The Washington Nationals finally got a much needed victory over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday evening to snap a 7-game losing streak. 2 of the Nationals that had big games and came up clutch at numerous times in the game are a pair of outfielders who have the potential to be the true cornerstones of the franchise for many years to come.
Dylan Crews finished 2/4 with an RBI, while James Wood finished 2/4 with an RBI also while the Nationals made their comeback. Theoretically, Crews and Wood should be 2/3 of your starting outfield for the future, but who is going to be the 3rd piece to that puzzle?
If one thing is for certain, we know that the third outfielder of the future is not currently on the big league club. Jacob Young profiles as a very solid 4th outfielder due to his great defense and speed, but he nothing more than a slap hitter with minimal power upside. Alex Call, while great in moderation, is not cut out to be an everyday player, and he has begun to show signs of regression following his tremendous start to the season.
Could that 3rd outfielder be a free agent addition? It's possible, but unless the Nationals make a surprise bid for Kyle Tucker or even look to bring in a guy like Cody Bellinger or Cedric Mullins this offseason, it seems unlikely. So could that guy already be in the organization, but not yet in the big leagues? That seems more likely, but it might not be the outfielder that immediately comes to mind when you think of outfield prospects in the organization.
While I'm sure many of you jumped to Robert Hassell III right away, he might get a chance, but until he begins to show some complete consistency at the AAA level, he's likely more of an afterthought when being compared to a teammate of his. Enter Daylen Lile, who was promoted to Rochester recently along with righty reliever Marquis Grissom Jr. after tearing the cover off the baseball with AA Harrisburg.
Lile has gotten off to tremendous start for the Red Wings, already racking up 17 hits in just 12 games since being promoted, and a fantastic .354/.415/.521 slash line to go along with a .926 OPS so far. After hitting just 6 homers all of last season across 130 games at multiple levels, Lile has already hit 3 this season, and seems to be looking more and more comfortable at the plate.
He is a guy who can do a little bit of everything, as he typically finds himself in the leadoff spot for the Red Wings, and stole 25 bases last season as well. His glove might not be good enough for center field, but he can easily play and excel in a corner just fine. What's most impressive about what Lile has done since being moved up to Rochester is that it's just a continuation for what he's done in his entire professional career so far.
All he has done is hit at every level, and if he can continue his impressive plate discipline and tap into some more power, I feel pretty confident that we are going to see Lile get an opportunity before the end of the season. While he is still the most underrated prospect in the system in my opinion, he has the potential to be one of the most quietly effective big leaguers, and I am super excited for his upside. Don't sleep on Daylen Lile, as, while he might not have the name recognition of another prospect knocking on the door in Brady House, he is certainly doing everything in his power to prove he deserves that same opportunity.
Do you think the Nationals should call up Daylen Lile soon? As always, please let me know on X, @DCBerk.