The Washington Nationals begin a new era after firing GM Mike Rizzo, making key picks like Eli Willit in the 2025 MLB Draft to kickstart a total rebuild.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Just days after parting ways with longtime General Manager Mike Rizzo, the Washington Nationals have wasted no time charting a new course. The ink is barely dry on the press release, but the team's actions at the 2025 MLB Draft speak volumes. Today's Day 2 selections are the first tangible steps in a new era, one that officially moves on from the architect of the 2019 World Series team to fully embrace a ground-up rebuild.
486 feet. That's the distance on James Wood's longest blast in the Home Run Derby, a towering shot that serves as a powerful reminder of the elite talent already blooming in the system.
The dismissal of Mike Rizzo right before the draft was a seismic shift for the organization. While his legacy includes the franchise's only World Series title, recent years have seen the farm system struggle to produce elite, game-changing talent consistently. The move signals a clear mandate from ownership: the old way isn't working anymore. The challenge for the new front office is immense—to revitalize a system that, beyond a few bright spots like Travis Sykora, needs a massive infusion of high-ceiling prospects.
The first response from the new regime came today with the Day 2 draft picks. The Nationals added right-handed pitcher Miguel Sime Jr. at pick No. 111, followed by a haul that included shortstop/third baseman Coy James and catcher Boston Smith. These players join yesterday's No. 1 overall pick, Eli Willits, as the foundational pieces of this new chapter. The strategy appears clear: amass as much high-potential talent as possible and trust the player development system to mold it.
While the front office and farm system are in flux, the on-field product continues to show glimpses of what could be, alongside painful growing pains. Look no further than All-Star week. James Wood didn't win the Home Run Derby, but his jaw-dropping 486-foot blast was a showcase of his immense power. He represents the type of talent the Nats hope to surround with this new draft class. Of course, the reality of a rebuild was on full display in the final game before the break, an 8-1 loss to the Brewers where the team's struggles were evident. It's a stark reminder of why this focus on the future is so critical.
The pieces are being moved, and a new blueprint is being drawn up. The firing of a long-tenured GM and a pivotal draft class mark July 2025 as a turning point for the Washington Nationals. The road ahead will be long, but for the first time in a while, the direction feels decisive. Now, the work begins to turn these high draft picks and promising prospects into a team that can contend once again.
