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Nationals Fielding Interest in Jacob Young
Teams have expressed interest in trading for Washington Nationals outfielder Jacob Young, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. However, it's unclear whether Washington has a desire to trade him at this time. Young, 26, is a plus defender in center field with four years remaining under team control. He made 112 appearances (901.1 innings) in the outfield last year and didn't commit a single error. While the glovework is impressive, defense can be tougher to project long-term, and the Nationals' new front office might feel less inclined to hold onto a glove-first outfielder from the previous regime. Young's offensive output is nothing special, as he slashed just .231/.296/.287 with two home runs, 15 stolen bases, a 7.4% walk rate, a 17.9% strikeout rate, and a 66 wRC+ last year. He finished the campaign with -14.5 fWAR at the plate, 12.2 fWAR in the field, and 1.0 fWAR overall. Rosenthal notes that the new front office believes the entire outfield can improve offensively and defensively under the new coaching staff, but he also hints at a potential outfield logjam with Robert Hassell III in the mix for a 26-man roster spot alongside Dylan Crews, Daylen Lile, and James Wood. As a result, we wouldn't be surprised if Young becomes the odd man out.
Source: Ken Rosenthal
Source: Ken Rosenthal
