Ward was selected by the Nationals with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 Rule 5 draft, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Ward missed the start of the 2022 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery in June 2021, but he returned to game action in early August. He made 13 total starts in the minors last year and posted a 2.28 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 51.1 innings. After dealing with an oblique injury to close out the 2022 season, he should be back to full health in time for spring training in 2023. Ward will be stretched out as a starter this spring but will likely spend most of 2023 as a long reliever. However, general manager Mike Rizzo said Wednesday that the team sees the right-hander as a starter in the long run, per Zuckerman.