Cade Cavalli’s 2025 season was defined by health and tantalizing upside. After long absences, he worked his way to a substantial workload, logging 122.2 innings between the minors and majors and posting a respectable 4.25 ERA over 10 MLB starts. He flashed upper-90s velocity (peaking near 100) with a hammer curve and a usable change, but his results were tempered by command gaps that allowed hard contact, especially to righties.

For fantasy managers, the path to a true breakout hinges on two tweaks: tighten zone discretion and develop a reliable weapon against right-handed hitters. If he stays healthy and the command lands, Cavalli could anchor the Nationals’ middle rotation in 2026, delivering spike games with elite stuff and a ceiling that hints at big fantasy upside.