals have had House in their system since 2021 at the age of 18. Now at 23, he enters his first full season as a National and plans to start at 3rd base. Per Fangraphs, House is expected to bat 7th in the lineup. If this team finds success in 2026, it must rely on multiple players, including that of House and his upside.
The Nationals drafted House as a slugger, and he has retained that profile. The 3rd baseman ranked in the 90th percentile of exit velocity in the minor leagues circa 2025 at the Triple-A level. House gave fans a first glimpse at his raw power with two knocks in his Spring Training debut.
Any consistent, relied upon power in this lineup is thin. James Wood leads off with his 30+ home runs in 2025. As for Daylin Lile and Dylan Crews, they hope to have good power but are not expected to be on the level of Home Run Derby winners. If House can find his form with a full goscouting in the Majors, the team may hope to get 25+ home runs from House. If he can accomplish that feat, he would be marked as a becoming first round success, meeting his scotuing report.
This team can surely make a playoff run in a couple years with their new, analytical management behind the operation. But to do so, they must see returns from their young, high-upside weapons. As House and Crews aim to lead the hitting, the team also hopes that Cade Cavalli and Brad Lord can lead the pitching. Spring Training is often not as important for many teams, but it will be paramount for the growth of these young Nationals heading into March.