The current 49th overall prospect in the MLB.com Top 100 rankings, Travis Sykora, has some of the most significant upside of any player in the Washington Nationals' system. Drafted in the third round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of high school, Sykora quickly rose through the ranks and has become a household name among experts around the league. Although Sykora underwent Tommy John surgery in August and will likely miss the entire '26 season, there's zero reason to think he won't bounce back from it.
Although Sykora was drafted in the third round, he signed for $2.5 million, which ranked about 40th among first-year players in the 2023 draft. Travis was previously committed to the University of Texas and required a hefty investment to forgo his eligibility. Standing at 6-foot-6, 232 pounds, Sykora is a physical presence on the mound. His windup is "jumpy" and tends to work quickly on the mound.
He strikes out many batters and walks very few. In his first season with Fredericksburg, Sykora started 20 games and had a 2.33 ERA through 85 innings. He struck out 129 batters and walked just 27. He allowed two home runs and recorded a WHIP of 0.91 and an OPP BA of .168. He was one of the most dominant pitchers in the Carolina League at just 19.
I didn't think it would get much better from the right-handed pitcher in the 2025 season, but he was making strides to do it. In 12 games pitched this season, Sykora had a 1.79 ERA through 45.1 innings of work. He had 79 strikeouts and a 0.77 WHIP. Opposing batters hit just .120 against him, and he reached the AA level before the elbow injury. The injury was a devastating blow to the organization at the time for a few reasons.
One, it seemed realistic that Sykora could make a late-September start for the Washington Nationals. Two, Mike Rizzo and Davey Martinez were fired about a month before the announcement of Sykora's surgery. Morale was low among Nationals fans, and Sykora was a bright spot to follow along. From the beginning of July to the end of the Major League season, it wasn't particularly fun to be a Nationals fan.
Nats fans have gotten plenty of news to be happy about in the last few months. Those headlines have allowed the disappointing Sykora injury to take a backseat in fans' minds. I reiterate, do not forget about Travis Sykora, the future is very bright for the now 21-year-old. What exactly does that future look like?
Sykora will miss the entire 2026 season due to the injury. The goal should be to prepare for Spring Training in '27. He'll likely be on an innings limit during his first season and then be ready to let loose in the 2028 season. That will be Sykora's age-24 season, for reference, MacKenzie Gore is entering his age-27 season. Travis will still be extremely young when he returns to full strength on the mound. While the Tommy John surgery is disappointing, it's not the end of the world for Sykora. Pitchers such as Jacob DeGrom and Justin Verlander have had great careers after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
The ceiling is through the roof for Travis Sykora. The Washington Nationals haven't had a young pitcher with the amount of upside that Sykora has in a long time. Before the injury, Sykora was as high as 35th on the MLB.com top 100. He's struck out 230 batters over 130.1 innings in the minors; the numbers are incredible. Sykora has the potential to be a number one starter. Is that a realistic expectation for him?
That is yet to be determined. Sykora should have no problem becoming a number two starting pitcher for the Nationals. Coaching and player development will determine if Sykora leaps to becoming an ace on the mound, because the potential is certainly there. While he may be out for the entire 2026 season, it would be criminal of Nationals fans to forget about Travis Sykora.