Follow the Prospects: James Wood, OF

[KnorrForYourMoney]

Out with knee soreness

 

Not what you like to see in a tall, young outfielder.

[Slateman]

Not what you like to see in a tall, young outfielder.

Eh, kind of expected. Most baseball he's ever played.

[welch]

He's playing again. Saw him strike out last night...but then turned back to the Nats. Box score says he struck out three times. Average still .295.

[welch]

As of today, hitting .293, 2 homers, .829 OPS at Fred-burg: https://www.milb.com/player/james-wood-695578

Not a bad first year in A-ball.

[imref]

https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/standout-prospect-statistics-2022

Nationals: 151 wRC+
James Wood, OF (No. 3/MLB No. 34)
That’s Wood’s number for the season, split over 71 games mostly between Single-A Fredericksburg in the Nats system and Single-A Lake Elsinore in the Padres pipeline. We use wRC+, which is controlled for league factors in the Minors, because it helps eliminate some of the pro-hitter California League numbers and illustrates just how good Wood was everywhere he played before and after the Juan Soto blockbuster. The 6-foot-7 outfielder strikes out less than you’d expect for someone with his size and power, and his loud tools should make him a fun follow in his new organization.

[imref]

Named top A-level prospect:
https://www.milb.com/news/single-a-all-stars-mvp-top-prospect-2022

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Named top A-level prospect:
https://www.milb.com/news/single-a-all-stars-mvp-top-prospect-2022

top prospect in the California League for his time prior to the trade.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Mayo on an MLB Pipeline poll of front office executives regarding prospects with best tools:
https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/mlb-front-office-selections-best-prospect-tools?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage

Usable (Game) Power:

43% -- Jordan Walker, OF, Cardinals
11% -- Francisco Álvarez, C, Mets
9% -- James Wood, OF, Nationals
6% -- Elly De La Cruz, SS/3B, Reds
6% -- Gunnar Henderson, 3B/SS, Orioles
6% -- Tyler Soderstrom, 1B/C, A’s
Also received votes: Brett Baty, 3B, Mets; Triston Casas, 1B, Red Sox; Marco Luciano, SS, Giants; Matt Mervis, 1B, Cubs; George Valera, OF, Guardians; Anthony Volpe, SS, Yankees; Matt Wallner, OF, Twins

This is another question that I would have thought might have gone differently, with Álvarez and his 51 Minor League homers over the last two seasons (not to mention his career .526 slugging percentage in the Minors) getting more support. Baked into the term “usable power” is the belief that a player will consistently tap into their raw pop to put up numbers in the big leagues, and it turns out more execs believe Walker’s feel to hit will mean more usable power.

Considering age and ETA in the majors, the Wood consensus is remarkable.

[Senatorswin]

Sam Dykstra from MLB's pipeline newsletter picked 5 of the top 100 prospects to watch this year. One of them was James Wood. Here's part of what he said:

"The 20-year-old was just finding his footing at Single-A last year in the San Diego and Washington systems, so we didn’t get him much above that at No. 17, but now that he’s settled, I could see him playing at three levels in 2023 and contending for the No. 1 spot by midseason."

[zimm_da_kid]

Average exit velocity is one of the best translating attribute from the minors to the majors and stabilizes in the majors within a couple hundred batted balls. 

Out of BAs 2023 top 100 wood, casas, Henderson, and astros C Diaz led the way with a 92 mph avg.  wood is the youngest of that group.

Wood is a monster stud

[welch]

Fred'burg -> Wilmington in 2023. Harrisburg->Syracuse->maybe September call up. Is this possible?

[Natsinpwc]

Fred'burg -> Wilmington in 2023. Harrisburg->Syracuse->maybe September call up. Is this possible?

Anything is possible.
Why would you want to do that and burn service time?  Don’t expect him until 2025 at the earliest. 

[zimm_da_kid]

Fred'burg -> Wilmington in 2023. Harrisburg->Syracuse->maybe September call up. Is this possible?

He had success at low a last year.  Should definitely start this year at high a.  If anything there’s more of a case to start him at aa than back in low a.  Hasn’t been challenged anywhere

[JCA-CrystalCity]

He had success at low a last year.  Should definitely start this year at high a.  If anything there’s more of a case to start him at aa than back in low a.  Hasn’t been challenged anywhere

3 level jump was one guy's call

Sam Dykstra from MLB's pipeline newsletter picked 5 of the top 100 prospects to watch this year. One of them was James Wood. Here's part of what he said:

"The 20-year-old was just finding his footing at Single-A last year in the San Diego and Washington systems, so we didn’t get him much above that at No. 17, but now that he’s settled, I could see him playing at three levels in 2023 and contending for the No. 1 spot by midseason."

Sounds like either a month in F-burg followed by A+ for 3 and end the season at AA, or maybe A+ through May, AA in June / July / some of August, then finish the last month or so in AAA.

[Natsinpwc]

What kind of fantasy world are you guys living in?  Is he the next new Ted Williams?  I think as Elvir said a few days ago don’t pay attention until they show they can hit in Double A. He’s two levels away from that as of now. Maybe see how he does in spring training before we carve his path for the year?

[Elvir Ovcina]

3 level jump was one guy's callSounds like either a month in F-burg followed by A+ for 3 and end the season at AA, or maybe A+ through May, AA in June / July / some of August, then finish the last month or so in AAA.

He has to start in Wilmington.  What use would it be to put him back at F'burg? 

[zimm_da_kid]

He batted .313/.420/.536 with 50 walks against 75 ks.  Very ready for high a

[imref]

He has to start in Wilmington.  What use would it be to put him back at F'burg? 

Closer to the Battlefield Country Store in Fredricksburg and their insane ice cream concoctions.

[Natsinpwc]

Closer to the Battlefield Country Store in Fredricksburg and their insane ice cream concoctions.

Keep away from any classified documents that might be found in Wilmington?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Kind of shocked this hasn't been mentioned (or mentioned much), but Camerato says he's originally from Rockville, MD.  Focus of course has been on IMG and teaming with Green there.

https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/james-wood-first-spring-training-with-nationals

as for defense:

Wood is among a trio of center fielders – along with Hassell and high school teammate Elijah Green – that gives the Nationals immense depth at the position as they are building for their future. Wood has been running through drills in center in Minor League camp, but he noted he played right field in high school and during travel ball, making him comfortable throughout the outfield.
...
Wood attributes his defensive agility to his athletic background, which included playing basketball until halfway through his junior year. A center and power forward, his footwork to slide on defense translates to the field.

“I watch Wood run, and it doesn’t look like he’s running and he’s covering the gap just about as good as anybody we’ve got,” said manager Dave Martinez. “That’s pretty impressive – the kid is 6-foot-7 and can run like that.”

[Senatorswin]

Wood and Green in the same high school outfield must of been pretty awesome.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Wood and Green in the same high school outfield must of been pretty awesome.

well, IMG is an elite sports training academy, so it's not really a normal random high school or prep gathering these guys.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

#3 prospect in baseball per FG's top 100.  60 FV.  Comparison is to Adam Dunn in terms of potential build, but with some likelihood that he maintains an ability to play in CF with good defense if he does not blow up that much.

From the write up:

So far in pro ball, Wood has been incredible. He hit .337/.453/.601 as a teenager in the Cal League before the Padres traded him to Washington as part of the Juan Soto blockbuster, after which he hit .293/.366/.463. He did this amid multiple wrist injuries, which is something to keep in the back of your mind in the event that it becomes a chronic issue, as Wood’s wrists are an integral part of keeping his swing short enough to be manageable. ... Even though Wood is quite big, he has feel for tucking his hands in and getting the barrel to softer pitches on the inner half of the plate, often staying inside them and driving them to the opposite gap. He’s so long that this may be exposed as an issue as the level of velocity Wood sees increases. For now, it’s amazing how sentient his feel to hit is considering his age and size. Wood has a real chance to both hit and hit for gargantuan power, and while his swing isn’t geared for consistent lift at this point, he has the raw strength to do damage anyway.

Says that, with his speed, he looks like a plus glove in CF, provided he does not add a lot of weight, like Adam Dunn.  Downside is that he is a 1B/DH, but he hits well enough to play there and perhaps excel.
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/2023-top-100-prospects/

[Natsinpwc]

Folks only seem to post here when guys do well. Wood went 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts in his debut at High A. Still looking foreword to watching him as he may arrive in my lifetime! Doubleheader scheduled tonight.

[welch]

On to the next game. Wood might look better over his first month, just as CJ Abrams has looked better over the first week. Triples are fun, even though modern ballparks are so small that batter hit fewer triples. (In 1955, a miserable season with 53 wins, the Nats hit 54 triples...including one by Mickey McDermott, a starting pitcher. Of course, Griffith Stadium was so big that current ballplayers would probably cry if they saw it.