By Joe Pohoryles
It’s that time of year, folks. For the third year in a row, we have an updated edition of Washington, D.C. sports top 25 players under the age of 25.
This list does not rank the potential of each player, but rather where each player currently stands based on their performance from the past year. A player’s role on the team and production are taken into account. To see last year’s list, click here.
If the player was under 25 as of Jan. 1, 2022, they qualify for this list, and all ages listed for each player is their age as of Jan. 1 as well. Players who had birthdays in the past two weeks are indicated by an asterisk.
There are 13 total departures from last year’s list. Four players aged out:
- Washington DE Montez Sweat (2021 No. 2)
- Detroit* LW Jakub Vrana (2021 No. 4)
- Washington LB Cole Holcomb (2021 No. 11)
- Washington WR Cam Sims (2021 No. 17)
Vrana also wouldn’t be eligible even if he was young enough, since he was traded to Detroit for Anthony Mantha last season.
Additionally, there are six other players no longer on the list after leaving Washington, and three others who are off due to injury/poor performance.
- Wizards C Thomas Bryant (2021 No. 10)
- Nationals OF Victor Robles (2021 No. 12)
- Washington DT Tim Settle (2021 No. 14)
- New Jersey D Jonas Siegenthaler (2021 No. 15)
- Chicago G/F Troy Brown Jr. (2021 No. 16)
- Pittsburgh WR Steven Sims (2021 No. 20)
- Toronto G/F Isaac Bonga (2021 No. 21)
- G-League G Jerome Robinson (2021 No. 23)
- Orlando F/C Moe Wagner (2021 No. 24)
Poor Victor Robles, who just two years ago ranked No. 5 on this list. The former top prospect was sent down to Triple A in late August to find his footing after slashing .203/.310/.295 with just two home runs and 19 RBI in the majors this year. The emergence of Lane Thomas makes Robles’ return to the everyday lineup less certain, but after hitting .306 with four home runs, eight RBI and seven stolen bases across 24 games in the minors, he could take a step in the right direction.
Thomas Bryant, meanwhile, tore his ACL early last season and just recently returned to game action. He was averaging 14.3 points and 6.1 rebounds as the starting center by the time he went down, but with Daniel Gafford and Montrezl Harrell holding down the center rotation, the front court is a lot more crowded now.
Tim Settle recorded zero sacks in 16 games this year, not that stats mean everything, but there were only two games in which he played more than 30 percent of the defensive snaps. He just wasn’t much of a factor this season compared to last year.
Even needing to fill half the list, the Nationals have become flush with new young talent following the fire sale in July. The Capitals got to showcase their top prospects at the NHL level with all the injuries early in the season, and the Washington Football Team’s young players continue to make an impact.
This is easily the most competitive list in its short history, but there’s definitely a lot more quantity than quality. It was tough narrowing down 25, but not even the entire Top 10 is what I would consider to be elite young talents.
But that’s the beauty of this list: dealing with such young players, there’s always room for development and breakouts in upcoming years, but for now we’ll focus on this year.
With this third installment, here is the 2022 Top 25 under 25:
25. Capitals C Hendrix Lapierre, 19 | Last year: N/A
24. Capitals RW Brett Leason, 22 | Last year: N/A
23. Washington TE John Bates, 24 | Last year: N/A
22. Nationals 3B Carter Kieboom, 24 | Last year: No. 23
21. Washington DE James Smith-Williams, 24 | Last year: N/A
20. Nationals RP Mason Thompson, 23 | Last year: N/A
Lapierre headlined a great story in the season-opener, scoring a goal in his NHL debut in the Caps’ 5-2 win over the New York Rangers on Oct 13. The 19-year-old skated in just six games before being sent back down to the QMJHL, but may have the highest ceiling of any Caps prospect. While it was a short stint, Caps fans got an exciting look at someone who could be the team’s next star center.
Leason was not expected to get much NHL playing time this season, if at all, but as is the theme with all the Caps’ youngsters this year, injuries and COVID had other plans. The 2019 second-rounder has six (3g, 3a) points in 25 games, primarily skating on the bottom six, where he will likely remain once he becomes a full-time NHLer.
Bates was a bit of an afterthought as a fourth-round rookie tight end, especially with Logan Thomas ahead in the depth chart, but the block-first Bates got more attention on offense with Thomas sustaining multiple injuries throughout the year. He even played 100% of the offensive snaps in the season finale. With 249 yards on 20 receptions this season, Bates won’t be a TE1, but he looks like he’ll bring strong value for a Day 3 pick going forward.
Kieboom makes his third appearance on this list in a row, going from 23 to 22 to 23 again this year as his coronation as the Nats’ new cornerstone third baseman has not gone smoothly. His average (.207) and OPS (.617) improved just marginally in 62 games this season compared to 33 games in 2020, and his .958 fielding percentage was seventh-worst in the NL among third basemen (min. 60 games). It’s his final year eligible on this list, and perhaps his final chance to prove he belongs in the majors.
Smith-Williams got unexpected playing time this year after long term injuries to Chase Young and Montez Sweat on the edge. The former seventh-rounder responded with 2.5 sacks and 30 combined tackles (0 missed) in 14 games and six starts.
Thompson was one of the few young trade deadline acquisitions this summer that made an impact right away. The hard-throwing reliever came from the Padres in exchange for former championship-sealing closer Daniel Hudson, and the righty struggled a bit statistically – 4.15 ERA, 1.938 WHIP and a 1-3 record – but showed promise as an arm the rebuilding Nationals should be able to develop.
19. Washington LS Camaron Cheeseman, 23 | Last year: N/A
18. Washington LB Jamin Davis, 23 | Last year: N/A
17. Capitals C/W Aliaksei Protas, 20* | Last year: N/A
16. Nationals 2B Luis Garcia, 21 | Last year: No. 19
15. Nationals SP Josiah Gray, 24 | Last year: N/A
Cheeseman may have been better suited for the Green Bay Packers, but it was Washington that drafted him in the sixth round this year. The long snapper replaced Nick Sundberg after he spent 11 years with the job. Cheeseman was voted as a Pro Bowl alternate, and if he sticks around as long as Sundberg, he could be a fan favorite for years to come.
Davis had a disappointing rookie season given all his expectations as a first-round pick. It seemed like Ron Rivera & Co. never really learned how to use him. An athletic freak drafted to fill the Mike linebacker position, it seems like Davis profiles more as an outside linebacker that will hopefully be more impactful in Year Two.
Protas was another Cap not expected to arrive to the NHL this season, but the 2019 third-rounder has been one of the biggest revelations. His massive size (6-6, 225 lbs) and positional versatility (center and wing plus first-line, fourth-line and special teams) combined with the fact that he turned 21 just over a week ago makes Protas an exciting prospect alongside Lapierre and Connor McMichael.
Garcia spent a solid two-plus months as the starting second baseman after the July sell-off, and while he’ll likely start 2022 coming off the bench, he’s shown flashes of brilliance that could see him age into a starting-quality middle infielder. His .242 average wasn’t stellar, and his 17.4 strikeout percentage is far from elite, but there’s time for Garcia to develop into a key piece for the Nats in the near future.
Gray was one of the two top prospects sent by the Dodgers in the Max Scherzer/Trea Turner trade, and looked sharp as a starter down the stretch despite having limited run support and the rough tendency of giving up home runs. Weirdly enough, his first eight earned runs in a Nationals uniform all came from solo home runs. The hope is Gray will settle in and eventually become a top two starter in the rotation; he certainly looks the part, but time will tell.
14. Nationals C Keibert Ruiz, 23 | Last year: N/A
13. Wizards F Rui Hachimura, 23 | Last year: No. 7
12. Capitals C/W Connor McMichael, 20* | Last year: N/A
11. Capitals RW Daniel Sprong, 24 | Last year: N/A
Ruiz was the other big name in the Scherzer-Turner trade with the Dodgers, and while he played the least of the new young players, he showed why he became the organization’s top prospect immediately upon arrival. He could mature defensively (especially with framing) behind the plate, but the Venezuelan went 23-for-81 (.284) and struck out just four times. It’ll be exciting to see how Ruiz and Riley Adams, 26, work together in their first full season in Washington.
Hachimura just recently returned to the Wizards lineup after missing the first half of the season due to undisclosed personal reasons. Even in missing so much time, he remains a top young player in DC, but he does drop a some spots from last year just given the lack of availability. He rejoins a crowded front court after the additions from the Russell Westbrook trade, but he’s still been one of the best Wizards players over the past couple seasons.
McMichael debuted at No. 25 on this list in 2020 after an absurd OHL season as an 18-year-old. In retrospect, it was probably premature to put a junior-level player that high, especially over prospects in the AHL, but now turning 21 today (Happy birthday, Connor!), McMichael has established himself as a full-time NHLer earlier than expected. He has 10 points (5g, 5a) in 34 games, despite averaging just over 11 minutes per game.
Sprong was a goal-scoring wizard last season in limited time, with 1.70 five-on-five goals per 60 minutes last season (2nd in the NHL, min. 10 games). The Dutchman figured to be a middle-six regular entering the season, but has bounced in and out of the lineup with concerns about defensive effort and overall effectiveness. He still leads all Caps under 25 with 11 points (6g, 5a) in 31 games, but there’s still more to be desired from his play.
10. Washington OT Sam Cosmi, 22 | Last year: N/A
Cosmi played just nine games due to injuries, but the 2021 second-rounder established his role as the full-time right tackle moving forward. The former Texas Longhorn committed just two penalties and allowed four sacks this season, according to Pro Football Focus. If he can stay healthy next year, I expect him to take a leap, especially if All-Pro guard Brandon Scherff departs. Cosmi will have more responsibility to keep Washington’s O-Line among the NFL’s best.
9. Wizards F Deni Avidija, 20* | Last year: No. 13
Despite turning 21 a couple weeks ago, Avdija is arguably the Wizards’ best pure defensive player. His offense isn’t there yet (7.1 points per game and a .299 three-point percentage), but if the Wizards can find a good role for him, even as a substitute, the Israeli could become an All-Defensive selection in the near future.
8. Capitals G Ilya Samsonov, 24 | Last year: No. 5
Samsonov’s tenure in Washington has been up-and-down, and that continues to be the case in his third season. His .903 save percentage and 2.76 goals against average are mediocre at best, and while he’s put together dazzling performances some nights, he’s gotten blown up on others. The Caps are still struggling to find consistency between the pipes, which could have them in the market for a veteran goalie at the trade deadline. Samsonov has shown what he can do at his best, but his inability to play his best more often prevents him from being higher on this list.
7. Washington DE Chase Young, 22 | Last year: No. 3
Young was a top three young talent last year, but injuries and a sophomore slump had him slip a little bit. He played just nine games before tearing his ACL, but his play was not as eye-popping as his Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign a year ago. There’s hope Young completes a Nick Bosa-esque comeback (15.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, NFL-best 21 tackles for loss) next season, but we’ll have to wait and see.
6. Wizards C Daniel Gafford, 23 | Last year: N/A
The shot-blocking center splits time with Montrezl Harrell, but the younger Gafford is making an impact on both ends in his first full season in Washington. His .698 field goal percentage is second in the NBA behind just Rudy Gobert (.706), and his 1.8 blocks per game rank sixth. He plays less than 23 minutes per game, but his per 36 rates are 15.3 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. He may never own a majority role, especially with Thomas Bryant returning from his ACL injury, but Gafford should be kept in a Wizards uniform for a long time.
5. Washington DT Daron Payne, 24 | Last year: No. 8
Having completed his fourth season and not even turning 25 yet, Payne is an underrated piece in the big-name defensive line. He finished third on the team with 4.5 sacks as an interior lineman, and was second with 27 quarterback pressures (hurries + knockdowns + sacks). His name has surfaced in trade rumors for a veteran quarterback, and with big money invested in Pro Bowler Jonathan Allen and money on the way for Chase Young and Montez Sweat, Payne may be the odd one out, but for now he’s a top 5 under 25 player.
4. Washington RB Antonio Gibson, 23 | Last year: No. 9
The second-year back seemed poised for a breakout year, and while he did eclipse 1,000 rushing yards and break the franchise record for most touchdowns in a player’s first two seasons (21), ball security and injuries remained an issue from last year. He appeared in 16 games but was limited in a handful of them. Not to focus on the negative, Gibson remains one of the top young players in Washington, and should remain a dynamic force on offense, especially if he reduces the fumbling.
3. Capitals D Martin Fehervary, 22 | Last year: No. 25
Taking a huge leap is Fehervary, who has been nothing short of remarkable since his promotion as a full-time player on the Capitals roster. Initially expected to slot in on the third pair, Fehervary has skated on the first pair with John Carlson and has demonstrated solid two-way ability and speed that has improved this defense drastically. The Caps needed to get productive youth in their lineup, and the Slovak has brought exactly that.
2. Washington S Kamren Curl, 22 | Last year: No. 6
After putting together a campaign that rivaled 2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year finalist Jeremy Chinn for best among rookie safeties last year, Curl continues to prove himself as one of Washington’s biggest draft steals in years. The 2020 seventh-rounder has been the team’s most reliable defensive player not named Jonathan Allen, ranking third on the team in solo tackles (62) and boasting the second-lowest missed tackle percentage among the team’s defensive starters (5.7%). If he keeps up this production, Curl will be a reliable part of the secondary for years to come.
1. Nationals OF Juan Soto, 23 | Last year: No. 1
For the third year in a row, Soto occupies the top spot on this list. There’s no debate; Soto recently put up one of the best second halves for a hitter in MLB history, slashing .348/.525/.639 after the All-Star break. He finished second in NL MVP voting, proving that at just 23 he is one of the best players in baseball. He is a joy to watch any time he steps to the plate, and while there’s a few years until he hits free agency, his days in a Nationals uniform could be numbered, given the Nats’ track record with retaining star position players. That’s a conversation for another day, but enjoy him while he’s here.
Cover Photo Credit: L- USA TODAY TouchdownWire; R- The Peerless Prognosticator
The Wildcard 