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Washington Nationals outfield prospect James Wood put the baseball world on notice during spring training and not much has changed since. The 21-year-old hit .364 with four homers, a double, a triple, and a 1.214 OPS across 44 spring at-bats, even swiping a trio of bases in the process. Such production had the fantasy community clamoring for an immediate promotion for the promising youngster.
While his bat remained hot into action with Triple-A Rochester, a hamstring injury cost him nearly a month's worth of action. He's back in the Red Wings lineup and has continued to rake at the dish, leaving fantasy managers wondering when Wood's big-league call-up will come.
Let's dive into Wood's fantasy potential and when he could get his first Major League opportunity.
How High Is James Wood's Fantasy Potential?
Wood slugged 26 homers alongside 18 stolen bases in 129 games between the High-A and Double-A levels in 2023, showcasing a power/speed combination that is in rarified air for a player so young. Such production earned him a spot with Triple-A Rochester to begin the 2024 season, and all Wood has done is hit .348 with 10 homers, 10 steals, and a 1.053 OPS across 49 games so far this season.
If you’re looking for the best season so far from an elite prospect, James Wood truly stands out.
He’s hitting for average, he’s getting on base, he’s hitting for power and he’s stealing bases ...
(🎥 @RocRedWings)pic.twitter.com/hFuy07RRKd
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) May 21, 2024
Of course, this is all to say that Wood is set to deliver big-time results for managers who took rather obvious notice of Wood's big spring in Florida.
When Might James Wood Get A Major-League Opportunity?
UPDATE: James Wood will be activated by the Nationals and make his major league debut on Monday, July 1.
Wood's first taste of the big leagues appears to be imminent. After going hitless with a pair of walks in his first two post-injury games, Wood is 3-for-7 with two walks and a homer over his last two games in Rochester. Not only has he displayed a serious combination of power and speed, but Wood has also walked in a hefty 17.9% of his trips to the plate, a figure just slightly south of his excellent 18.8% K%. A 0.95 BB/K will play nicely.
"James Wood is healthy, and he is back in a big way!"
The top @Nationals prospect (MLB No. 4) crushes his first homer since coming off the injured list for the Triple-A @RocRedWings: pic.twitter.com/xkk5Ksp4Ze
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) June 23, 2024
Also factoring into the equation should be the fact that the 38-40 Nats are just 1.5 games back of the final Wild Card spot in the senior circuit. There is a clump of seven National League clubs within three games of that final Wild Card berth, but there is no doubt Washington is in the mix. An unlikely run toward a playoff spot should help speed up Wood's timeline, as a subpar Nationals offense can use any help it can get.
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