Despite struggling in 2024, Brady House still has the opportunity to be the Nationals third baseman of the future
Ever since he was taken with the 11th pick in the 2021 draft, big things have been expected from Brady House. His developmental curve has been a bit like a roller coaster, with extraordinarily highs, but also some low lows.
In 2023, House showed just how special of a player he can be. Across three levels, House hit .312 with an .862 OPS. He also showed a lot of promise defensively, in what was his first season at third base. House looked like the sure fire third baseman of the future heading into the 2024.
While he is still highly regarded, his hold on the Nationals third base spot moving forward has been more tenuous. His name has been brought up in hypothetical trade scenarios, especially for pitching. The reason for this was his lackluster performance in 2024. House is still a top 100 prospect, but he is not the sure fire top 50 guy he was a year ago.
Pitchers in the upper minors were able to take advantage of House’s aggressive approach. This showed itself in his subpar .297 on base percentage and .699 OPS. That free swinging nature is the biggest issue he needs to solve. Even in 2023, his 37% chase rate was a bit of a red flag.
House’s ceiling remains high. There is some Matt Chapman in his game with his combination of slugging and defense. However, if he wants to get to those heights offensively, he will need to keep the ball off the ground more. While he has plus raw power, it does not always show up in games. However, his 19 home runs last season was a step in the right direction.
For House to optimize his game at the plate, he will need to solve at least one of these two problems. He will need to become more patient at the plate, or hit the ball in the air more consistently. If he can do one of those things, he will be an above average everyday third baseman. If he can solve both problems, he will be a star. However, if he is not able to clean up either, his future becomes more uncertain.
A player who chases a lot and hits a lot of ground balls is bound to be a very flawed hitter. Now that he has moved off shortstop and is at third base, the offensive bar is higher. House needs to prove he can be an above average hitter to complement his good defense at third base.
He will have every opportunity to do so, with the Nats still having a ton of belief in the 21 year old. If he starts the season well in triple-A, he should get a call to the big league roster quickly. The current occupants of the third base position are Jose Tena and Trey Lipscomb, neither of whom have the potential of House. However, if he has another difficult year in 2025, the Nationals should look for third base options outside of the organization.
The Nationals are at the stage of the rebuild where they need to start improving their record. They cannot wait for guys to work out in the same way they could a couple years ago. Brady House will have his chance, but he needs to run with it.