The Washington Nationals have an abundance of outfield talent.
The team’s top prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No.2 overall prospect James Wood has shown some flashes since his call up on July 1st.
The club’s No.2 prospect Dylan Crews is playing well after his call up to Triple-A. The club’s No.10 prospect Robert Hassell III is doing some really nice things with Double-A Harrisburg.
While all that’s fine and dandy inquiring minds and Nats fans wanna know what’s going on with 2022 No.5 overall pick Elijah Green.
The supremely talented 20-year-old has been stuck in Single-A for nearly two seasons, and the main reason is high strikeout rate.
Green has struggled to become a consistent contact hitter striking out at the rate of (46.2 of his late appearances). In fact last season he struck out 139 times and batted .239, this season he’s batting .189 with 153 strikeouts thus far this season, but all is not lost for Green.
Green Has The Tools: Needs To Improve Contact
The high strikeout numbers are definitely alarming but, if you factor in his balls in play minus homers and strikeouts he batted a gaudy (.407).
This season, he’s seen his power numbers increase from five homers to nine and his extra-base hits have increased from seven to nine. And once again if you take out homers and strikeouts he’s batting a solid (.316).
That tells you everything you need to know, Green must become better with contact.
Speaking with reporters about his approach at the plate in mid-July, Green said:
“Right now, just trying to work on pitch selection. Just trying to get my pitches that I want to swing at and know the pitches that I crush. So I’m just trying to get to that point.”
Nationals Brass Knew This Could Happen
When the Nationals drafted Green, team brass knew all about his troubles at the plate as it pertains to strikeouts. Fredericksburg manager Jake Lowery told reporters this about Green in July.
“When we drafted him he had some swing-and-miss, but the power potential, the body, the size, those are the things that you can’t teach.
And for him to make contact, as cliche as it sounds, is something that we’re working on:
His intent with it, the atmosphere that we’re putting him in. and his work behind the scenes, his due diligence behind the scenes to do it and to try it is off the charts.”
When Green make contact good things happen as evidenced by his combined average of (.361) over two seasons. His power is also still there, and that was never more evident than his Mother’s Day homer that clocked at 116 MPH, the hardest homer hit by a FredNat player this season.
Green Will Get There
Green’s struggles hasn’t caused the Nationals organization to sour on him. If anything his determination and desire to figure this out has seemingly made team brass even bigger believers in his ability.
It also doesn’t hurt to be the son of a former NFL Pro Bowl tight end who just so happened to play with Pro Football Hall of Famer Ray Lewis with the Baltimore Ravens.
Charles Nyonga catches up with Washington Nats prospect Elijah Green, the son of former NFL player Eric Green. Green was the No.5 overall pick by the Nats out of IMG Academy and he’s adjusting to major league competition and his future is bright.
MLBbro.com’s Charles Nyonga catches up with Fredericksburg Nats star Daylen Lile, who was drafted by the Washington Nationals in the 2nd round of the 2021 MLB June Amateur Draft out of Trinity HS (Louisville, KY). He’s one of a rich crop of MLBbros in the Washington Nationals organization.
The Washington Nationals are in a complete rebuild after winning the World Series just four seasons ago. Gone from that World Series team are stars Juan Soto, Max Scherzer, Anthony Rendon and Trea Turner, along with key MLBbros like Howie Kendrick and Michael A Taylor.
And while the last couple seasons, wins have been scarce, the team’s cupboard isn’t bare at all, and it begins with players CJ Abrams, Josiah Gray, James Wood and yes 2022 first-round Elijah Green who’s expected to be the best of the bunch in the not-so-distant future.
Green the 19-year-old five tool player, is currently playing with Class-A Fredericksburg of the Carolina League, and let’s just say he’s already showing why he was a top-five pick in last year draft.
The hulking 6-foot-3, 225-pound specimen is batting .438 (7-for-17) with two doubles, one triple, two RBI and two stolen bases in two attempts In just 16 minor league games which include last season’s Florida Complex League, Green has 20 hits in 59 plate appearances good enough for a (.339) batting average, six doubles and 10 RBI.
But nothing tops Sunday’s walk-off hit by Green, which was the first of many.
Green Rebounds After 9th-Inning Error To Walk It Off In Extra Innings
During Fredericksburg’s ten-inning win over Lynchburg on Easter Sunday, Green showed some real stones that should bode well for he and the Nationals in the future. A fielding error by Green in the ninth inning allowed Lynchburg to tie the game and send it into extras.
That’s when Green the 2022 No.5 overall pick, and MLB Pipeline’s No.41 overall prospect went to work.
Green’s line drive hit to left field won the game for Fredericksburg and secured the talented future Nationals centerfielder’s first career walk-off hit.
Here's how it looked on the FredNats Baseball Network as Elijah Green walks it off in the bottom of the 10th:#WeAreFXBGpic.twitter.com/T2vLkZm9Ra
— Fredericksburg Nationals (@FXBGNats) April 9, 2023
Elijah Green Told Media He Was A Five-Toll Phenom
It’s really no surprise that Green did it, but his trajectory to the pros is moving at light speed. His elevation may have shocked a few skeptics, but Green told the media following the 2022 draft that he can do it all.
“I feel like I can change the game with one swing. I can do everything. A leader on the field, can change the game, in every aspect of the game.”
Green’s patience and understanding of what’s needed in late-game situations and not swing for the fences is an example of his maturity.
Green’s Dad Was Ecstatic, But Not Shocked
Elijah comes from good stock; his dad is a former NFL tight end who spent three of his 10-year career with the Baltimore Ravens. Eric is no stranger to what his son is capable of, so for him it’s not all that surprising. He even retweeted his son’s big hit.
Green knows that growing up around his dad and other prominent athletes is a huge advantage and he doesn’t take it lightly at all.
At FredNats media day, Green expounded on that very thing.
“It just gave me the correct mindset coming into pro ball and all that. The athletes that I was around just told me what to expect, and what I needed to do to get to the next level.”
With that mindset and Green’s elite skillset, he’s got the mental and physical makeup to be a cornerstone of the Washington Nationals franchise for years to come.
Charles Nyonga discusses Washington Nationals cornerstone pieces in 6-foot-7 slugger James Wood and SS CJ Abrams, both acquired in the Juan Soto trade. Top 2022 draft pick Elijah Green completes the latest addition of soul power to Chocolate City.
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