One of the most pleasant surprises for the Nationals this past season was the breakout of rookie Daylen Lile. Lile, the National League Rookie of the Month and Player of the Month in September, has shortcomings, but he also has the promise to become a consistent middle-of-the-order threat for Washington.
Lile, a second-round draft pick in 2021, was never high on prospect rankings; this season, he was the seventh-ranked prospect for the Nationals. Lile did not dominate the minor leagues either. In High-A, he had a .667 OPS, and at AA, he had a .