Washington Nationals' MiLB 3 Stars of the Night - Sunday 09/15/2024

Before they were leading the Washington Nationals back to the promised land in the big leagues, guys like Dylan Crews, James Wood, and others were once grinding through the team's minor league system waiting to get their opportunity in the show. As the 2024 season nears a close, I will continue seeking to provide daily Minor League updates by taking a page out of hockey's playbook, and award the 3 Stars of the Night for Nats minor leaguers that aren't with the big league club. This is an attempt to shine a spotlight on 3 future Nats who happen to have big time performances the night before, in hopes to give them a bit of limelight and exposure that they wouldn't normally get to experience.

In case you are unfamiliar with hockey's concept of the 3 Stars of the Game, according to Wikipedia: "The three stars in ice hockey are the three best players in a game, with the "first star" considered the best of the three players, akin to the player of the match in other sports. Media representatives of the home team choose the three stars, who are usually the top point scorers or outstanding goaltenders from either team."

For the first time since I began this series, we had a clean sweep with victories at every level of the organization! The big league Nats won a close game against the Miami Marlins, and the AAA Rochester Red Wings, AA Harrisburg Senators, and Low-A Fredericksburg Nationals all won their games as well.

The biggest win of the night came from the FredNats, who are now just 1 victory away from clinching a Carolina League Championship! The big night of organizational success had lots of potential candidates for Sunday's MiLB 3 Stars of the Night, but here were the 3 I narrowed it down to, with one pick from each level of the minors in action. The Harrisburg Senators wrapped up their season on Sunday with a 68-70 record, but they did end on a high note with a 4-2 victory.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Third Star of the Night: SS Cortland Lawson - AA Harrisburg

Starting us out for the 3 Stars of the Night on Sunday is 24-year-old SS Cortland Lawson. The Reston, Virginia native isn't known for being much of a power threat, with only a .550 OPS this season, but he came through in a big way on Sunday. He finished the game 1/4 but his lone hit was a big one, with a 3-run, bases-clearing double in the bottom of the 8th inning to give the Senators a 4-2 lead that they held on to for the victory. For anyone unfamiliar, he played high school ball at St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly for 3 years before playing his senior season at Dominion High School in Sterling. It's always cool to see local guys make their case to play for the hometown Nats.

⭐️⭐️ Second Star of the Night: SS Seaver King - WSH #5 Prospect - Low-A Fredericksburg

The Second Star of the Night on Sunday goes to the most recent 1st-round pick of the Nats, in SS Seaver King, from Wake Forest. King has been solid since starting his professional in the organization, and his performance on Sunday was another good one. He finished the game 2/5 with a pair of singles and 2 RBIs, which both came on his second hit in the top of the 5th inning that allowed the FredNats to have a little more cushion to their lead, which they never surrendered in their win. The power is the one tool that King hasn't put on display yet since making his pro debut, but once he taps into that a little more, I truly believe he has the ability to move quickly through the minors and be a piece for this organization for years to come.

⭐️ First Star of the Night: INF Trey Lipscomb - AAA Rochester

Sunday's First Star of the Night is another repeat, with infielder and utility guy Trey Lipscomb getting the nod. Honorable mention to #27 prospect Jackson Rutledge, who went 7 scoreless innings and struck out 8, but Lipscomb absolutely stuffed the box score on Sunday. He went 4/5 with 3 RBIs, and while all of his base hits were singles, it's certainly encouraging that he was able to reach base 4 times and drive in a trio of runs. His first 2 RBIs came on a single in the 5th inning that put the Red Wings ahead 3-0, and then his final RBI came on a single in the 10th inning that put the Red Wings on top for good. For Lipscomb to be a factor in the future of the organization, we are going to need to see more pop from him, but Sunday's game was an encouraging one for his confidence.

Which of these 3 players are you most excited to see in Washington one day? Do you think I missed someone more deserving? As always please let me know your thoughts on X,@DCBerk.

All stats in this article were provided by MiLB.com and MLB.com.