The 2018 Washington Nationals starting rotation is pretty much secured with one exception: the fifth starter. Unfortunately for pitching prospect Erick Fedde, he’s too green for the job.
The best pitching prospect the Washington Nationals have in their arsenal is Erick Fedde. That isn’t saying much. A weak finish in 2017 knocked him out of many top 100 lists and into obscurity. No longer viewed as a game-changer, this young pitcher has a hill to climb.
Fedde will pitch the 2018 season at 25 after making only three big league appearances. The former first-round draft pick hasn’t progressed through the minor leagues at a tremendous rate, leaving many wondering when and if Fedde will ever have an impact in the big leagues.
All three of those MLB appearances under Fedde’s belt came last season as a starter. The result was a horrific 9.39 ERA to go with a loss and two no-decisions. Fedde was incredibly wild, and when he did find the strike zone, opponents hammered him with a home run in nearly a third of the innings he pitched.
This small sample size shouldn’t completely destroy Fedde’s confidence. However, it is beginning to look like he’s destined for the back of the rotation, not the front. That’s if the Nationals even keep him as a starter.
Considering the Nationals’ limited rotation need, at the fifth starter spot, it’s worth exploring whether Fedde has a chance.