Another hire from Driveline for the Washington Nationals, top-100 recognition for one star plus Nats vs. MLB spending
Nationals represented in top 100...the Nationals are staring at a rebuilding year with Paul Toboni and the new-look front office quiet with spring training inching closer. But the expectation hasn't changed since the end of the 2025 season - Washington will point to development around its young core, including one who drew recognition earlier this week. Leftfielder James Wood climbed 45 spots in MLB Network's top 100 players, debuting as the 53rd-best player in 2026. He marks the lone selection inside the updated top 100 thus far and likely the Nationals' highest selection ahead of the 2026 season as Wood has proven to be the next rising young star. Wood starts 2025 strong after posting 23 home runs and 67 RBIs through his first 87 games, enough to earn his first All-Star Game along with being named a participant in the Home Run derby. But similar to pitcher MacKenzie Gore, he struggled the second half of the season as Wood struck out in 122 at-bats and narrowly avoided resetting the MLB single-season strikeout record.
MLB Network pointed to Wood's patience as reason why the strikeout rate isn't a concern, pointing to his 98th percentage in both hard hit percentage and average exit velocity. His 31 home runs and 38 doubles marked the most by a Nationals player since Anthony Rendon in 2019 while his 94 RBIs marked the most since Juan Soto in 2021.
New manager Blake Butera previously pointed to his defense being a focus with new bench coach Michael Johns doing field work with the Nationals' left fielder in Florida.
Another Driveline hire...the Washington Nationals continue to raid Driveline Baseball, adding another from the coaching staff to its revamped minor league staff. Luke Dziados announced he is joining the organization as a minor league hitting coach at Triple-A after two years with Driveline. He served as a pitching trainer since February 2024 while he began as a baseball trainer at a training facility near Syracuse back in the summer of 2023. This marks his first coaching gig with a major league organization after he played college baseball at Binghamton University then Villanova.
Dziados announced the news one day after adding his colleague and highly respected coach from Driveline.
Low spending...after the Boston Red Sox signed starting pitcher Ranger Suárez to a five year, $130 million contract this week, the Nationals found themselves in even worse standing in spending this offseason. With a $5.5 million contract to pitcher Foster Griffin, the Nationals have now spent the second-lowest among during free agency, ahead of the Athletics who have spent $2.85 million. It's not a complete surprise - the Nationals have built a reputation for their frugal spending under the Lerners since winning the World Series - but coupled with the ongoing questions surrounding the roster, it's a concern for what the future may shape to be. But the league may have bigger questions to answer over the next year with Kyle Tucker's $240 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers adding fuel to talk of a possible lockout in 2027 given the league's current labor agreement expires at 11:59 PM ET on Dec. 1, 2026.