This story was excerpted from the Nationals Beat newsletter, with MLB.com reporter Bill Ladson filling in for beat reporter Jessica Camerato this week. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Time flies. The Nationals are 20 years old. The team was born after the Montreal Expos moved to Washington, D.C., following the 2004 season. After playing their first Major League game on April 4, 2005, the Nationals have seen hundreds of players don their colors -- red, navy blue and white.

With the 20th anniversary coming up in April, this is as good a time as any to come up with the All-Nationals team. Agree or disagree, the players on this particular team produced tons of highlights at RFK Stadium or Nationals Park.

Catcher: Kurt Suzuki

He had two stints with the Nationals, both of which led to two playoff appearances (2012 and '19) and one World Series title ('19). Known for his defensive skills, Suzuki¡¯s biggest hit came in Game 2 of the '19 Fall Classic against the Astros. In the seventh inning, he broke a 2-2 tie by hitting a solo homer off right-hander Justin Verlander. Washington went on to score six runs that inning and defeat the Astros, 12-3.

Honorable mentions: Wilson Ramos, Brian Schneider

First base: Ryan Zimmerman

What a clutch performer Zimmerman was with the stick. He hit 11 walk-off home runs and retired as the franchise leader in homers (284), extra-base hits (723), runs (963), hits (1,846) and RBIs (1,061). In 2019, his 15th season with the club, Zimmerman finally received the World Series ring that eluded him after the team¡¯s triumph over the Astros.

Zimmerman was more than just the greatest player in Nationals history, he was a solid citizen off the field. He was always calm, especially during the challenging years from 2006-11. He always said the Nats were headed into the right direction because general manager Mike Rizzo was making the right moves to improve the team.

Honorable mentions: Adam LaRoche

Second base: Daniel Murphy

He is best known for his years with the Mets, but his most productive years in the batter¡¯s box were in D.C. In 2016, he finished second behind Kris Bryant in the National League MVP voting after posting a slash line of .347/.390/.595 with 104 RBIs. The following season was just as good, as he led the league in doubles and won his second Silver Slugger Award.

Honorable mentions: Ronnie Belliard, Danny Espinosa

Third base: Anthony Rendon

During his seven years in the nation¡¯s capital, Rendon had a slash line of .290/.369/.490 with two Silver Slugger Awards. In his last season with the Nationals in 2019, Rendon had a season to remember, setting career highs in RBIs (126) and runs scored (117). He also put on a show in the postseason, going 20-for-61 (.328) with three home runs and 15 RBIs.

Honorable mention: Zimmerman

Shortstop: Trea Turner

Six months after being selected by the Padres in the 2014 MLB Draft, Turner was part of a three-team trade that sent outfielder Steven Souza Jr. to the Rays, Wil Myers to the Padres and right-hander Joe Ross to the Nationals. All Turner did was become one of the best leadoff hitters in Nats history. He holds the team¡¯s career record in stolen bases (192) and had a slash line of .300/.356/.486 over seven years with the Nats.

Honorable mention: Ian Desmond

Left field: Juan Soto

At age 20, Soto was already a superstar with a great eye. During his four-plus years with Washington, Soto had a .427 on-base percentage. He showed how valuable he was during the 2019 World Series, going 9-for-27 (.333) with three home runs, seven RBIs and six runs scored.

Honorable mentions: Alfonso Soriano

Center field: Bryce Harper

It seems like yesterday when Harper was the first overall pick in the 2010 MLB Draft. The expectations were through the roof, starting with his first Major League game against the Dodgers in '12. It¡¯s safe to say that he has lived up to the hype. He was a six-time All-Star with Washington, and his best season came in '15, when he won the National League MVP. It was a season for the ages. Harper had a slash line of .330/.460/.649 with an OPS+ of 198.

Honorable mention: Michael Taylor

Right field: Jayson Werth

After he signed a seven-year, $126 million contract in December 2010 with the Nats, Werth heard the criticism that he was overpaid. It was widely suggested Werth would have been better off remaining with the Phillies, the team he helped to the postseason in four consecutive seasons, including a World Series title in '08. But the attitude in Nats Land changed the moment Werth arrived in Spring Training in February 2011. An early spring squabble with Nyjer Morgan, in which Werth called out Morgan for a perceived lack of effort, set the tone. Morgan was soon traded, and Werth established himself as one of the organization's key players and leaders. By '12, the Nationals won the first of four National League East titles in a six-year span. Werth's biggest hit in a Nats uniform was memorable. It was a 13-pitch battle against Cardinals right-hander Lance Lynn in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the NL Division Series. Werth's walk-off solo home run saved the season temporarily, before the Nats were eliminated the next day.

Honorable mentions: Jose Guillen

Designated hitter: Adam Dunn

With the Reds, Dunn was known for monster home runs and strikeouts. But during his two years with the Nats, Dunn hit homers all right, but he showed much more consistency in the batter¡¯s box and had a slash line of .264/.378/.533.

Honorable mention: Josh Willingham

Left-handed starter: Gio Gonz¨¢lez

If one includes Expos, Gonz¨¢lez has the highest bWAR (20.6) among franchise left-handed pitchers. He joined the Nationals in 2012, won 21 games and finished third in the National League Cy Young Award voting. In six-plus seasons, Gonz¨¢lez went 86-65 with a 3.62 ERA in 213 games.

Honorable mention: Patrick Corbin

Right-handed starter: Max Scherzer

Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann had their moments in the nation¡¯s capital, but Scherzer will likely go into the Baseball Hall of Fame as a member of the Nationals. Scherzer had a 38.9 bWAR, was a six-time All-Star and won two Cy Young Awards with the Nats. We didn¡¯t mention that Scherzer won 92 games -- second all-time -- and averaged 230 strikeouts per season. How about that 20-strikeout game Scherzer had against the Tigers in 2016?

Honorable mentions: Strasburg, Zimmermann

Closer: Chad Cordero

Daniel Hudson recorded the most important out in team history when he struck out Michael Brantley to end the 2019 World Series, but Cordero was the most consistent closer in Nationals history, saving 113 games in three-plus years with Washington. He was an All-Star in 2005 and recorded a team-record 47 saves with a 1.82 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 74 1/3 innings that season.

Honorable mention: Drew Storen