Nats’ second-round pick Yohandy Morales receives first minor league assignment

Dylan Crews headlined the Washington Nationals 2023 draft class and for good reasons. However, the club’s second-round pick, Yohandy Morales, is pretty formidable in his own right.

Morales will join the Nationals low-A affiliate, the Fredericksburg Nats on Monday, per Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post.

This past collegiate season, Morales hit .408/.475/.713 with 20 home runs and 70 RBI in 61 games at the University of Miami (FL). He hit 38 home runs over his last two years with the Hurricanes.

Baseball pundits viewed Morales as a top-20 prospect entering this year’s draft. Somehow, he slid right into the laps of the Nationals with the 40th overall pick. The value in the pick was not lost, considering he was one of the stronger hitters in college baseball.

“I feel like Washington got two of the best college hitters in the draft if I’m being honest,” Morales said after the Nats selected him.

Crews is considered a generational talent. His tools at the plate and in the outfield are undeniable. But so is Morales.

At 21 years old, Morales should be on a rather quick path to the majors. Starting at Fredericksburg to close out the 2023 season is a start on that path. He went 1-for-3 over the weekend in the Florida Complex League.

Yohandy Morales played third base in college. The Nationals have searched for a long-term replacement since Anthony Rendon left in free agency in the winter of 2019.

The consensus thinking is 2021 first-round draft pick Brady House is the third baseman of the future. Thus, Morales could eventually transition to first base. The Nationals still have some time to sort out the situation.

Having too many good prospects is an enviable problem. Washington knows it’s loaded with future MLB outfielders within its first system. The focus now is getting Morales a taste of things to come. His journey begins in Fredericksburg on Monday.