One of the Washington Nationals’ top pitching prospects has immediately turned heads in the first week of the 2026 Arizona Fall League season.
Right-hander Jarlin Susana was named the Arizona Fall League’s Pitcher of the Week on Monday. In the first week of the fall season, Washington’s No. 4 prospect on MLB Pipeline allowed just one earned run in two starts while striking out eight. The 22-year-old also recently threw the fastest pitch in Arizona Fall League history, hitting 103.8 mph on the radar gun. That’s the type of velocity that makes the 6-foot-6 righty one of the most exciting young arms in the minors.
After undergoing season-ending lat surgery in late 2025, Susana didn’t make his first appearance on a mound this year until August. The young hurler’s workload was closely monitored in his return to minor league action, but he still regularly showcased his triple-digit fastball. And now, the Nationals prospect appears to be making up for lost time by continuing his development in the Arizona Fall League.
In eight regular-season starts this year, Susana posted a 6.20 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 20 1/3 innings. The 22-year-old notably made his Triple-A debut in September. He even threw two scoreless innings in a postseason relief appearance for the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings. Arguably most importantly, though, the young hurler appears to be back to full health.
In 2024, Susana threw a career-high 103 2/3 innings in the minors. But the right-hander tossed 76 2/3 innings combined in the 2025 and 2026 regular seasons. So, the Nationals will likely still keep a close eye on the hard-throwing prospect’s workload, at least early in the 2027 campaign.
With Susana making his Triple-A debut this year, the tall righty could be a candidate to join Washington’s pitching staff at some point in 2027. However, that will likely depend on how he performs in the first few months of the minor league season. For now, the top prospect will focus on staying healthy and gaining valuable experience in the Arizona Fall League. But many Nationals fans are likely starting to think about seeing his triple-digit fastball in the majors relatively soon.
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