With spring training officially underway, I thought it would be fun to do a spring superlatives series. In part one, which is this post here, I will be awarding a few superlatives such as most likely to breakout, most likely to emerge as the leader in the clubhouse, and a fun one in most likely to be an MLB The Show cover athlete.
I will be releasing a part 2 of this series next week, and will have even more player features, predictions and awards to give out! Without further ado, let's see who took home some hardware in part 1 of this series.
Most likely to have a breakout season
As far as breakout seasons are concerned this superlative goes to James Wood. The Nationals have a multitude of young players ripe to have amazing season. However, Wood showed a great deal of promise when he was called up in 2024 which leads me to believe this could be a breakout season for him. With his Giant-like frame and power to match he is going to be a weapon the Nationals desperately need in the middle of that order. Furthermore, the more experience he gets running the bases, he will be an asset in that category as well after stealing 14 bases in 79 games. Mark my words: if James Wood is healthy, he will deliver a 30-30 season for the Nationals.
Most likely to be the clubhouse leader
Next, we have the superlative for the player most likely to lead the clubhouse, and I will be picking one of the newest Nationals in Nathaniel Lowe. The reigning Gold Glove first baseman is the perfect fit for this young Nationals team. At just 29-year-old, he has a lot of insight that he can share with the younger talent on the team, given that he just won a World Series in 2023 with the Texas Rangers. In a Washington Post article, Lowe is quoted saying “Being a guy who can be a voice of reason in the clubhouse and can definitely help this young core continue to develop is going to be a new challenge." and I believe Lowe will be up for that challenge.
Most likely to get an MLB The Show cover
To cap off part one of this series, let's have a little fun and discuss who's most likely to one day get the chance to be on an MLB The Show cover. To me, that player is none other than CJ Abrams. The young phenom is an outstanding player that has still yet to reach his full potential, but he is extremely popular with many young fans of the game. I witnessed kids in visiting ballparks losing their minds when CJ came out for batting practice, as they would be chanting his name, as well as asking him for autographs and all. In addition, he's got some of the best swag in the big leagues between his cleats and all the accessories he plays with. Without a doubt in the next five years CJ will grace a cover of the famous game, in my opinion.
Let me know what superlatives I should do next, and what picks you agreed or disagreed with here!