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Washington Nationals: Top prospect Juan Soto arrives

By Drew Douglas

WOODBRIDGE, VA - MAY 6, 2018: Outfielder Juan Soto #18 of the Potomac Nationals, single-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, at bat during the bottom of the first inning of a Carolina League game on May 6, 2018 against the Salem Red Sox, single-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, at Northwest Federal Field at Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, VA.(Photo by: Diamond Images/Getty Images)
WOODBRIDGE, VA - MAY 6, 2018: Outfielder Juan Soto #18 of the Potomac Nationals, single-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, at bat during the bottom of the first inning of a Carolina League game on May 6, 2018 against the Salem Red Sox, single-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, at Northwest Federal Field at Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, VA.(Photo by: Diamond Images/Getty Images) /
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On Saturday, Howie Kendrick became the latest Washington Nationals outfielder to suffer a significant injury. Now, top prospect Juan Soto will get a chance in the majors.

The Washington Nationals seem to have the worst injury luck in the league, but that is especially exaggerated in the outfield.

Last year, Adam Eaton missed nearly all of his debut season in DC after tearing several ligaments in his knee and ankle in late-April. Then, Bryce Harper missed over a month with a hyperextended knee.

Unfortunately, the theme of outfield injuries has continued into 2018.

Eaton played in just eight games before requiring ankle surgery, Brian Goodwin has missed over a month with a wrist injury, Victor Robles will miss most of the season with a hyperextended elbow, and Rafael Bautista will miss the entire season with a several torn ligaments in his knee.

Due to a plethora of injuries in the outfield, the Nats have been forced to play a few natural infielders in the outfield. Howie Kendrick, Matt Adams, and Wilmer Difo have all seen time in the outfield this year.

Now, even the natural infielders are suffering significant injuries. On Saturday, Kendrick ruptured his Achilles in left field and will likely miss the rest of the season. Of the eight outfielders that the Nats have on their 40-man roster, four are injured.

Harper, Michael Taylor, Andrew Stevenson, and Moises Sierra are the four healthy outfielders, but Harper is the only one that appears to belong in the majors at the moment. It is worth noting, though, that even Harper has not looked right, batting just .228.

In the wake of Kendrick’s season-ending injury, the Nats will reportedly promote top prospect Juan Soto to the majors.

Soto, just 19 years old, began the year in Low-A Hagerstown but has raked his way to Double-A Harrisburg. In 39 games between Low-A, High-A, and Double-A, he has slashed .362/.462/.757 with 14 homers and 52 RBI.

The injury bug caught Soto last year, forcing him to miss most of the season, but that has not appeared to affect his development drastically. His offensive prowess has caught the eyes of many, drawing comparisons to Vladimir Guerrero.

According to MLB.com, Soto is the 15th-best prospect in baseball. However, some would argue that he could be ranked even higher. Former GM and current analyst Jim Bowden believes Soto is the second-best prospect, behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

When Soto makes his much-awaited debut, he will become the league’s youngest player. Not many 19-year-olds get the opportunity to prove themselves in the majors, with Julio Urias and Harper being the last two.

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There is no guarantee that Soto will remain on the major league roster for long, but he could play himself onto the team. Goodwin could reportedly return in a couple weeks and Eaton is hopeful that he can return in six weeks.

Until then, Soto will see some time in left field. If he impresses, he could presumably earn the starting job, with Eaton sliding to center field. However, it remains to be seen if the Nats will trust Eaton’s oft-injured left leg enough to play him in center field.

If nothing else, Soto can serve as a spark to get the Nats going. With Harper struggling and Daniel Murphy, Ryan Zimmerman, Matt Wieters, and Eaton on the disabled list, the Nats are starving for offense. It does not help that Kendrick, the team’s most consistent hitter, is likely out for the year.

As we saw when Harper and Robles debuted, young talent can give a team a much-needed spark.

This will also give the Nats a glimpse into their future. As early as next year, their outfield could consist of Soto, Robles, and Eaton.

Next: 5 possible replacements for Matt Wieters

The Washington Nationals were not planning to promote Juan Soto this early, especially after playing just seven games in Double-A, but a plethora of outfield injuries forced their hand. Whether Soto is here to stay or not remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: It will be exciting.

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