Jackson Rutledge

Rutledge has flashed plus stuff since the Nationals plucked him in the first round of the 2019 Draft, but the results haven't always been consistent. The big right-hander did take steps forward in some areas in 2023, setting new career highs with 23 starts and 119 innings while posting a 3.71 ERA in his first tastes of Double- and Triple-A ball. He saw his strikeout rate dip to 21.3 percent, though, while his walk rate rose to 11.1 percent. Rutledge was underwhelming during his first chance in the majors, too, in posting a 6.75 ERA with only 12 strikeouts across 20 frames. While Rutledge remains one of the Nats' better young arms, more seasoning is required and he'll need to show some progress before putting himself on the radar of fantasy managers.

A 6-foot-8, 250-pound righty from the junior college ranks, Rutledge's ability to hit triple digits with his fastball while possessing a wipeout slider got him drafted in the first round in 2019 and his $3.45 million bonus was a record for a JUCO draftee. At the alternate site, he worked on repeating his delivery, which is huge for any tall pitcher with long levers. Rutledge is exceedingly tall for a starting pitcher, so developing adequate command will be critical for him to stick as a starter. He also worked a lot on his changeup this past summer, which will be a big pitch for him when it comes to neutralizing lefties. Rutledge has not pitched above Low-A, but he will spend the bulk of his age-22 season in the upper levels. GM Mike Rizzo hasn't been shy about trading away pitching prospects, but the team has leaked to the media that Rutledge and 2020 first-rounder Cade Cavalli are off limits.

The Nationals awarded Rutledge the largest signing bonus ever ($3.45 million) for a junior-college player after selecting him with the 17th overall pick. The previous record belonged to Nate Pearson, and Rutledge has a similarly high ceiling as a power righty. He has a mid-to-high-90s fastball, a plus slider and his curveball and changeup show above-average potential. It took him a couple outings to get his footing in pro ball, but he logged a 2.10 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and 36:12 K:BB in 34.1 innings over his final eight appearances, primarily at Low-A. At 6-foot-8, Rutledge's command is his biggest weakness, but he has the stuff to be successful even with a high walk rate -- he held Sally League hitters to a .151 average and did not surrender a home run in any of his six Low-A starts. If he throws enough strikes, Rutledge could develop into a high-strikeout No. 2 starter.