This story was excerpted from Jessica Camerato’s Nationals Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

As the Nationals continued to develop for their future last year, 10 players made their Major League debut. That double-digit figure tied a team record (2005-present) for most in a season.  

Of that group, outfielder Jacob Young, catcher Drew Millas and right-hander Jackson Rutledge debuted in the bigs with just over a month remaining in the regular season. In that short period of time, all three made a positive impression. Each player will contend to return to the Major League roster in Spring Training, and they will have a solid sample size to build upon in Florida.

CF Jacob Young 
Debut: Aug. 26, 2023 
Games: 33 (32 starts) 

Young began last season in High-A Wilmington and excelled through Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Rochester -- all by the end of August. He took over the starting center-field role and slashed .252/.322/.336. Young was the only player in baseball in 2023 to steal 13 bases in less than 50 games. He also became the first player in team history to make his debut as a pinch-runner and score a run. Young will contend with Victor Robles, who is expected to return from a season-long back injury, and Alex Call for playing time in center field during camp.  

“I think it’s just a learning experience, you’re getting used to everything,” Young said after hitting a bases-loaded, go-ahead two-run single in the season finale against the Braves. “When those moments come, as a young guy, you try to do your best and help your team. They’re new situations for most of us, so just experience those for the first time and hopefully get used to them for in the future.”

C Drew Millas 
Debut: Aug. 28, 2023 
Games: 11 (eight starts) 
MLB Pipeline prospect ranking: Nationals' No. 22 

Millas took over at the backup catcher role when Riley Adams was shut down with a fractured left hamate. The switch-hitter slashed .286/.375/.464 with an .839 OPS, one home run and six RBIs. Millas committed only one error in 77 innings in the bigs after having only five across Double-A and Triple-A. Adams is on track to return as the backup to Keibert Ruiz, and Millas is likely to compete in camp with No. 21 prospect Israel Pineda, who played in the bigs in 2022 but was hampered by injuries last season.  

“The big jump for me this year was Double-A to Triple-A, because you saw the heavy arms in Double-A, and they’d attack you with their stuff. In Triple-A, they’d start to pitch to what you’re weak to,” Millas said at the end of last season. “… [In the Majors], you’ve got guys that’ll attack you with their stuff, and then you’ve got guys that will pitch to your strengths. So you kind of have to identify them throughout the course of it. It was a lot at first, and I think I did a good job of taking it all down and understanding that it’s the same game at the end of the day.”

RHP Jackson Rutledge 
Debut: Sept. 13, 2023 
Games: Four starts  
MLB Pipeline prospect ranking: Nationals' No. 13 

Rutledge, a 2019 first-round pick, was the 26th player drafted/signed and developed by the Nats to start a game for the team. He went 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA in 20 innings. After throwing 3 2/3 innings in his debut, Rutledge tossed a career-best 6 1/3 frames in his next start. With the rest of the rotation returning from last season, the Nationals will evaluate him in Spring Training. If Rutledge does not make the Opening Day roster and continues to grow in Triple-A, still expect to see him in the bigs this coming season.  

“I think this was a big confidence builder for me,” Rutledge said at the end of last season. “Last year, I was struggling to get out of the third inning against the [Single-A] Delmarva Shorebirds, and now I’m pitching into the fifth against the Atlanta Braves. That’s a big difference. … Going forward, I know that I can pitch at this level. Having that confidence going forward that I’m at a good spot is important.”