Baseball America's Carlos Collazo expressed cautious optimism about the Washington Nationals' future in a recent interview. He highlighted the team's new leadership, key acquisitions like catcher Harry Ford, and the promising 2026 draft class. While the farm system remains underwhelming, Collazo sees potential for improvement under the new regime.
Carlos Collazo, Baseball America's national writer since 2017, discussed the Washington Nationals' outlook in an engaging interview. A lifelong baseball enthusiast who transitioned from playing to journalism at the University of North Carolina, Collazo brings unique insights from his scouting connections.
He praised the Nationals' new president of baseball operations, Paul Toboni, whom he has known from Toboni's time in Boston. "Paul Toboni is one of the few POBO’s I have gotten to know prior to him becoming the top guy," Collazo said. Toboni's recent hire of Peter Flaherty as Northeast scouting supervisor excited Collazo, calling Flaherty "my side-kick" and noting his natural scouting talent from stints with the Yankees and Cape Cod League.
On the farm system, Collazo described it as solid yet underwhelming for a team without a winning season since 2019. No Nationals prospects rank in Baseball America's top 15. However, he is bullish on 2025 first overall pick Eli Willits, a high school shortstop he views as a top-three talent and the class's most well-rounded hitter, dismissing narratives labeling him a "cheap option."
The trade for catcher Harry Ford from Seattle stood out as ideal for a rebuilding team. "The exact kind of deal you want to make if you are a team like the Nationals," Collazo noted, valuing Ford's offensive production in the minors and AAA success, though defense remains a concern. Ford's athleticism offers outfield versatility.
Looking to the 2026 draft, Collazo called it one of the deeper classes in years, headlined by UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky as the clear top pick. Despite picking 11th due to lottery rules, he highlighted potential targets like college hitters Sawyer Strosnider, Derek Curiel, and Chris Hacopian, high schoolers Jacob Lomard, Tyler Spangler, and Blake Bowen, plus arms Liam Peterson, Cameron Flukey, and Jackson Flora.
Collazo hopes the new regime improves development, citing past struggles. He remains intrigued by prospects like Alex Clemmey, whose control issues project him as a reliever, and Seaver King, whose athleticism and power shone in the Arizona Fall League despite a rough season.
Overall, Collazo is cautiously optimistic, lauding the hires but acknowledging the team is not yet close to contending.