(WEST PALM, Fl) - Spring training is still young, but the early catcher reps at Nationals camp are already telling a familiar story.
Sources are telling The Nats Report that Keibert Ruiz has been getting the lion’s share of the work with what appears to be the projected starting rotation, however it is Drew Millas has been one of the clear standouts. Multiple sources say Millas has impressed defensively, looked sharp in drills, and has been the most consistent bat among the catchers so far. If camp were strictly a merit-based exercise, Millas would have earned himself a larger slice of the conversation.
Ruiz remains the incumbent, and experience still matters here, but the consistency of those reps is hard to miss given the organization’s repeated messaging about competition entering camp.
That scrutiny is amplified by what Ruiz put on the field in 2025. In an injury-shortened season, Ruiz appeared in 68 games, hitting 247/.277/.318 with two home runs, 25 RBIs, and a .595 OPS. His power output dipped significantly, and his underlying metrics reflected that drop, while multiple concussion-related IL stints limited both his availability and workload. Entering this spring, the expectation was that Ruiz’s usage would be closely monitored.
Behind him, the on-field results in camp have complicated the picture.
He’s not alone. Riley Adams has also made noise at the plate early in camp. Sources indicate Adams has swung the bat well, showing the kind of offensive life that has long kept him in the depth-chart discussion. Between Millas and Adams, the Nationals have received encouraging offensive returns from their non‑Ruiz catcher returns that, so far, haven’t fully translated into equal opportunity.
That disconnect is hard to ignore.
The Nationals did add legitimate catching depth this offseason by acquiring Harry Ford from the Mariners in the trade that sent reliever Jose Ferrer to Seattle. Ford, 22, was blocked in Seattle by Cal Raleigh. In Washington, the path is less rigid, even if the timeline remains flexible.
Ruiz remains the established option, but after a 2025 season defined by modest production and durability concerns, he’s no longer insulated by résumé alone. As MLB.com’s Jessica Camerato noted recently, Ruiz’s workload will be watched closely, while Ford focuses on learning the pitching staff and balancing preparations for the World Baseball Classic with Team Great Britain.
Ford may not be an immediate factor—but his presence should matter. It adds pressure. It adds accountability. Or at least, it should.
Instead, the early feel of camp suggests a familiar pattern: opportunity flowing first to those already anointed, with competition happening on the margins. And this isn’t isolated to the catcher position. Across several spots, early usage hints that parts of the depth chart may already be penciled in.
It’s still early. Spring training always leaves room for movement. But early reps matter—and when Millas and Adams are both producing while Ruiz continues to receive the lion’s share of the work, it raises a fair question:
At what point does performance start to outweigh precedent?
That answer may end up defining not just the catcher spot, but how real competition truly is in this camp.