The Washington Nationals officially concluded their 2026 season with 77 wins, exceeding any total they have had in over half a decade. In fact, there are a lot of parallels to be drawn between this season and the 2011 Nationals, which was the final year before the team became a perennial playoff threat.
They finished that year with an 80-81 record before exploding in 2012 with their first ever National League East title and a 98-64 record. Those 2012 Nationals were powered by a mix of good pitching and some young firepower both in the batters box and on the mound, as they had Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper both helping to lead the way.
For the Nationals' next competitive window, could it start next season? Many seem to think it could, but perhaps they would need a rookie or two to help the team reach their ceiling. If the Triple-A Championship game was any indicator, perhaps one of the minor league's most electric arms might be on the way.
Jarlin Susana impresses with high velocity in Triple-A Championship
Over the weekend, the Nationals' Triple-A affiliate, the Rochester Red Wings, faced off against the Oklahoma City Comets for the Triple-A Championship in Las Vegas. The Red Wings had already clinched their first International League title since 1997 but unfortunately fell in the final game for all the marbles by a score of 5-3 in extra innings.
The Red Wings have a couple of Top 100 prospects who are on the doorstep of the majors and ready to contribute in Seaver King and Jarlin Susana, with the latter impressing in a major way on a big stage. With the Red Wings opting for a bullpen game to win the championship, Susana came on in relief of trade deadline acquisition Jack Cebert and threw 2.0 shutout innings.
Jarlin Susana unleashed the fastest pitch of the Triple-A season, touching 104.0 mph to surpass Ben Joyce’s 103.8 mph.
— Francys Romero (@FrancysRomero) September 27, 2026
He did it on the biggest stage, in the Triple-A National Championship Game between the Rochester Red Wings and Oklahoma City Comets. pic.twitter.com/hmX5BYYyEw
Although he notched just 1 strikeout, which is a little bit lower than he would typically have, Susana impressed by throwing a 104.0 MPH pitch, which was the fastest one recorded in Triple-A all season long. Although the pitch missed for a ball, Susana makes high velocity numbers extremely easy, and if he can stay healthy, the sky is truly the limit for an arm with as much talent as he possesses.
If Susana can begin to locate a little bit more consistently, he is going to not only push to be a member of the team's rotation as soon as next season, but is also going to be an early candidate to win NL Rookie of the Year.
What did you think of Jarlin Susana's high velocity numbers in the Triple-A Championship game? As always, please let me know on X, @DCBerk.
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