Looking over the Washington National’s roster one begins to feel very old. The 26-man roster consists of nine players who are 25 or younger, four of which were born in the 2000s. These young players are all part of the Nationals long plan to rebuild. After a couple of years building, trading, and drafting Nationals fans are finally starting to see the benefits of this evolution. The young star players are bringing new life to the Nationals stadium, and are making a positive impact on the game. However, the team still needs time to work out a few flaws.

On Sunday the Nationals showcased their young starting team. DJ Herz, rookie left-hander, was the starting pitcher for the game against the Cardinals. He pitched 4 ½ innings, allowing five hits and four earned runs. The exemplary James Wood took over left field, a position which he has slowly been settling in to. The 24 years old Jacob Young played centerfield. Trey Lipscomb, who joined the Nationals this season from the farm league, was also in the starting line up at third base. It was also announced on Sunday that CJ Abrams earned his first All-Star selection, which should really come as no surprise with a 1.109 OPS since June. He too is a great part of the Washington Nationals progressive move forward to being a competitive team.

James Wood has been demonstrating excellent skill in the box. He has an on base streak of seven games, the second longest streak for a rookie in Nationals history. He has a .320 batting average with a home run, multiple hits, walk and stolen base. However, seems to be finding difficulty with overcoming challenges in left field. In only his second game with the Nationals, he let a line drive from Pete Alonso - with a 95 percent catch probability - drop in front of him. However, July 8 he made a miraculous diving catch off the bat of Brendon Donovan.

Down on the farm Dylan Crews cruises in Triple-A. Dylan Crews has been a hot topic in the MLB after being the No. 2 round draft pick for the Washington Nationals back in 2023. He has continued to be a point of interest in the minor leagues. He has made the move to the Washington Nationals Triple- A team, the Rochester Red Wings. Settling in and finding a good amount of success there with a .259 batting average, three doubles, two home runs, and seven RBIs. This week it has been announced that he will represent the Washington Nationals in the Futures All-Star game, a competition of MLBs top prospects. His fellow teammate James Wood was set to join him, but having recently been called up to the show, he will be replaced for the game. It will likely not be long before Dylan Crews will join James Wood in Washington.

While this is a very exciting time for the Washington Nationals there is also a steep learning curve for these young players. This is evident by the 8-3 loss the Nationals suffered against the Cardinals on Sunday. The defeat emphasized the inexperience that comes with a young team. Big upsets and greater victories will come and go for these young stars as they get adjusted to the big time. We can only hope that the victories will be more plentiful than the upsets.