10 months agoWashington Nationals outfielder outfielder James Wood is an impressive athlete considering his 6'7" frame, and many will be quick to throw an Aaron Judge comp on him, as anyone who is over 6'5" tends to get. He moves well for his size and is a fast runner once he gets going. In 2023, Wood spent time between High-A and Double-A, with the majority of his season being spent in Double-A Harrisburg. Wood slashed .262/.353/.520 between both stops, with 26 home runs and 18 stolen bases. The concerns come in when you see the 173 strikeouts, good for a 31.5 percent rate. The contact rate of 68 percent leaves plenty to be desired, but there are plenty of positives to take away from the lefty with long levers. Wood has massive power, to no surprise, as he has 41 career home runs in 850 at-bats, with 26 of them coming this season. Wood's 90th percentile exit velocity of 109 mph shows massive power and firmly puts him in the 60-70 grade range for power. In addition to the power, Wood also shows a solid approach, chasing just 26 percent of pitches out of the zone, which is better than average, and showing the ability to mash fastballs. There are major concerns about his struggles with breaking balls and changeups, and it seems like Wood spends the majority of the 2024 season in the minors and likely has a late-season cup of coffee.--Chris Clegg - RotoBaller