Wood, 21, started the 12 months with the Class AAA Rochester (N.Y.) Red Wings. The 6-foot-7 outfielder, whose long-awaited call-up has generated buzz all through the season, is hitting .346 with a 1.036 OPS in 51 video games for the Red Wings.

The Nationals, in the midst of a 10-day journey, are set to meet the Tampa Bay Rays in Florida later on Friday.

“I cannot confirm or deny the rumors,” stated Martinez, who smirked when requested earlier than Friday’s sport concerning the studies of Wood’s call-up. “But I will tell you this — I’m very excited for when he does get here. He’s an outstanding kid. I’m looking forward to working with him.”

A strong left-handed hitter, Wood has hit 51 dwelling runs in his minor league profession, together with 26 a season in the past. Wood, who grew up in Maryland, landed within the Nationals’ system in 2022 — one of many prospects the San Diego Padres despatched to Washington as a part of the commerce for Juan Soto. Also a part of that deal: MacKenzie Gore, the left-handed pitcher in line to begin Monday.

“We’ve got to remember, he’s still 21 years old,” Martinez stated. “He’s still learning about himself, but he’s got unbelievable talent.”

The Nationals’ 40-man roster is full, so they may have to commerce or designate a participant for task to clear area earlier than Wood debuts Monday. Eddie Rosario, whom the Nationals signed to a minor league deal in March, appears the likeliest choice. The Nationals may strive to discover a group keen to commerce for Rosario, the 2021 National League Championship Series MVP for the Atlanta Braves who has a .556 OPS this season. But that might show tough, even with Rosario’s postseason expertise.

The Nationals have 4 different outfielders on the roster: Lane Thomas, Jacob Young, Jesse Winker and Harold Ramirez, who signed a minor league cope with Washington this month after being designated for task by the Tampa Bay Rays. Winker was taking apply reps at first base with Joey Meneses forward of Friday’s sport, maybe signaling how the Nationals need to incorporate each Winker and Wood into the lineup.

Wood, vivid and soft-spoken, has lengthy carried with him the burden of expectations. And his mom, Paula, has stated that he has “always been obsessed with baseball in a different way than anything else in his life.” His supervisor in Rochester indicated that he is likely to be prepared for an even bigger stage.

“Obviously, that’s not my choice,” Red Wings Manager Matthew LeCroy stated in May. “But he’s done enough right now that I would feel confident, if they asked me [about calling him up], [to say], ‘Hey, man, might as well.’”

Wood is in the midst of his fourth season within the minors. He began the 2023 season in excessive Class A Wilmington and jumped to Class AA Harrisburg after simply 42 video games. This 12 months, he participated in his first massive league spring coaching and impressed.

Wood didn’t make Washington’s Opening Day roster — the Nationals needed to give him extra time to develop. Martinez has raved about Wood’s dedication to studying and bettering his method on the plate. And as he started to dominate Class AAA pitching, the noise round him continued to develop. Wood suffered a proper hamstring damage in mid-May, which sidelined him for a number of weeks. He returned June 18 and has performed in simply six video games.

When the Nationals traded Soto, they hoped to construct a younger core that may make them aggressive once more. Two items of that core — Gore and shortstop CJ Abrams — are already in Washington and have had robust begins to the season. Other gamers concerned within the Soto commerce embrace outfielder Robert Hassell III, who’s on the injured checklist in Class AA Harrisburg, and right-hander Jarlin Susana, who has allowed two runs or fewer in his previous 5 begins for low Class A Fredericksburg.

“We lost a really good player, as we all know,” Martinez stated, referring to Soto. “But to get the quality of players that we got and they’re helping us out in the big leagues right now, with more to come, it’s exciting.”

Wood is set to arrive within the majors not lengthy after outfielder Dylan Crews, the No. 2 total decide within the 2023 draft, joined the Red Wings. Crews, 22, was promoted to Rochester final week.

Wood will be part of a younger Nationals group that has at instances stunned this season because the franchise’s reboot continues to take form. Abrams and infielder Luis García Jr. have been two of the group’s higher hitters. The speedy Young has impressed in heart discipline, and Washington’s pitching — together with Gore and two of his fellow starters, Jake Irvin and Mitchell Parker — has shined. Right-hander Josiah Gray, an all-star in 2023, has spent many of the season on the injured checklist however may rejoin the group within the close to future.

And now Wood’s second looms as Washington’s years-long rebuild takes one other massive step.