Eight Rochester Red Wings Position Players Nationals Fans Need to Know in 2026

Sixty-nine different players wore the Rochester Red Wings uniform this season. Several began the year in Rochester and later appeared with the Washington Nationals, becoming key pieces in a rebuild that has now spanned five years. Rochester also featured players who enjoyed strong minor league seasons and earned Spring Training invites. This article on The Nats Report spotlights eight position players who finished the 2025 season in Rochester.

Two of them, Trey Lipscomb and CJ Stubbs, each played one game last year in Washington and are on the 40-man roster, so their Spring Training invites are automatic. The other six players had excellent seasons but will need invites from the Nationals to compete for roster spots.

Jackson Cluff, drafted in the sixth round in 2019, has steadily climbed the Nationals’ organizational ladder. After splitting 2024 between Harrisburg and Rochester, he spent 2025 exclusively with the Red Wings. Cluff appeared in 103 games, primarily at shortstop but also across the infield. He hit .242 with 30 extra-base hits, including 14 doubles, 4 triples, and 12 home runs, while driving in 40 runs. His on-base percentage was .349 with a .771 OPS.

Cluff’s strengths are defense and base running. He stole 23 bases in 27 attempts after swiping 19 without being caught in 2024. Defensively, he displayed excellent range and fundamentals, committing only nine errors in 278 chances at shortstop. He posted a .985 fielding percentage at second base and was perfect at third (.1000).

Cluff led the team in sacrifice bunts and sacrifice flies. While his strikeout rate (29%) remains high, his 13% walk rate helps maintain a strong .349 OBP. Cluff projects as a potential utility infielder with some “pop” and solid on-base skills.

Christian Franklin joined the Nationals at the trade deadline, coming over from the Cubs with shortstop Ronny Cruz in exchange for Michael Soroka. Manager Matt LeCroy inserted Franklin into the starting lineup immediately, and he quickly proved to be a superb leadoff hitter. Throughout his minor league career, Franklin has demonstrated great plate discipline and an impressive .264/.393/.799 career line.

In 31 games with Rochester, Franklin hit .290/.382/.809, playing primarily in left field but logging time at all three outfield spots. Across Iowa and Rochester, he had 231 total chances with only four errors. His steady on-base skills make him an ideal table-setter at the top of any lineup.

Phillip Glasser, a 10th-round pick in the 2023 Draft, has risen rapidly through the system, jumping from the FCL to Triple-A in just two years. Promoted to Rochester on September 8, Glasser hit an eye-popping .391 over 12 games. For the full season across two levels, he batted .302—the only player in the Nationals’ system over .300—with an overall line of .302/.389/.793.

He walked 14% of the time and struck out just 13%, the only Red Wing to post a positive walk-to-strikeout differential. Defensively, he played 91 games in left field, 8 in right, and 11 at second base, committing just two errors in 376 total chances. If Rochester needed a clutch contact hitter with a runner on third, Glasser was the guy you wanted at the plate.

Nationals fans know Trey Lipscomb well. After brief time in Washington in 2024, he anchored Rochester’s lineup in 2025, appearing in 122 games while showcasing defensive versatility. The organization continues to develop him into a super-utility role, as he appeared at nearly every position: 44 games at third base, 29 at second, 16 at first, 2 at shortstop, 22 in left field, 7 in right, and 10 as the DH. He recorded 344 total chances with just 10 errors.

Offensively, Lipscomb’s season was streaky. He hit .283 in April and .291 in August but slumped in between, finishing with a .249/.305/.697 line. He led the team with 29 doubles and struck out 19% of the time. As a 40-man roster player, he’ll be in big league camp and remains a strong candidate for a utility role.

Yohandy “Yoyo” Morales, drafted in the second round out of Miami, is currently ranked as the Nationals’ No. 18 prospect. He began 2025 in Harrisburg and was promoted to Rochester on May 23, playing 95 games for the Red Wings.

His combined line between the two levels was .269/.339/.917. After a slow start in May (.207), Morales hit .292 in July and .298 in August before dipping in September. He launched 11 homers and posted 34 extra-base hits for the Red Wings, including two walk-off blasts.

Defensively, Yoyo shined at first base, where his tall frame and excellent glove saved numerous infield errors. He had 683 total chances with only five miscues. Morales is improving his plate discipline—his walk rate rose to 11% while his strikeout rate (30%) remains a key focus. Expect him to earn a Spring Training invite.

Fourth-round pick Andrew Pinckney (2023) had a breakout year and was named Rochester’s MVP. He ranks as the Nationals’ No. 30 prospect but likely deserves a top-10 spot after his 20-homer, 34-steal season—making him the first Red Wing ever to reach both marks in one year.

Pinckney hit .269/.348/.779 over 125 games and 450 at-bats. After an adjustment-heavy stint late in 2024, he dropped his strikeout rate from 45% to 29% this year, thanks to steady work with hitting coach Brian Daubach. His first-half line was .228/.310/.652; in the second half, he exploded to .311/.387/.910.

Defensively, Pinckney played all three outfield spots (39 games in left, 61 in center, 24 in right), recording 9 outfield assists and just six errors in 257 chances. His speed, arm strength, and aggressive approach highlight his five-tool potential. The big question now: how will Washington handle its crowded outfield picture?

Nick Schnell, a former first-round pick of the Tampa Bay Rays (2018), signed a minor league deal with Washington last offseason. After starting 2025 in AA Harrisburg, he was promoted to Rochester on May 23. In 92 games, he led the Red Wings in home runs and RBIs.

Schnell quickly earned his spot in the lineup, even mastering sunny right-field conditions at Innovative Field. He delivered back-to-back walk-off hits against Columbus, including a game-winning home run on a Saturday night that became a season highlight.

He hit .244/.322/.812 with a 32% strikeout rate, while showing impressive power surges—batting .385 in July before cooling off late. Defensively, he notched 258 total chances and five errors across all three outfield spots. Schnell, just 25, will join a crowded competition for outfield depth this spring.

CJ Stubbs, who debuted in Rochester late in 2024, began 2025 in Harrisburg before rejoining the Red Wings in June. He became Rochester’s primary catcher after Drew Millas returned to Washington.

A strong defensive backstop, Stubbs made “the play of the year” on July 24—catching a foul pop-up while tumbling into the Scranton dugout to preserve a 10–8 win. His batting line (.209/.336/.798) undersells his on-base ability; he drew walks, got hit by pitches frequently, and posted an OBP over 100 points higher than his average.

Stubbs was called up on Labor Day weekend alongside Andrew Alvarez, forming the first debuting battery to record a shutout in Nationals history. After returning to Rochester, he caught fire, hitting .281 in September with a 1.111 OPS and five of his six Triple-A homers.

His defense remains elite—he threw out 40% of attempted base stealers (29 of 73). That puts him firmly in the mix this spring, joining Keibert Ruiz, Riley Adams, Jorge Alfaro, and Drew Millas in a deep catching group.

The reporters at The Nats Report will continue covering Washington’s offseason moves and affiliate updates closely. With critical roster decisions ahead, this winter promises to shape the Nationals’ next stage of development.