Dougherty responded with "Jake Irvin" when asked about a potential pleasant surprise starting pitcher in the 2023/24 time frame.
Q: Do you want to take a stab at a predicting a surprise pitcher who could emerge in 2023/24? A great stuff guy you think can be healthy and figure it out? A guy who is overlooked but has had success? A Strasmas miracle?
Dougherty: I'll go with right-handed pitcher Jake Irvin, though that's a bit of a shot in the dark. The 26-year-old climbed the system last year after missing 2021 because of Tommy John surgery. He finished in AA and had some impressive appearances down in West Palm Beach this spring. Way back in November, the club added him to the 40-man roster to protect him from being taken in the Rule 5 Draft.
Aside from hearing good things about him from folks on the minor league side, here's a nugget: Irvin's sinker was a very important pitch for when he thrived at Oklahoma. But during his Tommy John rehab, he only threw four-seamers because team trainers thought his sinker could negatively affect his recovery. Last season, he rode with this four-seamer as his primary fastball and didn't bring the sinker back. But it's now in his arsenal again, making Irvin a more complete pitcher than he was while impressing in 2022. That could bode well for the Nationals down the line.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/03/28/washington-nationals-opening-day/
