The Washington Nationals received good news on the club’s top pitching prospect. Doctors cleared Cavalli to throw, Nationals manager Dave Martinez announced Wednesday (h/t Bobby Blanco).
The Nationals’ goal is to have the 2020 first-round draft pick throw off the mound before the offseason. However, Martinez explained that Cavalli may not be in an actual game.
Cavalli played a game of catch on Wednesday after being cleared. The Nationals will see how he responds to the throwing. If all is good, he’ll eventually work his way to the mound before he is sent home for the winter.
Cavalli made his MLB debut on Aug. 26. But the Nationals shut him down after just one start as he experienced soreness in his right shoulder. He threw 99 pitches in 4 1/3 innings, allowing seven runs and six hits while hitting three batters in his debut.
The Nationals had planned for Cavalli to make a handful of starts to close the season. Now the plan is to get him healthy before spring training.
Cavalli, MacKenzie Gore, and Josiah Gray are set to join a rotation with veteran Patrick Corbin and possibly Stephen Strasburg for the 2023 season. Eventually, the three youngsters will be at the top of the rotation, and Cavalli has the tools to emerge as the ace.
