Jackson Rutledge, Washington’s first-round pick in the 2019 MLB draft, opened the 2022 season with the low Class A Fredericksburg Nationals. That he was there at that point in his career spoke to progression that had been slowed and hindered by nagging injuries and — as a result — an inability to be available. Rutledge dropped off the radar nationally and fell in prospect rankings. He seemed lost in the shuffle.
But Rutledge stayed healthy enough to make 20 starts a year ago. The right-hander jumped to Class AA Harrisburg to begin this season and — after just 12 starts for the Senators — was recently called up to Class AAA Rochester, putting him just one step from the majors.
What a difference a few months make.
“In order to pitch, you’ve got to be able to pitch,” Rutledge said last month. “So for me, not only really making every start but getting deep in every start, no matter what happens … just being a sort of a workhorse in the rotation is kind of what I pride myself on. That’s the goal I want to have as somebody who gets deep into every game and keeps it competitive every game gets us a chance.”
Rutledge’s talent was never the question, but injuries tempered expectations about his future. He pitched 5⅓ innings of scoreless baseball in his second outing with Rochester on Tuesday, looking comfortable after a spotty first outing.
“I try to just think about the next start,” Rutledge said about thinking too far ahead. “I think if I take care of my business here, then everything else is going to work itself out. I don’t really need to do anything other than what I’ve been doing if I can just continue this and be consistent. And that’s really what they’re looking for.”
The Nationals already have Josiah Gray, MacKenzie Gore and Jake Irvin in the majors. But all three are early in their careers, so Washington will be careful to manage their workloads this year. The team might skip starts in the rotation late in the season, creating opportunities for other young arms. Rutledge, who was protected from the Rule 5 draft this offseason and placed on the 40-man roster, could be one of those guys.
Rutledge — naturally intense and intentionally meticulous — considers each matchup in a game a chess match. Each pitch he throws sets him up not only for that at-bat against a hitter but for their rematch later in the game. Each swing gives him a glimpse into how hitters are seeing him and how he has to adjust.
He keeps track of all of it using a new addition to his routine — a notebook that has a dual purpose. Before a start, he likes to take data from pregame scouting reports and translate it as he heads into a game. He can refer to the notebook between innings and add information as the game progresses. He also uses the notebook when he throws between starts. He wants to remember how he felt working on pitches and what he did during those sessions. He started this habit in the offseason after a few coaches recommended it and now encourages other teammates to do the same.
Rutledge wanted to add a cutter to his arsenal to have a pitch that gets in on lefties’ hands, similar to what Gray did this offseason. But his cutter was acting like a slider — and Rutledge knows sliders aren’t good up the zone. So now his cutter has evolved into a slider used as a swing-and-miss pitch to righties. Rutledge said his original slider has morphed into a curveball he uses against lefties. He is now confident enough in his fastball command that he believes he can consistently throw it to lefties to make up for the lack of a cutter.
“His breaking stuff, his curveball and slider, have both improved,” said De Jon Watson, the team’s director of player development. “And it’s really about the location and execution and really understanding where you are in that sequence of pitches. And I think that’s what he’s doing best, man. He’s understanding what he is and what the hitters are telling him, and he’s trying to execute off that information that he’s gaining.”
Rutledge’s career path to the majors may not have always been smooth, but he seems to be back on track. How quickly Rutledge can adapt and take the next step in his development ultimately could determine when he gets a shot. But Rutledge doesn’t seem worried about his minor league numbers to this point. He’s worried about making sure he’s ready when the numbers really matter.
“I think, for me, I don’t have the career minor league numbers that you would like,” Rutledge said. “But I’ve gotten so much better [in] the past two years. I think I’ve grown so much as a pitcher. That’s why you play in the minor leagues. You don’t play for career minor league stats. And so I’m trending upwards. I just want to continue to do that. So that’s all I’m really looking for.”