Jun 28, 2024, 17:55 ET
Top prospect James Wood could soon be with the Washington Nationals major league team.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Washington Nationals plan to call up prospect James Wood to make his MLB debut. Big leagues Monday against the New York Mets, according to multiple reports Friday.
Wood, 21, was acquired in the trade that sent Juan Soto to the San Diego Padres and is the third-ranked prospect in the Major Leagues. The 6-foot-7, 234-pound outfielder has shown impressive power in the minors.
Speaking before the opener of a three-game series Friday night at Tampa Bay, Nationals manager Dave Martinezdeclined to confirm the impending move, which would allow Wood to make his home debut.
“But I’ll tell you this: I’m very excited when I get here,” Martinez said. “He is an exceptional boy. I really want to work with him.”
Wood is batting .346 with 10 homers and 34 RBIs in 51 games this season for Triple-A Rochester. In 2023, he hit 26 home runs in 473 at-bats in A class and Double-A.
“He’s a student of the game,” Martinez said. “He wants to learn. He wants to get better. You have to remember he’s still 21 years old. He’s still learning a lot about himself, but he’s got incredible talent.”
Wood was born in the Washington suburb of Rockville, Maryland. The Padres selected him 62nd overall in the 2021 draft out of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
The Nationals acquired him in August 2022 in the Soto deal that also brought shortstop CJ Abrams and left-handed starter MacKenzie Gore to Washington.
Abrams and Gore have been pillars of a rebuilding club that has remained competitive a year after finishing last in the National League East Division with a 71-91 record, Washington (38-42) entered Friday three games out of a wild-card spot in the National League.
“We lost a really good player, as we all know,” Martinez said. “But getting the quality players that we have and helping us in the Big leagues right now with more to come, it’s exciting. “We definitely have a bright future.”
