RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 12: Miguel Sime Jr. #55 of the Washington Nationals pitches during the 2026 All-Star Futures Game Presented by Nike at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday, July 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
One of Paul Toboni’s big goals in his first year as Nationals President of Baseball Operations was to build a player development monster. So far he has aced that assignment. You can see the fruits of this player development machine in the big leagues. However, the real monster is being built at the Minor League level.
Under Mike Rizzo, there were times where the Nats had good farm systems, arguably better than this one. However, there has never been a time where the Nats system had this much depth. The Nats have 24 players with a future value of at least 45, something only one other team can say. They also have 9 players with an FV of at least 50 compared to just four last year.
So I decided to dig a little deeper into the pipeline update… the Nats are one of only two teams with 24 players rated at 45 or higher. The Nats also now have 9 players rated at 50 or higher… last year they only had 4. Toboni doing very well with this organization top to…
— Nationals Source (@NationalsSource) August 15, 2026
This year it has felt like a new breakout prospect is emerging on nearly a weekly basis. A lot of these guys were not even able to crack the Nats top 30 list. Players such as Yohandy Morales, Angel Feliz and Maxwell Romero would be on most lists, but they did not make the cut in a stacked Nats system.
The fact that Morales is having his best year as a pro, yet is sliding down the rankings tells you a lot about the depth of the system. He is far from a perfect prospect, but this is still a player with pedigree that is destroying AAA. Maybe you would put Morales on your top 30, but it takes a lot to make the list.
Right now Caleb Lomavita is the Nats 30th ranked prospect. He is an athletic catcher who was a top 40 pick and has a .771 OPS in AA right now. In previous years, that would likely be a top 15 prospect in the system, but now he can barely hang on to a top 30 spot.
One big reason that the system is so loaded is the 2025 draft, which could turn into a legendary class. Between the class itself and trades, 8 of the Nats top 21 prospects are from that draft. This includes the crown jewel of the system Eli Willits.
If there was one thing to nit pick about the Nats system, it would be the lack of pure blue chip guys. However, there is no denying that Willits is a blue chipper. The 18 year old is hitting .272 with a .904 OPS to go with 13 homers and 52 steals in his first full season as a pro. Despite being the number one pick, he has still exceeded expectations.
. @EliWillits 2-run triple❗️ (sorry we were working banana ball) pic.twitter.com/IwFPnKiNmt
— Wilmington Blue Rocks (@WilmBlueRocks) August 15, 2026
Everyone knew about the bat to ball skills, speed and defense, but he is also hitting for more power than expected. The fact he already has 13 homers is highly impressive. Willits has the ability to be a true 5 tool superstar and is at least a top 10 prospect in baseball.
Since getting promoted to High-A, the youngster has 46 walks to just 31 strikeouts in 45 games. For such a young player, Willits is freakishly advanced. His goal is to reach the big leagues by the time he is 20 and this season has been a step towards that. There is a chance he could get a look in AA to end the season.
Another member of that 2025 draft that has really impressed me is Miguel Sime Jr., the Nats 4th round pick. When he was drafted out of high school, Sime was seen as a major project. However, in his first pro season, he has overwhelmed hitters in Low-A and High-A. The control needs to be refined, but the stuff already plays in a big way.
Miguel Sime Jr. tonight: 4 IP | 2 H | 1 ER | 3 BB | 7 K | 80 P Holding a 2.54 ERA at High A. Could (should) start next year at AA pic.twitter.com/RDkg82jwUD
— Nats Of The Future (@NatsOfTheFuture) August 15, 2026
Sime sits around 99 MPH and routinely hits triple digits. The biggest step he has taken is with his breaking balls though. He showed up this season with a plus-plus slider that has mowed down hitters. Sime also has a nasty curveball to go with that.
The end result is 118 strikeouts in just 65.1 innings. He does have 58 walks to go with that, but he is still a very young pitcher at just 19. At worst, it seems like the Nats have a nasty reliever here. If the control takes a step forward, the sky is the limit.
A final factor that explains the farm depth is the recently completed 2026 draft. The Nats top 4 picks all feature in the new MLB Pipeline top 30. That group is headlined by first rounder Chris Hacopian. The local product skipped over Low-A and is hitting .286 in his first four games in Wilmington.
Chris Hacopian lines a single to right after an 8 pitch battle pic.twitter.com/bdykpD2bKs
— Nats Of The Future (@NatsOfTheFuture) August 15, 2026
Hacopian was seen as arguably the best pure hitter in the draft. In his brief stint in pro ball, we have seen some of those skills. The biggest key for him will be to turn his plus raw power into game production. He has elite exit velocities, but still puts the ball on the ground quite a bit. However, the Nats have shown the ability to help hitters elevate the ball more consistently. Examples of that include James Wood, Seaver King and Keibert Ruiz.
The other three 2026 draftees on the list are Chase Brunson, Luke Williams and Cooper Harris. None have debuted yet, but all have exciting upside. Right now, the Nats farm is the healthiest it has ever been. The big league team may not make the playoffs, but 2026 was a massive step in the right direction. You can see that in the majors, but perhaps more importantly, you can see it on the farm.
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