Washington Nationals Player Report Cards: Role player edition

The story of the season for the Washington Nationals might have been the performance of the team's young stars, but the role players were also a critical piece of a surprising, better-than-expected season. 

As we get further into the offseason, it's important both to reflect on the previous year and look forward to what comes next. Today, let's do the former and grade the 2026 performances of some of the Nats' less heralded players. 

Jacob Young, CF: B+ 

Jacob Young's stats, especially at the plate, aren't anything to write home about. A .252 hitter with an OPS+ just below league average, Young functioned as a pretty replacement-level player at the dish. 

But when you look deeper, the 27-year-old center fielder is the exact type of player winning teams keep around. 

According to Statcast, Young was worth 11 outs above average, placing in the 96th percentile. On top of that, he stole 18 bases and exhibited 91st percentile sprint speed. His defense is a big reason why Young drew trade interest in the past.

Winning teams don't just hit home runs, they keep around guys who can run the bases and provide high-level defense. That's what Jacob Young is, and that's why he should figure into Washington's plans in the short and long term. 

Miles Mikolas, SP/RP: F

Bad. Awful. Terrible. Unconscionable. Pick your adjective, because Miles Mikolas was that bad throughout the 2026 season. 

In 25 games, 11 of them starts, Mikolas went 3-9 with a 5.82 ERA, good for an ERA+ of 74 (the league average is 100). The 38-year-old was genuinely awful for Washington, whether he was starting or coming out of the bullpen. 

His struggles were emblematic of a broader problem for Washington. The team struggled to piece together competent pitching at times, despite getting some incredibly good performances from their top-line starters in Cade Cavalli and pre-trade Foster Griffin. 

If the Nationals are going to be better next year, they will need to pitch better. For that to be the case, Mikolas' profile needs to not be part of the team's formula on the mound after waiving him in the second half of the season.

Dylan Crews, OF: D

This is cheating a bit, because Dylan Crews isn't supposed to be a role player for Washington. The problem, though, is that it's hard to see him projecting as much more than that considering the way he has played in his professional career. 

Crews was not all bad in 2026, and pieced together stretches where he looked decent. But on the whole, it was still pretty ugly. 

The former second overall pick finished the year with an 82 OPS+ (100 is league average), and hit just .223 with 13 home runs in 109 games. Not unplayable, but a far cry from the type of player Crews was supposed to be in D.C. 

Time is running out for Crews. If things don't start to turn around quickly, he will likely fall completely out of Washington's future.