Two Washington Nationals Prospects Shine in Arizona Fall League

Despite the offseason nearly two weeks old, a handful of prospects from the Washington Nationals are back in action with the 2026 Arizona Fall League already days old. Yet that has given one National a chance to showcase his upside once again, including on Tuesday.

Centerfielder Jorgelys Mota went 1-for-3 in Tuesday's 7-2 win for the Salt River Rafters, yet his lone hit proved to be notable. After facing a 1-1 count, Mota took an 82 mph slider 455 feet for his first home run of the offseason, coming off his bat at 114.2 mph, per MLB's stats. It would have marked the Nationals' longest home run since Andres Chaparro blasted a 467 foot home run in the 23-4 win over the Athletics on July 17 that opened the second half of the 2026 regular season.

Mota is coming off a 2026 season where he posted three home runs and 17 RBIs while owning a .253 batting average and .769 OPS across 36 games. The bulk of his season was spent in High A where he posted just five RBIs and hit .211 in 24 games, though it came as he ascended through the system and suiting up in seven games in Single A.

This marked his third season in the minors, while Mota marks one of several Nationals who have suited up in the Arizona Fall League so far.

With a shot at earning an expanded role in a potential 2027 season, right handed pitcher Jarlin Susana made his first appearance for the Salt River Rafters last weekend where he tossed four strikeouts and allowed two walks and one hit across 3.1 innings. Susana struck out his first batter faced on three consecutive pitches, including two straight eclipsing 100 mph in addition to ending the second inning with his second strikeout, featuring a 103.2 mph four seam fastball. Susana then closed the third inning after three of his four called strikes, and four of his six pitches, eclipsed 100 mph. That includes the final two strikes each eclipsing 102 mph, evidence of Susana's upside and velocity as a potential in-house solution.

Susana is battling back from lat surgery that derailed the bulk of his 2026 season, marking his first appearance in the Arizona Fall League an encouraging one as president of baseball operations Paul Toboni and the front office gauge who can become impact pieces in a potential 2027 season.