The Nationals system has undergone plenty of changes in the past few months following some blockbuster sales at the Trade Deadline. It certainly has a different flavor than when Jackson Rutledge entered the organization as the 17th overall pick in the 2019 Draft. In fact, eight of the club’s top 10 prospects -- all but third-ranked Rutledge and No. 8 Yasel Antuna -- have been either signed or traded for since that time, and that doesn’t include recent Top 100 additions and graduates Keibert Ruiz and Josiah Gray.

“Competition is a great thing within an organization,” Rutledge said. “It pushes each other to work harder. When you see your buddy go out and shove, you just want to work harder and shove just as much as him or more.”

If the 6-foot-8 right-hander wanted to continue facing healthy challenges, he will find more than a few in the Arizona Fall League.

• AFL stats | Surprise roster | Arizona Fall League coverage

Rutledge is a typical AFL case. The 22-year-old pitcher is loaded with talent, headlined by his ability to mix a mid- to upper-90s high-spin fastball with a plus slider while having a curveball and a changeup in his back pocket as well. But he was limited by shoulder and blister issues through the 2021 season and struggled to be effective when he was on the mound. Rutledge posted a 7.68 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP in 13 starts this season, split between Rookie, Low-A and High-A levels. He struck out 41 and walked 20 over 36 1/3 innings in that span.

The Fall League, in essence, is a chance for Rutledge to not only make up innings but for him to find at least some success before heading into another offseason.

“Unbelievably excited,” he said of his reaction to getting added to the Surprise roster. “I didn’t have the year that I wanted to this year, and I get the opportunity now to come out and prove myself, continue to get innings and compete against the best guys in the Minor Leagues.”

Early results have been rough despite Rutledge saying he physically felt “the best I have all year.” The Saguaros starter enters Wednesday with nine earned runs allowed in his first two starts (eight innings). Opponents are hitting .361 against him, and he has struck out five while walking four.

Results aren’t always everything in the Fall League, it should be said. Rutledge acknowledged he’s forcing himself to throw the curveball and changeup more, even if they are a few ticks lower on the scouting scale than his heater and slider. Rutledge is looking to stay on the mound regularly in October and November, and that’s how he’ll define a successful stay in Arizona.

“Continuing on the path I’m going,” he said. “Continuing being healthy. Continuing finding a rhythm. Pitching deeper into games. Just being myself.”

Nationals hitters in the AFL

Donovan Casey, OF (No. 18): The 2017 20th-rounder was buried a bit in the Dodgers system but pops a little more with Washington following his acquisition in the Max Scherzer-Trea Turner deal. Casey runs and throws well and can defend from multiple positions on the grass, but it’s an open question how much he’ll hit at the top level. The 25-year-old struggled in a brief trip to Triple-A Rochester, and the Fall League offers him a chance to end his first season as a Nat on a brighter note.

Jackson Cluff, SS (No. 19): Cluff was limited to only 35 games at Double-A Harrisburg because of a broken thumb this season, and that was poor timing since there was a chance he could have helped a hampered Washington infield at the top level. The 24-year-old is an above-average runner and good fielder at the six but has much to prove offensively after hitting just .190 with a .556 OPS during his brief time with the Senators.

Drew Millas, C (No. 20): Another Trade Deadline pickup, Millas moved from the A’s to the Nationals in a five-player swap in July. He is a defense-first catcher, but the 23-year-old switch-hitter did walk more times (54) than he struck out (53) in 86 games at High-A. He sported a .372 OBP in that span but slugged only .348, underlining the general lack of in-game power in his bat. With Keibert Ruiz and Riley Adams also freshly added to the org, a lot will be on Millas to prove he can crack the Major League depth chart.

Israel Pineda, C (No. 27): The same could be said for Pineda after his rough year at High-A. The 21-year-old batted just .208/.260/.389 with 14 homers in 77 games. He has become power-over-hit on that side of the ball, and his arm seems to be ahead of his glove/overall defensive work at catcher. Time remains on Pineda’s side given his age, but he needs to show he can bring some value offensively against top-level arms in the Fall League.

Nationals pitchers in the AFL

Cole Henry, RHP (No. 7): The Nats were high on the 2020 second-rounder entering his first full season, touting his plus fastball, above-average curve and 50 changeup. An elbow strain limited him to only nine appearances at High-A Wilmington, but the LSU product was stellar at that level. He finished with a 1.88 ERA, a 0.79 WHIP and 63 strikeouts in 43 innings. Henry has a bit of an injury history, particularly with the elbow, so even after the Fall League, he’ll need to prove he can stay on the mound consistently.

Evan Lee, LHP (No. 21): The 2018 15th-rounder was a reliever in the early days of his career before Washington moved him into a rotation this season. The Nats hoped to make the most of his above-average fastball and plus curve. He got plenty of whiffs with 104 K’s in 77 innings, but the other numbers (4.32 ERA, 1.31 WHIP) were more middle-of-the-road. With just the two pitches, it might not be long until Lee finds his way back into relief, where all of his AFL appearances have come so far.

Todd Peterson, RHP: Peterson went viral during the 2018 SEC tournament when he struck an extra-innings double for LSU against South Carolina after lying to his coach about his hitting ability. The Nats took him in the seventh round of the 2019 Draft on the strength of his mid-90s fastball and 55-grade slider. Peterson was limited to 30 1/3 innings at High-A Wilmington, where he posted a 4.15 ERA and 23.9 percent K rate, and his trip to the AFL could get him back on the fast track to the Washington bullpen.