Scouting Report

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 60 | Run: 70 | Arm: 60 | Field: 60 | Overall: 60

Green is the son of former NFL Pro Bowl tight end Eric Green, and at 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, he looks like he could have followed in his father’s footsteps had he not desired a future on the diamond. Green really jumped on the map with a strong performance at the Area Code Underclass event back in the summer of 2020, leading some to wish he'd reclassified for the 2021 Draft, but he’s shown off his tremendous raw tools at IMG Academy this spring to put himself in position to be a very high Draft pick in 2022.

A right-handed hitter, Green is capable of doing just about everything very well. He can make very loud contact and has proven he can drive the ball to all fields and hit the ball out of the park just about anywhere with at least plus raw power, and he’s done that this spring in front of a lot of decision makers. . The one question that had arisen about his offensive upside had been about the swing-and-miss in his game. He’s struggled in the past against elevated velocity and there are some concerns about his ability to adjust to offspeed and breaking stuff, but had assuaged many of those fears with how he has swung the bat this spring.

Green is an elite-level runner who can steal bases and cover a ton of ground in the outfield, where he should be able to man center field, with a plus arm, for a very long time to come. His complete toolset doesn’t come around very often, so it’s likely someone in the top of the first round will call his name even if there are remaining questions about his hit tool.

Scouting grades: Hit: 30 | Power: 60 | Run: 70 | Arm: 60 | Field: 60 | Overall: 40

The son of former Pro Bowl tight end Eric Green was MLB Pipeline’s No. 3 Draft prospect in 2022 because of a multi-tooled, high-ceiling profile he built at IMG Academy and various stops of the showcase circuit. The Nationals selected him fifth overall and signed him for slot at $6.5 million, hoping he could be the club’s next homegrown superstar. The right-handed slugger’s first full season, however, was a rough one. His 41.6 percent strikeout was fourth-highest among Minor Leaguers with at least 300 plate appearances, while walks and power helped him salvage a .218/.336/.327 line. He was limited to 75 games at Single-A Fredericksburg due to a midseason wrist issue.

The Nats have cautioned anyone who would listen not to give up on Green because of just how loud four out of his five tools have been. He’ll pop the occasional exit velocity north of 110 mph because of his quick wrists and immense strength, and he can drive the ball to all fields when he gets the barrel on the ball. Green also makes 70-grade speed look easy on the basepaths -- he stole 30 bags in 2023 -- and he can track down balls all over center field. What’s more, he has a strong arm out there, registering seven outfield assists in 71 defensive starts from the grass.

So much comes down to the right-handed slugger’s bat. Green can struggle with pitch recognition -- from missing on pitches outside the zone to sitting on hittable pitches inside it -- and he’s been off-kilter in his directionality at the plate, hurting his ability to make contact. Considering Green would be entering his sophomore year had he gone to school, there is time to correct the mistakes, but the climb to superstardom is a lot more uphill now than on Draft Day.

Scouting grades: Hit: 40 | Power: 60 | Run: 70 | Arm: 60 | Field: 60 | Overall: 50

The son of former Pro Bowl tight end Eric Green, Elijah Green had one of the highest ceilings in the 2022 Draft class after standout turns on the showcase circuit and at IMG Academy that spring. He headed into July as MLB Pipeline’s No. 3 Draft prospect, trailing only top two picks Druw Jones and Jackson Holliday on the board, and he eventually went fifth to the rebuilding Nationals, who could use all the ceiling they could get and signed him for slot money at $6.5 million. Green produced a .939 OPS in 12 Florida Complex League games but also struck out 40.4 percent of the time, heightening concerns about his biggest weakness.

Start with Green’s strengths because there are many. His raw power could be double-plus in the end, and he makes it play in games with quick wrists and immense strength that drives the ball to all fields. What’s more, his speed is 70-grade now, giving him another elite athletic tool, and that will be a big help in his ability to stick in center for the long term. The same could be said for the plus arm strength that will be another asset from the grass.

Green did show struggles against high fastballs even during his prep days, and his early swing-and-miss issues in the pros portend a long road of development ahead. The Nationals believe he just needs more exposure to advanced pitching to improve his swing decisions, and that will be the focus in the early days of Green’s budding career. The other four tools are ample enough to carry him until the bat comes around, and if it does, Green could have superstar potential in the capital.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 60 | Run: 70 | Arm: 60 | Field: 60 | Overall: 55

Green is the son of former NFL Pro Bowl tight end Eric Green, and at 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, he looks like he could have followed in his father’s footsteps had he not desired a future on the diamond. Green really jumped on the map with a strong performance at the Area Code Underclass event in the summer of 2020, leading some to wish he'd reclassified for the 2021 Draft. Instead, he stuck to the 2022 class and went fifth overall to the Nationals, signing for $6.5 million.

A right-handed hitter, Green is capable of doing just about everything very well. He can make very loud contact and has proven he can drive the ball to all fields and hit the ball out of the park just about anywhere with at least plus raw power. He did that this spring in front of a lot of decision makers. The one question that had arisen about his offensive upside had been about the swing-and-miss in his game. He’s struggled in the past against elevated velocity and there are some concerns about his ability to adjust to offspeed and breaking stuff, but assuaged many of those fears with how he swung the bat this spring.

Green is an elite-level runner who can steal bases and cover a ton of ground in the outfield, where he should be able to man center field with a plus arm for a very long time to come. His complete tool set doesn’t come around very often, and he immediately becomes one of the most exciting high-ceiling talents in the Washington system.

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	03/07/2024	Washington Nationals Prospects activated OF Elijah Green.
	03/02/2024	OF Elijah Green assigned to Washington Nationals.
	08/22/2023	Fredericksburg Nationals activated OF Elijah Green from the 7-day injured list.
	08/22/2023	Fredericksburg Nationals activated OF Elijah Green from the 7-day injured list.
	08/07/2023	Fredericksburg Nationals sent OF Elijah Green on a rehab assignment to FCL Nationals.
	08/07/2023	Fredericksburg Nationals sent OF Elijah Green on a rehab assignment to FCL Nationals.
	08/01/2023	Fredericksburg Nationals placed OF Elijah Green on the 7-day injured list.
	04/07/2023	OF Elijah Green assigned to Fredericksburg Nationals from FCL Nationals.
	03/09/2023	OF Elijah Green roster status changed by Washington Nationals.
	03/09/2023	OF Elijah Green assigned to Washington Nationals.
	08/09/2022	OF Elijah Green assigned to FCL Nationals.
	08/08/2022	Washington Nationals signed OF Elijah Green.
	09/23/2021	OF Elijah Green and assigned to American.
	08/18/2021	OF Elijah Green and assigned to PG East.
	07/13/2021	PG National 5 - Maroon activated OF Elijah Green.
	07/13/2021	PG National 12 - White activated OF Elijah Green.
	07/08/2021	American activated OF Elijah Green.
	07/08/2021	American activated OF Elijah Green.
	06/04/2021	High School Workout activated OF Elijah Green.