The Washington Nationals selected Phillies minor league pitcher Griff McGarry with the third pick of the 2025 Rule 5 draft held in Orlando, FL, at the Winter Meetings.
McGarry was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the fifth round of the 2021 MLB Amateur Draft out of the University of Virginia. Before the 2023 season, McGarry rose as high as #51 on preseason MLB prospect rankings following a dominant 2022 in which the right-hander posted a 13.4 K/9 across three levels from High-A to Triple-A, his fastball topping out at 99 mph.
Since then, though, McGarry has battled command issues. He walked 36 batters in 31.2 IP in 2024—that offseason, he was demoted to Double-A Reading, where he spent much of 2025 reworking his arsenal.
The move has paid off. Last year, the 26-year-old McGarry posted the lowest walk rate of his pro career with an ERA of 3.44, striking out 124 hitters in 83.2 innings. Though the Phillies were unwilling to protect McGarry from the Rule 5 draft, the Nationals were clearly impressed enough to take a flyer on the young fireballer.
If Washington aims to keep McGarry past 2026, they will need to keep him on the 26-man roster or on the IL until next offseason. Otherwise, he’ll be returned to the Phillies system.
While the Phillies have aimed to make a starter out of McGarry throughout his minor league career, evaluators have frequently noted that he might be more effective as a reliever. Though it’s ultimately unclear what path the Nationals will choose for McGarry headed into 2026, he’ll likely get a long leash out of either the bullpen or starting rotation. With a young core, Washington is focused on building its team for future success; they will be more willing to endure current struggles.
