Spring training is officially over. The Nationals boarded their charter flight in West Palm Beach after Sunday’s game and departed for Washington, ready to get the 2024 season going.
There’s still one more exhibition to play (Tuesday’s “Futures Game” against the organization’s prospects) before Thursday’s season opener in Cincinnati, but it’s OK to take a moment today to look back at what transpired over the last six weeks and share some thoughts.
As is always the case, we spend a lot of time at spring training obsessing over certain roster spots or job competitions. And by the end of camp, you can’t help but wonder if that time and energy was well spent.
It’s in that spirit that we present an annual feature on the morning after the spring training finale: What did we maybe make too big a deal about, and what did we potentially gloss over during our time in Florida …
TOO BIG A DEAL: WHETHER THE KIDS WOULD MAKE THE TEAM
It was impossible not to devote a ton of attention to the row of top prospects whose lockers were all together right by the front door of the Nationals’ clubhouse. And there was plenty to get excited about from that group. But talk about their chances of making the Opening Day roster was probably premature. Yes, James Wood looked great, batting .364 with an MLB-best 1.214 OPS. But he’s also a 21-year-old with half a season of experience at Double-A. Yes, Dylan Crews had his moments. But he was still playing at LSU this time last year and struggled in his brief time in Harrisburg last September. Brady House? He’s still got a ways to go. Only Trey Lipscomb (the least-talked-about prospect at the start of spring) played his way into the conversation at the end of camp. He turns 24 this summer, he looks very comfortable at three infield positions, and he consistently hit all spring. But even if he doesn’t make the roster, it’s not the end of the world. All of these guys will eventually be playing in D.C. The real test comes now that spring training is over.