While the big league club had an up and down week, it was all sunshine and roses down on the farm. Nats prospects were absolutely killing it last week. There were so many guys producing that I probably won’t be able to give all of them the shine they deserve here. Of the 20 prospects on Baseball America’s weekly hot sheet, five of them were Nats prospects.
The crazy thing is that there are still a few Nats prospects who arguably got snubbed here. Coy James hit his first two pro homers, Landon Harmon fired five scoreless innings, Ethan Petry put up monster numbers and Cayden Wallace continued raking. Yet, none of those guys were able to make the cut.
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They probably should have, but whoever was making the list probably did not want half the players to come from one team. It was the most productive week in the minor leagues that I can remember. The hitting development in this organization has taken a massive step forward under Paul Toboni. From the Fred Nats to the real Nats, you can see the improvements.
In my opinion, no player has improved more at the plate than Seaver King. The turning point for him seemed to be the Arizona Fall League, but it has carried over. Right now, he is hitting .286 with a .992 OPS in Double A. Last season, he posted a .600 OPS in 80 Double-A games. In 14 games, he has homered just as many times in Harrisburg as he did all of last season. Last week, he had a two-homer game.
The biggest change for King is that he is swinging way less. That has predictably led to way more walks. He has 15 walks to just 16 strikeouts. Last year in AA, he had 23 walks and 74 strikeouts. In 2025, he swung at over 53% of pitches, but that number has dropped to 36.8% this year.
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That number is a bit lower than you would like, but it is clear he has a plan of attack now. He is only going to swing at pitches he can do damage with. Eventually, this approach will be attacked and he will have to find a happy medium. For context, that 36.8% swing rate is lower than James Wood’s swing rate, and Wood is a guy who many nitpick for not swinging enough.
This more selective version of King is producing much better results, and landed him a place on the hot sheet. If he keeps hitting like this, a promotion to Triple-A could come soon. There is a chance he could make his MLB debut this year if he keeps performing. The Nats could use a second baseman with an offensive punch.
Another infielder performing well is Ronny Cruz. Ever since Spring Training, his name has been on the tip of people’s tongues. He is emerging as a breakout prospect and a real coup for the Nats. They acquired Cruz as part of the Michael Soroka trade last July.
He spent all of last season in rookie ball, but he absolutely lit it up in Low-A to start the season. Cruz posted a .333 average and 1.087 OPS. He is a power speed threat, who has 7 extra base hits already. Cruz also stole 12 bases just last week. That production was enough to secure him a promotion to High-A despite only 14 career games above rookie ball.
This aggressive promotion shows how much faith the Nats have in Cruz. He has been a guy the organization has been absolutely raving about. They think they have unearthed a hidden gem here. Right now, he is the Nats 25th ranked prospect, but that will not be the case for long.
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Speaking of players who could be in line for a promotion, Yeremy Cabrera should not be with the Fred Nats for much longer. After posting solid, but not elite numbers in Low-A for the Rangers last year, the Nats had Cabrera repeat the level. For guys who are repeating levels, you want to see big numbers.
Cabrera has certainly put up big numbers to start the season. In 13 games, the 20 year old is hitting .362 with a 1.223 OPS. This just looks like a player who is too good for the level he is playing at right now. He was considered a smaller piece in the Gore trade, but Cabrera has emerged as a name to watch.
Yeremy Cabrera seems like a well rounded outfield prospect with a complete game. He is well regarded as a defender in center field, and the offensive numbers speak for themselves. How the offense translates is still the question mark, but he is off to a great start. While neither his hit or power tools are elite, they show quality flashes. I am excited to see what he can do in Wilmington.
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King, Cruz and Cabrera had the best weeks, but there were other names on the hot sheet. Eli Willits got off to a slow start, but he had a big week, hitting his first two pro homers. One was an inside the parker, but the other one was a well struck opposite field bomb. He hit the ball with more authority this past week and got his OPS up to .773. We know Willits is a great defender, with a phenomenal approach and good speed. The question with him is how much power is there. This week was a positive step in answering that question.
The last guy on the list was flame thrower Miguel Sime. He was the Nats 4th round pick last year and stands out for his triple digit velocity. In Sime’s three starts, we have seen the complete package, both good and bad. His first and third starts were electric, with the big righty striking out 15 and walking just two in those outings. However, in his other start, he only went two innings and walked six batters.
When Sime is on, he is electric, but when he is off, he just can’t find the zone. He is strikingly similar to Jarlin Susana at the same age. Both are big burly righties who throw gas, but have control issues. However, for both of them, the control issues don’t occur every time out. Some nights, they are pounding the zone, but when they don’t have it, things get ugly.
Overall, the Nats minor league seasons have gotten off to as good of a start as you could ask for. Most of the Nats breakout guys are emerging, and the 2025 draft class has a chance to be a special group. While 2026 could be a long year for the big league team, the future of the Nats is sprouting in the minor leagues.
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