Top Prospect Josh Randall Struggles in First Nationals Outing After Finnegan Trade
The Washington Nationals traded closer Kyle Finnegan to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for two right-handed pitching prospects, R.J. Sales and Josh Randall.
Randall, recently promoted to High-A by Detroit, was assigned to Washington’s High-A affiliate in Wilmington. In his debut start Thursday night, the 22-year-old endured a rough outing, throwing 77 pitches over 3⅔ innings. He surrendered 10 hits and eight runs (seven earned), walked one, and struck out four in a 10–0 loss to Aberdeen. Although he didn’t allow a home run, five doubles contributed to early scoring by the opposition, including four runs in the first inning and three in the fourth.
Before joining the Nationals, Randall made 17 starts in the Tigers’ system — 16 with Class-A Lakeland and one with High-A West Michigan. With Lakeland, he went 5–5 with a 4.18 ERA, striking out 64 and walking 15 in 75⅓ innings. Batters hit .282 against him. In his lone West Michigan appearance, he allowed one unearned run over five innings with six strikeouts and no walks.
A third-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft out of the University of San Diego, Randall earned second-team All-WCC honors in his final college season, going 4–2 with a 3.73 ERA and leading the team with 84 strikeouts in 72⅓ innings. He previously pitched two seasons at Arizona before transferring. Randall also saw brief pro action in 2024, starting two games for Lakeland with a 4.50 ERA.
