After the greatest season in franchise history at 92-70, and just missing out on the wild card by 2 games, the Nationals will be looking to contend for a playoff spot, maybe even the NL East, in the 2016 season. The team remains relatively intact from last season and a couple of rookies will be getting shots at the big league level. Also more than doubled fan interest from the start to the end of last season. Please feel free to comment on my situation:

Catcher
(5.0P)-Lane Carter: 7-7-6-8-6
(2.5)-Harvey Byrum: 8-5-6-4-7

Catcher Note: Carter will be an 8-7-6-10-6 when fully developed. Hit .355 with 19 homeruns and 85 RBI in 107 games in Triple A last year. One of 3 possible ROY candidates this year. Byrum hit .301 last year but with the possible readiness of Lane Carter will be given backup duty.

First Base
(3.0)-Clemente Garcia: 5-6-8-10-6

First Base Note: Had 4th 20+ homerun season in his last 5 years hitting 24 with 81 runs scored, 70 RBI, and walked 82 times.

Second Base
(2.0)-Richard Leitner: 6-7-5-7-7

Second Base Note: Will be 7-7-7-10-7 when fully developed. Hit .281 with a .352 OBP, 17 doubles and 8 homeruns in 88 games in his rookie year.

Third Base
(2.5)-Wes Hodges: 7-5-6-10-6
(2.0P)-Eric Gran: 7-6-3-4-6

Third Base Note: Hodges was a key acquisition last year to bolster the offense. Hit .264 with a .383 OBP, 83 runs scored, and 100 walks in 149 games with Washington last year. Backup Gran had a successful rookie year batting .303 with a .350 OBP in 40 games.

Shortstop
(2.0)-Josh Wilson: 7-5-5-4-6

Shortstop Note: Very similar numbers to Rivas. A .288 hitter with 16 homeruns, 89 runs scored, 80 RBI and 22 stolen bases in the first year of a 2 year contract. Will be looking for someone to back him up later.

Rightfield
(2.5)-Estanis Barreras: 8-7-5-7-7
(1.0)-Thaddeus Stanley: 6-8-3-6-5

Rightfield Note: Barreras will be given the chance to play everday in rightfield. Talent ratings are 10-8-10-10-8. Hit .272 and only struck out 30 times in 232 AB's in his rookie season. Backup Stanley hit .327 with a .366 OBP. Also had 13 doubles and 5 triples in just 150 AB's last year.

Centerfield
(2.0)-Arturo Rivas: 7-6-5-3-9
(1.0)-Sterling Kelso: 5-7-2-6-7

Centerfield Note: Rivas hit .293 with 36 doubles, 13 homeruns, 93 runs scored, 76 RBI, and 24 stolen bases in his first year in Washington. Was nearly flawless in centerfield but robbed of the gold glove. Former gold glove winner Sterling Kelso backs him up.

Leftfield
(5.0P)-Mike Dehner: 6-6-7-10-5
(2.0)-Jeremy Hermida: 5-6-6-7-4

Leftfield Note: After 2 years in rightfield, Dehner will be moving over to left with the emergence of Barreras. Dehner had a successful rookie year hitting 21 homeruns with a .367 OBP but struggled last year hitting .233 with 10 homeruns. Will be looking for a rebound season from him. Also thanks to Barreras, Hermida will be losing his starting job. He should make a great backup after hitting 27 homeruns and driving in 100 last year as the top run producer on the team.

Rotation
(5.0P)-Pedro Azicri: 10-9-6-9
(5.0P)-William Merkel: 8-6-9-9
(4.5)-Gonzalo Rodriguez: 8-8-9-10
(3.5)-Noah Flores: 7-6-9-9
(3.0)-Anibal Rosales: 5-9-8-7
or
(3.0)-Benito Losoya: 5-6-10-8

Rotation Note: Staff ace Gonzalo Rodriguez won 18 games with a 3.26 ERA last year striking out 198 in 223 innings while walking only 54 batters. Flores returns as the #2 starter after going 12-6 with a 3.42 ERA and only allowed 7 homeruns in over 200 innings. Top prospect Azicri could get the 3 spot after going 10-5 with a 2.82 ERA in 20 minor league starts last year. Will be 10-10-7 when fully developed. Top prospect Merkel could get the #4 spot after posting a 21-5 record with a 2.43 ERA and striking out 231 in 199 innings in Triple A last year. Will be a 9-7-9 whe fully developed. Rosales and Losoya will be competing for the final spot. Rosales went 10-9 with a 3.71 ERA last year but gave up 232 hits in less that 200 innings. Losoya's rotation experiment worked great posting a 12-9 record with a 3.96 ERA and only allowed 7 homeruns in his first year as a starting pitcher.

Bullpen
Either Rosales or Losoya. Whoever is not in the rotation.
(5.0)-Calvin Gammons: 7-8-10-2
(4.5)-Fede Garcia: 8-7-8-5
(2.5)-Samuel Gurrola: 8-5-5-4
(1.5)-Mike Hinckley: 2-8-9-7

Bullpen Note: Gammons had his worst year last year, posting a 3.47 ERA in 90.2 innings. Not bad for a worst year. Garcia pitched over 100 innings for the 4th straight season and posted a 4.04 ERA, the 2nd lowest of his career. Gurrola also posted the 2nd lowest ERA of his career at 3.90 in a huge rebound from a 7.22 ERA season the year before. Hinckley's first year in the pen, he went 3-0 with a 2.90 ERA.

Closer
(5.0)-George Neely: 9-10-9-1

Closer Note: Notched 39 saves with a 2.91 ERA and 0.84 WHIP, only 9 walks in 58 innings last season.