Nationals' Yohandy Morales: Drafted by Washington

The Nationals have selected Morales with the 40th overall pick in the 2023 First-Year Player Draft.

A flawed prospect with a couple of loud tools in his raw power and arm strength, Morales looks to do damage at the dish and was steadily more productive each year at Miami, culminating in a .408/.475/.713 slash line with 20 home runs in 61 games as a junior. His 19.8 percent strikeout rate this season was his best mark with the Hurricanes, but that's still a troublesome amount of swing-and-miss for a college hitter when projecting ahead to pro ball. At 6-foot-4 and with some rigidity in his swing, there will be holes for pitchers to exploit, so the key will be for Morales to do enough damage when he connects to make up for what should be low batting averages and questionable on-base percentages. His arm is a weapon at third base, but he's not a smooth defender, and he may have already peaked as an athlete, so staying on top of his conditioning will be crucial as he ages into his mid-to-late 20s.