It’s been a few weeks since we caught up with the Arizona Fall League, so I thought it was time to provide some updates. The Nationals have had some standout performers in Arizona. We’ve talked about Seaver King, but there are some other players who are making a big impact.
The first person I want to talk about is one of my favorite prospects in the organization, Sam Petersen. He was an 8th round pick out of Iowa in 2024. Despite the lesser pedigree, he was the most productive Nat from the class of 2024. He hit .310 with a .905 OPS in 57 games this year. Petersen was sent to the AFL to play more games as he was injured for much of the season.
Petersen has gotten his reps and has been dominant. That’s him hit .341 with a 1.083 OPS in 12 AFL games. Petersen is coming off a 4/4 game in which he doubled and homered. All this kid has done is take a hit in his professional career. Right now, MLB Pipeline has him as the 24th-ranked Nationals prospect, but I’d like to have him at least 10 spots higher than that.
If Petersen can stay healthy in 2026, his stock should explode. The Nats have a ton of outfield talent, and Sam Petersen is just the next in that assembly line. He has a very well-rounded game with power, speed and contact ability. There isn’t much this kid can’t do. I look forward to following him in 2026.
The AFL’s biggest breakout star for the Nats, however, is a better-known name in Seaver King. The former 10th overall pick had a extremely disappointing first full professional season and finished the year with an OPS of .631. Trey Yesavage, who was picked after becoming a World Series star, hasn’t helped either.
However, King has done a good job of rebuilding his stock in Arizona. Like Petersen, King has done just that posted a 1.083 OPS, but he has played 14 games. Seaver King is batting .377 and leads the league with 24 RBIs. He sprays the ball all over the yard and looks like the guy the Nats got out of Wake Forest.
King still has a lot to prove to justify his selection. The AFL is a hitter-friendly league, but it’s still fun to watch him stomp. He’ll have to do it in actual Minor League games, but it’s fun to watch him hit. Hopefully he can have a recovery year in 2026.
As far as pitching goes, Jake Bennett was the star of the show. He was the best pitching prospect the Nats sent, and he showed why. Don’t be fooled by his 5.40 ERABennett threw the ball well.
He struckout 22 batters and walked only four in Arizona. A lack of strikeouts has been a question mark for Bennett this year, but he showed it in Arizona. Bennett has a deep arsenal of pitches that he masters well. His fastball sits at 93-95 MPH and he has a really good changeup to go with it. Bennett can also land a variety of decent breaking balls.
The Nats will have to make a decision on whether to protect Bennett from the Rule 5 draft. Even though he doesn’t throw above AA, he obviously needs to be protected. He’s almost big-league ready and would be claimed if left unprotected. If he stays healthy, I have every confidence that Bennett will pitch in the MLB next season.
Another notable name in the AFL is 2025 Nat second-round pick Ethan Petry. He is actually the only 2025 draftee in the league. Petry has held his own, with an OPS of about .800. However, a lot of that is because he has been on a lot of walks.
The Nats big guns have had a successful run in Arizona. That’s nice to see after a shaky year on the farm. Improving this farm will be a major priority for Paul Toboni. He has set out to create a scouting and player development monster. That starts in the Minor Leagues.
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