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.
Can Fedde Crack the Nationals’ Rotation?
In 2018, it makes sense for Fedde to begin the year in Triple-A with the Syracuse Chiefs. He pitched only 34 innings at the minor league’s highest level and didn’t exactly turn in the best results. As a starter and reliever, Fedde finished his time with the Chiefs 1-2 with a 4.76 ERA. Until he can master this level, a job on the roster of the Nationals is questionable.
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As some may recall, the Nationals shifted Fedde to the bullpen around midseason. There was a belief that they were preparing him to make the jump to MLB to help save the bullpen. Trade acquisitions Sean Doolittle, Ryan Madson, and Brandon Kintzler helped settle things down. When Fedde did receive the promotion to Washington, his job was to simply show up and eat a few innings.
Barring a major change, the Nationals open 2018 with a rotation consisting of Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, and Tanner Roark. It’s that final spot which Fedde can land if his Spring Training performance justifies it. If not him, it’s looking like the Nationals may need an outside source.
Internally, the Nationals’ best option might be A.J. Cole. He’s a little less green than Fedde, yet the results aren’t too favorable. He’s also a fallen prospect whose role may at best reach spot starter. I have my doubt he’ll suddenly wake up and challenge any of the other four starters for innings.
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A more realistic expectation of Fedde is that he somehow manages to win a spot in the Nationals’ bullpen. An external option would come in and take over the fifth starter role. Free agency has plenty of castoffs to choose from here. To at least start the season, Fedde will take a back seat to someone with years of experience.