Nats prospect Devin Fitz-Gerald making MacKenzie Gore an afterthought

Former Nationals southpaw Mackenzie Gore certainly hasn’t gotten off to the greatest start in Texas. The 27-year-old who was long considered the future of the Washington rotation was dealt to the Rangers during the 2026 offseason, and the next step that so many analysts and fans believed he could take simply hasn’t come. He has a 5.18 ERA through 40.0 innings, with a concerningly high walk rate and consistent struggles effectively working deeper into games.

Infielder Gavin Fien, the Rangers 1st-round selection in the 2025 draft, was seen as the central piece in the return for Gore, and he remains firmly in the organization’s Top-5 prospect rankings. However, he might not be the prospect that could yield the greatest results.

20-year-old shortstop Devin Fitz-Gerald, a main part, but not the headliner in the deal, has been a man on a mission through the first part of the 2026 season. Starting the year with the High-A Wilmington Blue Rocks, he’s been an absolute nightmare for pitchers to face.

Devin Fitz-Gerald (WSH) has looked like a consensus T-100 prospect to start the season. The 20-year-old is 1 of 2 prospects to have a wRC+ over 170, 10+ SB, and a K% below 20%. He is 4 years and 13 days younger than the other player on that list. Also running a plus 79.7% Con%. pic.twitter.com/DNsyNbNgzo

— Running From The OPS (@OPS_BASEBALL) May 9, 2026

The counting numbers fly off the page, with a slash line of .310/.439/.593 through 113 at-bats, including a 15-for-42 stretch with 4 HR and 10 XBH in the last 14 days. What’s even more impressive is how he’s doing it. A shoulder injury prematurely ended his 2025 campaign with the Single-A Hickory Crawdads, and there were legitimate concerns about how his power tool would rebound moving forward. With almost a 30-game sample size under his belt so far in his return to action, those questions have been silenced.

Looking at Fitz-Gerald’s profile, it’s difficult to find even the smallest weakness in his 2026 performance to this point. He’s hitting the ball hard, he’s beginning to elevate with intent, and boasts equally impressive walk and strikeout rates, both sitting at 15.7%. Everything about his start screams sustainability, and his bat-to-ball skills have looked as good as any prospect in the minors.