James Wood: The Future Face of the Washington Nationals Franchise?

Nationals top prospect James Wood (MLB No. 5) has already provided highlights upon highlights in his first 43 games this season with the Triple-A Red Wings. The honors are accumulating, and the intrigue surrounding his Major League debut grows daily.

Wood was placed on the seven-day injured list on May 28 with right hamstring tightness and has been sidelined ever since. Wood, however, took the trip with the Rochester Red Wings last week when they faced the Worcester Red Sox. As we reported, he has returned to participating in on-field activities, which MLB.com confirmed.

Despite being labeled the Washington Nationals' top prospect, Wood remains unfazed by the added expectations. "No, not really. I don't really worry too much about all that stuff. I just go out there and play the game," he said in my interview.

Despite not being able to finish the month of May, at the beginning of June, Wood, the 21-year-old Washington Nationals prospect who was part of the Juan Soto trade, was named Player of the Month for May in the International League. During May, Wood led the International League in batting average (28-for-71, .394), slugging percentage (.746), and OPS (1.252). The outfielder also ranked second in the IL in on-base percentage (.506) and seventh in RBI (22). Wood spearheaded the offense with 22 RBI, 18 runs scored, and 53 total bases, all leading the team during the month.

And if those numbers don’t impress you, Wood recorded eight multi-hit games during May and posted a 12-game hitting streak from May 3-16.

What was the most challenging part of his development as a player, and what has he done to overcome it? Wood's answer was consistency. “I just think being consistent. I think that's the toughest part of baseball. It's kind of just maintaining who you are each and every day," he noted.

The 21-year-old earned MiLB Player of the Week honors on May 18, tallying five homers and 12 RBI from May 6 to 12 against Scranton Wilkes-Barre. During the week, Wood went 10-for-22 (.454), batting for two multi-home run games, giving him his third of 2024. Wood became the first Rochester Red Wing to have two multi-home run games in one series since Keibert Ruiz managed the feat in August 2021 against Syracuse while playing with the Red Wings.

We interviewed Rochester Red Wings Manager Matt LeCroy earlier in the month and asked him what he thought of Wood being named International League Player of the Month. He responded: “He can't do much more in a short period of time than he did. [I am] Really happy with him. He's progressing in the right direction and continues to improve and prove everybody's deserving of a shot to play the big leagues at some point. Hopefully, we can get him back very quickly and get him up to the big leagues,” about Wood’s development and impressive numbers during May.

James Wood entered the season with one goal: finding consistency in his game. After a roller-coaster season last year, the 21-year-old wanted to create continued success on the field.

Early in 2024, it's safe to say: so far, so good, and consistency remains at the top of his to-do list.

There has been a notable shift in his approach to the game from last year to this year and it has shown on the field. What was the cause of it? Simple, making adjustments to his swing. “There have been some swing adjustments made, but I feel like a lot of it has been my approach at the plate and more mental adjustments than anything physical.”

What has changed for the Washington Prospect and his success in Rochester? “I think just coming up with a plan with our coaching staff and sticking to the plan through the ups and downs.”

Another notable metric that has improved from last season to this season is Wood’s ability to take walks. Last year, he had 65 walks between Wilmington and Harrisburg. Two months into the season, Wood has 35. "Just trying to shrink the zone. Trying to limit my chase and key in on pitches in the middle of the zone," he explained. By narrowing his focus and being selective with his swings, he has increased his on-base percentage and contributed more effectively to his team's offense. (Wood’s on-base percentage currently sits at .465 compared to his .353 last year)

During his 12-game hitting streak from May 3-16, he walked more times (17) than struck out (13) and recorded eight multi-hit games. He has also cut the number of strikeouts down from last year. Last year, combined at High-A Wilmington and Double-A Harrisburg, he struck out 173 times, but with the Red Wings, he has cut his strikeout rate to 18.3%.

Moving up to Triple-A brought the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system into play, which has had a noticeable impact on Wood's experience at the plate. "Yeah, I think it is more consistent. It is still a little bit of an adjustment, and still trying to learn the automated strike zone," he shared. Despite this adjustment, he believes the fundamentals of the game remain the same. "Wood's answer was consistency. “I just think being consistent. I think that's the toughest part of baseball. It's kind

“There have been some swing adjustments made, but I feel like a lot of it has been my approach at the plate and more mental adjustments than anything physical.” - James Wood.

Reflecting on moments where everything seemed to click for Wood, he highlighted the importance of offseason preparation. "Not really. I did a lot of preparation in the offseason, so I feel like I just got myself prepared and have just been carrying that momentum into the season," he said. This preparation has laid a solid foundation he hopes to build upon throughout the season.

While Wood’s amazing numbers have contributed to the intrigue and fans' excitement, with the increased production, the calls to promote the outfielder to the majors are growing louder and louder with each passing game.