"Let's play ball people" - Travis Scott pumped following first pitch with Nationals All-Star Josiah Gray at CACTI Park

Josiah Gray and the Washington Nationals kicked off their Spring Training with the help of rapper Travis Scott. Scott was invited to throw out the first pitch at Cacti Park, the Spring Training home of the Nats and Astros.

Scott was invited to throw out the first pitch because his hard seltzer company, Cacti, acquired naming rights to the stadium. The ballpark was previously known as the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.

Scott stepped to the mound and had a great windup. Unfortunately, his pitch hit the left-handed batter's box. But that did not stop him from getting hyped.

"He swung! He's outta there! Let's play ball people!" said Scott.

Josiah Gray did an excellent job of scooping up the ball. This is not the first time that Scott has been involved in the league or the sport. On February 15, Scott held the 2024 Cactus Jack Foundation HBCU Celebrity Softball Classic.

It was held at Minute Maid Park, and all proceeds from the event went directly to the Waymon Webster Scholarship Fund. It was a star-studded lineup, including Jose Altuve, Stefon Diggs, and Metro Boomin, to name a few.

Early projections see Josiah Gray and the Nationals struggling to keep up with the rest of the league

Nationals Josiah Gray (Image via Getty)

During the 2022 season, the Nationals were one of the worst teams in baseball. They finished the year with a record of 55-107 but saw better results during the 2023 season. Last year, they went 71-91, a 16-win increase from the season prior.

This season, not much is expected from them. Aside from signing Joey Gallo in the offseason, they did not make any moves that would make the organization much better.

Projections for the team do not look good. MLB player performance analysis system PECOTA(Player Empirical Comparison and Optimization Test Algorithm) sees the team finishing the 2024 season with a record of 58-103. That would be a step backward from how they performed in 2023.

Luckily, projections are just that: projections. They are not based on fact, anything can happen during the long and grueling 162 MLB season. This team could certainly surprise many with their young sluggers like Lane Thomas, CJ Abrams, and Carter Kieboom.

It will be interesting to see how the Nats look this season. Will they play down to their projections or take another step forward this year?