James Wood

This may be the offseason to explore selling high on Wood. He has big tools (70-grade raw power, 55-grade speed, 55-grade arm), but his 33.7 K% and 61.6 Contact% at Double-A illustrate the risk involved with his hit tool. A 6-foot-6, 240-pound right fielder who can handle center field in the short term, Wood was one of the big prizes Washington received from San Diego in the Juan Soto trade. He hasn't flopped like Robert Hassell, but he also hasn't improved his stock like CJ Abrams and arguably MacKenzie Gore. So many young, toolsy hitting prospects had huge 2023 seasons in the upper levels without major contact issues, that it's hard to give Wood the benefit of the doubt just due to his age (won't turn 22 until September). Fortunately for the lefty slugger, the Nationals have a top-heavy big-league roster and a top-heavy farm system, so he'll get plenty of chances over the coming years, even if he struggles initially at the highest level. The most likely outcome is that he settles in as an everyday player who hits below .250 while hitting around 30 homers with double-digit steals during his peak seasons. Read Past Outlooks