Stephen Newman

Contributor at District on Deck

Featured in: Favicon

wiley.com

theglobeandmail.com Favicon

td.org

insidenova.com Favicon

collegiatetimes.com Favicon

pgjonline.com Favicon

districtondeck.com Favicon

cambridge.org Favicon

rsc.org

jdsupra.com + 4 more

Articles

3 more top Nationals prospects who could receive promotions soon

2 weeks ago | districtondeck.com | Stephen Newman

Now that Robert Hassell III has finally received his first major league callup, who else seems close behind him? The big news over the past couple days has been Dylan Crews' placement on the 15-day injured list, and Robert Hassell III's corresponding recall from Triple-A Rochester. After once being among the top prospects acquired in exchange for Juan Soto from the San Diego Padres, Hassell is now yet another outfielder under the age of 25 on the big league roster of the Washington Nationals.
3 offseason moves that are paying dividends for the Nationals

3 weeks ago | districtondeck.com | Stephen Newman

A trade for a slugger, a pair of transitions to the bullpen, and the addition of a utilityman stand out among the best changes thus far this season. In a season in which the Nationals are once again racking up more losses than wins, there have been positive developments across the roster. Although Washington has continued to be reluctant to dish out any major contracts, three decisions stand out among the smartest to have been made so far this season.
4 Nationals players who are younger than you think

1 month ago | districtondeck.com | Stephen Newman

The Nationals have some players who have been in Washington so long that we may have forgotten how young they are. We talk a lot about what a young team the Washington Nationals are, but at times, it seems that we lose sight of how young some of their individual players are. With that in mind, let's take some time to acknowledge some of the team's core players who may be younger than you realize.
Is it time for this Nationals outfielder to become a full-time starter?

1 month ago | districtondeck.com | Stephen Newman

Alex Call is off to a hot start in 2025, and he's making a case to earn a bigger role. It's well documented that the Nationals had an opportunity to spend some money this offseason. In particular, there were a few star outfielders available. But instead of pursuing them, Washington decided to stick with their incumbent options. That meant James Wood and Dylan Crews in the corners and Jacob Young in center field. Or at least that's what we thought.
3 Nationals prospects who should be called up soon

1 month ago | districtondeck.com | Stephen Newman

Former starting pitchers Cole Henry and Jackson Rutledge recently earned big league call-ups. What other players could be next? We all know what this season is about. The Washington Nationals are off to a decent start, but we shouldn't expect that to continue. There are enough roster holes for there to be room to call up some players from the minor leagues. Cole Henry, a second-round pick out of LSU in the 2020 MLB Draft, was the first to earn a promotion.
4 Nationals offseason decisions that already look like mistakes

1 month ago | districtondeck.com | Stephen Newman

After an offseason in which the Nationals didn't do much, these decisions stand out as the biggest blunders. The Washington Nationals are currently on a four-game winning streak. In that regard, although the team lost six of its first seven games, more recently, things are going about as well as anyone could've hoped. The trouble what that thought process is it feels like we're cherrypicking and celebrating small victories, as opposed to sustained success.
This prospect drafted the Nationals passed on just made Houston's Opening Day roster

2 months ago | districtondeck.com | Stephen Newman

Cam Smith is already debuting in the major leagues. Should Nationals fans care? When the Nationals selected Wake Forest infielder Seaver King with the No. 10 pick in last year's draft, he wasn't considered to be one of the best available players. One of the players most experts viewed more favorably was Florida State third baseman Cam Smith.
What players remain in camp that can still make the Nationals Opening Day roster?

2 months ago | districtondeck.com | Stephen Newman

With less than a week of Spring Training remaining, our roster assumptions are becoming reality for the Nationals. Over the last few days, the Washington Nationals have made two rounds of cuts. Admittedly, I'm not sure that anything unexpected has happened in this regard. But still, the battles for the final handful or fewer roster spots are becoming increasingly clear.
Could Nasim Nuñez win a spot on the bench for the Nationals?

2 months ago | districtondeck.com | Stephen Newman

With players like Jose Tena and Juan Yepez struggling to hit, the race for the final bench spot looks much different than we expected entering the spring. Could we see an unlikely candidate crack the Opening Day roster? When spring training began, there seemed to only be one starting spot in the lineup that was up for grabs. Now that Paul DeJong appears to have won the third base job with relative ease, that presumably leaves only one bench role open for competition.
Could this former 2nd round draft pick make the Opening Day roster?

Mar 5, 2025 | districtondeck.com | Stephen Newman

Cole Henry hasn't been what the Nationals hoped he would be. but it's mostly due to injuries. Should poor health be enough to keep him off the major league roster? There's not a ton of spots currently locked down in Washington's bullpen. On paper, it would appear that Kyle Finnegan, Jorge Lopez and Derek Law will play key roles from the right side, while Jose A. Ferrer will be their ace left-handed reliever. Beyond that, it may be anyone's guess.