WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Even though Jake Eder is relatively new to the Nationals organization, his first Spring Training with the team felt close to home – literally.
Eder is from Boynton Beach, Fla., around 20 miles from the Nationals' complex in West Palm Beach. After being acquired from the Angels last summer in a Trade Deadline deal for veteran relievers Andrew Chafin and Luis García, Eder gets to spend camp in a familiar setting.
“It’s the first time, really, that [my family has] been able to come to my Spring Training games without flying across the country,” Eder said.
Eder, 27, has been on the move in his pro ball career.
The Marlins selected Eder in the fourth round of the 2020 Draft out of Vanderbilt, where he recorded a three-inning save to help win the 2019 Men’s College World Series.
Eder underwent Tommy John surgery in August of 2021 and missed all of ‘22. He returned in 2023, when he was ranked as the No. 8 left-handed prospect by MLB Pipeline. The Marlins traded him to the White Sox for infielder Jake Burger that season.
Two years later, Eder’s contract was purchased by the Angels. He was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake in late July, and then traded to the Nationals six days later. Eder dealt with a shoulder issue that landed him on the IL and limited him to three games in the Nats’ system. He reported to camp this year healthy.
“He’s a left-handed pitcher that pitched at Vanderbilt, coming out of a big program where he threw a lot of innings,” manager Blake Butera said. “He pounds the strike zone. The mindset, the makeup – he has all the attributes that I talk about where you’re being the same person every day. Jake’s the same person every day.”
Eder made his Major League debut on Sept. 17, 2024 with the White Sox. He has made nine relief appearances in the big leagues (0-1, 4.87 ERA), with most of his experience coming as a starter in the Minors. Eder is 10-29 with a 5.39 ERA in 69 Minor League starts since 2021.
“He's hungry,” Butera said. “He knows he has the talent to be a really good pitcher in this league. Our pitching group has been outstanding with him, just kind of tapping into different pitches, different usage. But in terms of the person, he's a competitor. He knows he has a chance to be really good, and now it's just having that confidence to do it.”
Eder threw a mix of 44% four-seamer, 19% slider, 19% sweeper and 18% changeup in eight games with the Angels last season. With a new coaching staff in place, the Nats put an emphasis on improving his changeup and establishing his slider this winter.
“When I got traded over here, one of the things they wanted me to do was make the changeup better,” Eder said. “… As [the pitching staff and I] talked through some stuff and as they got to know me, we started working on the slider that was sort of cutter-y sometimes but slider-y other times.”
Eder threw above 95 miles per hour on six pitches and maxed at 96.4 mph when he got the start in the Grapefruit League opener last Saturday against the Astros. On his four fastest pitches, Eder induced two swinging strikes, one called strike and one foul ball.
“I'm never really worried about velocity that much. But for it to be there, that’s where I want it to be during the season,” Eder said. “The fact that I'm able to punch some of those numbers right now this early, it's great. But at the end of the day, I’m always focused on putting it where I want to and executing over velocity.”
Eder, who is likely to begin the season in Triple-A Rochester, made his second start of camp on Thursday against the Phillies, allowing a solo home run but no other damage over two innings.
Said Butera: “We want to see him on the mound just exuding confidence and believing in his abilities, and going out there and executing.”