WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- With less than two weeks left to go in Grapefruit League action, there are still plenty of question marks for a new front office and coaching staff to address. Here is the second projection of the Nats’ 2026 Opening Day roster.
Catcher (2): Keibert Ruiz, Drew Millas
The Nationals acquired Harry Ford (Nats No. 3 prospect, MLB No. 71) to be a part of their long-term plans. At 23 years old, Ford has eight games of Major League experience and is competing in the World Baseball Classic with Team Great Britain. At this point in camp, I could see Millas getting the nod for the Opening Day roster. Millas has played parts of the last three seasons on the Nats, has a strong familiarity with the pitchers and is lauded for his ABS challenge acumen.
First baseman (1): Luis García Jr.
The Nationals do not have a clear-cut first-base option, and García could shift over from second base. Last season, García played two games at first base. He will work to bounce back from an offensive dip in 2025, when his batting average was down to .252 compared to .282 in ‘24.
Second baseman (1): Nasim Nuñez
This projection is contingent upon García moving to first base. A former Rule 5 Draft pick who has not seen consistent playing time, Nuñez has risen to the occasion when given the opportunity. Last season, he logged 89 innings at second base and did not commit an error.
Shortstop (1): CJ Abrams
Abrams returns to the starting shortstop role with electric defensive potential. He will look to improve upon his .962 fielding percentage last season. Abrams has recorded more than 30 stolen bases in each of the last three seasons, and he led the NL in stolen base rate.
Third baseman (1): Brady House
Unlike previous seasons, the Nationals had a starting third baseman heading into camp. House will build on his 73 games of Major League experience after debuting last June. He batted .234 with 11 doubles, four homers and 29 RBIs.
Outfielders (3): LF James Wood, CF Jacob Young, RF Dylan Crews
Young gets the nod in center field with his Gold Glove Award-finalist defense. In spite of a .583 OPS, Young ranked fourth among all players in outfield directional outs above average in 2025. (Remember that kick save at Citi Field?)
DH (1): Daylen Lile
With a crowded outfield, the designated hitter spot is an opportunity to disperse playing time. Lile finished fifth in the voting for NL Rookie of the Year last season, after he was named the September NL Player and Rookie of the Month. Lile concluded his rookie season strong with a 1.212 OPS in September/October.
Bench/Utility (3): OF Robert Hassell III, 1B/DH Andrés Chaparro, INF José Tena
Hassell adds another outfield option, Chaparro can play first base and DH and Tena has experience at second base, third base and shortstop.
Starting Pitchers (5): RHP Cade Cavalli, RHP Jake Irvin, LHP Foster Griffin, RHP Miles Mikolas, RHP Brad Lord
Cavalli has made a strong case to be named the Opening Day starter ahead of his first full season back from a three-year Tommy John recovery. The Nationals will look to Griffin and Mikolas, who signed during Spring Training, to provide veteran experience. The fifth spot is one to watch and could depend on Josiah Gray’s health as he returns from Tommy John. The Nats are not going to rush him for the sake of Opening Day.
Relief Pitchers (8): RHP Cole Henry, RHP Clayton Beeter, LHP Cionel Pérez, RHP Drew Smith, RHP Jackson Rutledge, LHP PJ Poulin, RHP Griff McGarry, LHP Richard Lovelady
This is the part of the projection that causes the most back-and-forth consideration. The final bullpen spots are far from finalized with two weeks to go in camp. The Nationals will have to decide if they will carry McGarry, a 2025 Rule 5 Draft pick, on their Major League roster the entire season or return him to the Phillies. Another question mark is if they keep Mitchell Parker in the big leagues in the bullpen as a long reliever/multi-role pitcher.