Washington Nationals DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

The Washington Nationals optioned outfield prospect Robert Hassell III to Triple-A Rochester on Wednesday, but the former eighth-overall draft pick definitelymade his mark on the spring, going17-for-46 (.370) with a home run, five doubles, and a pair of stolen bases in Grapefruit League play. The left-handed hitter got a taste of Triple-A pitching late lastseason but did not havethe desired results after slashing .125/.188/.156 with no home runs and a 24.6 percent strikeout rate. So, the 23-year-old will get another chance to test his mettle against the top tier of minor league pitching, and after the spring he had, could push for a majorleague debut later this year if all goes well. The Nats' 12th-ranked prospect is not a stash candidate in redraft leagues yet but has the tools to produce when ready, so managers will want to keep tabs on his performance at Rochester.

Washington Nationals right-handed pitcher Cade Cavalli (elbow) is expected to open the season on the injured list. The 26-year-old has been slowly increasing his workload after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023. Cavalli has not made his spring training debut and is expected to be on a strict workload limit during the start of the season. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status but should not expect him to carry much fantasy value early in the season, even when he is activated off the injured list. Last summer, Cavalli was able to log eight 1/3 innings in the minor leagues and held a 2.16 ERA with a 0.72 WHIP. He tallied an impressive 13 punchouts. When he is cleared to return to the big leagues, he may compete for a spot in the rotation during the second half of the campaign.

The Los Angeles Angels have signed Travis Blankenhorn to a minor-league contract. Last summer, Blankenhorn spent 13 games in the major leagues with Washington. Across this small stint, Blankenhorn held a .129/.156/.161 slash line. In 106 games at Triple-A, Blankenhorn posted a .238/.322/.499 slash line with 22 doubles and 26 home runs. He held a 41:118 BB:K and swiped two bags. Across 49 career MLB contests, Blankenhorn has tallied just 14 hits, with only six of them going for extra bases. Fantasy managers should expect the 28-year-old to operate in a depth role at the Triple-A level. He could return to the majors when the Angels need additional outfield depth. However, given his lack of consistent success in the majors, he is not worth targeting any format.

The Texas Rangers have signed starting pitcher Patrick Corbin to a one-year deal on Tuesday. The veteran southpaw was brought in with Jon Gray (wrist) and Cody Bradford (elbow) likely both beginning the season on the injured list. The plan is for Corbin to join the organization in Arizona for the final few days of camp. At this point, Corbin isn't much more than an innings-eater pitcher, which is something the Rangers could use right now. The left-hander posted a 5.62 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, and 139/54 K/BB ratio across 32 starts with the Washington Nationals last season. Corbin hasn't been a viable fantasy option in years and that's unlikely to change in Arlington.

After asking for and being granted his release by the Chicago White Sox over the weekend, first baseman/outfielder/designated hitter Joey Gallo announced on X that he will now be transitioning to a pitcher. Gallo went just 2-for-20 with 11 strikeouts in nine Cactus League games for the White Sox before they cut him. The 31-year-old left-handed slugger was a former 39th overall pick by the Texas Rangers in 2012 and has 208 career home runs, but also 1,292 strikeouts in 3,403 career plate appearances over 10 big-league seasons. The two-time All-Star hit 40-plus home runs in back-to-back seasons in 2017 and 2018 with the Rangers but had really tanked offensively in recent years, slashing just .161/.277/.336 with 10 home runs, 27 RBI and 102 K's in 76 games with the Washington Nationals in 2024. Gallo will be a long shot to resurface in the big leagues as a hurler.