Nationals Trying James Wood in Right Field

Manager explains why the team is giving their young slugger reps across the outfield this spring

Published on Mar. 3, 2026

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The Washington Nationals are experimenting with top prospect James Wood playing both corner outfield positions during spring training, rather than just slotting him in left field as he has played for most of his minor league career. Manager Blake Butera said the team wants to give the 23-year-old a chance to show his athleticism and arm strength in right field as well, rather than pigeonholing him into one spot.

Why it matters

The Nationals are looking to improve their overall team defense this season, and giving Wood more versatility in the outfield could create more lineup flexibility. Wood has struggled defensively at times in the minors, so the team is hoping that working on his skills at multiple positions will help him become a more well-rounded player.

The details

Through one-and-a-half big league seasons, all 202 of Wood's defensive appearances have come in left field. However, that was not the case coming up the minors, as he actually appeared in more games in center (176) and right (52) than left (26). Wood worked on improving his defense throughout the offseason with new bench coach Michael Johns. Manager Butera said he's not sure yet where Wood will play the majority of his time on defense, but wants to give him a chance to show his skills in both corner outfield spots during spring training.

  • Spring training is underway for the Washington Nationals.

The players

James Wood

A 23-year-old top prospect in the Nationals' system who has primarily played left field in his minor league career, but the team is now giving him reps in right field as well to improve his defensive versatility.

Blake Butera

The new manager of the Washington Nationals, who is overseeing the team's efforts to get James Wood more experience in right field this spring.

Michael Johns

The Nationals' new bench coach, who worked with James Wood on improving his defense during the offseason.

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What they’re saying

“Not sure why he just needs to be in left field. He's a pretty good athlete. He's young. He has a good arm. I want to give him an opportunity to be able to play both, if it comes to that -- not necessarily pigeonhole him in one spot.”

— Blake Butera, Manager (MLB.com)

What’s next

The Nationals will continue to evaluate James Wood's defensive abilities at both corner outfield positions over the next couple of weeks of spring training to determine where he will play the majority of his time on defense when the regular season begins.

The takeaway

The Nationals are taking a proactive approach to improving their team defense by giving their top hitting prospect James Wood more opportunities to showcase his athleticism and arm strength in right field this spring, rather than just slotting him into left field. This flexibility could pay dividends for the team's overall defensive performance in the upcoming season.