The Nationals will call up Wood from Triple-A Rochester prior to their game Monday against the Mets, Grant Paulsen of 106.7 The Fan reports.
Wood is one of the top prospects in all of baseball and has had a phenomenal season at Rochester, slashing .346/.458/.578 with 10 home runs and 10 stolen bases over 51 contests. He also boasts a 17.3 percent walk rate and just an 18.2 percent strikeout rate in the International League, which is particularly impressive considering he's just 21 and he fanned at a 31.5 percent clip between High-A Wilmington and Double-A Harrisburg in 2023. Wood is capable of handling all three outfield spots, but the expectation is that he'll be used mostly in left field by the Nationals.
Triple-A Rochester reinstated Wood (hamstring) from its 7-day injured list Tuesday.
The 21-year-old landed on the injured list in late May with the hamstring injury but is ready to rejoin the Red Wings on Tuesday. Wood is the Nationals' top prospect and has been one of the most productive hitters in the International League this season with nine homers, 10 steals and a 1.061 OPS in 45 games. Assuming he can pick up close to where he left off, it's likely only a matter of time before Wood is called up for his MLB debut this summer.
Nationals' James Wood: Looks ready for game action
Rotowire
Wood (hamstring) is expected to resume playing in games early this week, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
Golden's report doesn't specify whether Wood will embark on a rehab assignment with one of the Nationals' lower-level affiliates or if he'll immediately rejoin the Triple-A Rochester lineup, but either way, the 22-year-old looks close to making a return from the right hamstring injury that has kept him out of action since May 23. The injury may have temporarily halted any momentum Wood had for earning a call-up to the big leagues, but the outfielder still looks on track to make his Nationals debut at some point later in 2024. He's performed as one of the International League's top hitters when available this season, slashing .355/.465/.596 with nine home runs, 10 stolen bases and a 17.4 percent walk rate.
