Robles doesn’t turn 20 until May. They landed three. Relevant/Interesting Metrics Washington Nationals’ top prospect Carter Kieboom struggled while batting .202 with just one extra-base hit. Relevant/Interesting Metrics He’s a high-energy bench outfield prospect. He’s got plenty of bat for any position. Recorded just 33% ground-ball rate in majors. I think the more likely outcome is that of a low-end regular in left and center or a luxury fourth outfielder. 20 on the FanGraphs July 2 board from 2015, largely due to his power projection which revolved around a few promising traits. He spent four years working for the Phillies Triple-A affiliate, two with Baseball Info Solutions and two contributing to prospect coverage at ESPN.com. There were several scouts who thought Garcia would outgrow shortstop, but none thought he’d do it this quickly. Matt Skole, 1B, 0.5 KATOH+ – Skole is now 27 and it’s clear his combination of power and patience is not enough to overcome his strikeout issues and defensive profile at first base, where scouts prefer him. He’s a relief-only prospect. It’s not an awe-inspiring offensive profile at third base, but an above-average hitter with fringe-average game power and solid defense there is still an above-average everyday player. He lacks a true defensive home and will likely always have contact issues, but he’s an interesting power/speed utility prospect. Is it possible to play left field every day and generate zero in-game power? He has a good build (one source put a Jorge Polanco body comp on him) and moderate physical projection. In the Fall League he was 86-88 for me with natural cut and topped out at 90. Gutierrez has excellent timing at the plate, tracks pitches well and has a compact, comfortable swing that produces all-fields contact. Nationals Prospect Headlines. He has moved off of short entirely (he played there primarily in the DSL but was converted to third pretty aggressively after arriving in the states, but not exclusively until 2016) but has the speed/athleticism for second and either outfield corner should Washington want to expand his defensive horizons. The system has a healthy mix of Latin American talent, which is a great sign considering the organization’s LA program needed a total reset after a 2009 federal probe and the Esmailyn Gonzalez scandal, which ultimately led to the resignation of then-GM Jim Bowden. KATOH+ Projection for first six years: 0.2 WAR. Luzardo was the 2016 draft’s polished South Florida prep arm, with advanced feel for using a three-pitch mix that already included two average secondaries. Stevenson’s downward bat path is geared for ground balls. His changeup is also average, but Glover has very little feel for locating it at present. Andrew McCutchen comps have been pretty common here because Robles has a similar build and swing, but from a skillset perspective, Robles looks more like Lorenzo Cain. It lacks the two-plane wipe typical of a slider and, when Glover doesn’t break it off well, it plays like a bad cutter that catches too much of the plate. His tardiness is either because of a lack of bat speed or because of an excessively high hand load that causes extra length back to the baseball, depending on the scout with whom you’re talking. and play-by-play data provided by Sports Info Solutions. Admins may or may not choose to remove the comment or block the author. KATOH+ Projection for first six years: 1.0 WAR. He’s struggled offensively, showing a keen eye for the strike zone but failing to properly time hittable pitches. Not Now. Relevant/Interesting Metrics Jakson Reetz, C, 0.4 KATOH+ – Reetz has continued to make progress on defense where, as an amateur, his only discernible defensive attribute was his above-average arm. He’s a likely star and arguably the most polished high-end prospect in baseball. Gavin Lux – 2B – LAD | 2021 ADP: 251 | Last Top 100 Rank: #2 (2020) Lux has just 151 PA over the last two seasons, posting just a 76 wRC+ with 5 HR and 3 SB in that time. If he shows he can reach base and hit for some power at Double-A this year, we can start to talk. Marmolejos has been the org’s Minor League Player of the Year for back-to-back seasons thanks not only to a keen eye for the strike zone and refined bat-to-ball ability but because he’s a plus defender at first base. They have always been major in-season acquisitions, but now they are more prevalent than ever at the draft table. Scouting Report Scouting Report Joan Baez, RHP – Baez has started for most of his pro career but projects in a bullpen. Adams was acquired from Anaheim for Danny Espinosa in the winter of 2016. He might be in Washington before he turns 21, and the track record of prospects who hit this well this young is pretty stable. His feel for timing the elements of his swing that would enable him to really put a charge into the ball aren’t there yet. Among signs of hope is the resurgence of a Latin American talent pipeline that was literally left for dead at one point and has now provided the system with three of its better prospects. Scouts weren’t enamored of his physical conditioning during parts of his collegiate career, but his stuff was undeniably filthy. He’s very unlikely to hit for any power down the line, but if he can develop average or above bat-to-ball skills he’ll have a long-term big-league home as a low-end regular in center or as a good bench outfielder. -Eric Longenhagen, The KATOH projection system uses minor-league data and Baseball America prospect rankings to forecast future performance in the major leagues. 4 starter. He’s also a potential Gold Glove center fielder with breathtaking range and arm strength, and he was easily the best baserunner in the AFL, which features a pretty advanced group of prospects. 5 international prospect. Baez throws hard, often sitting 93-plus even as a starter, and topping out around 97. He’s a speed/defense fourth outfielder. He’s a low-variance, low-upside prospect despite being raw at the plate, a rare combination. Bautista is a twitchy chop-and-sprint outfielder with 70 speed. He was showing average raw pull power during showcase BPs as an amateur. Relevant/Interesting Metrics We also learned that Garcia needs to be more patient (to reach base more) and better incorporate his lower half into his swing (to hit for power) — especially now that he looks very likely to move off of short. Though he didn’t receive the largest bonus among Nationals 2016 July 2 signees, Garcia is the best. We likely won’t get any meaningful reports on Luzardo until at least mid-summer. Related Pages. Below is an analysis of the prospects in the farm system of the Washington Nationals. I have him projected as a two-pitch middle reliever, but it makes sense for Washington to continue developing him as a starter on the off chance he figures it out, provided he remains a picture of health. Top 21 Prospects: Washington Nationals. They might not hold quite as much hype as they did at their peak while prospects, but there is still a lot of upside in all five bats. See more of FanGraphs on Facebook. Today I’m publishing an (early) expanded list of the Top 100 Fantasy Prospects for 2018 for both Ottoneu’s FanGraphs Points leagues (where wOBA is a key measure on offense) and Roto leagues … It also means a clear view of the entire spectrum of light that cascades across the desert sky in the evening, and this video of a Perkins inside the park home run is the best one I’ve ever shot because of it. Scouting Report Ryan Brinley, RHP, 0.1 KATOH+ – Brinley was 93-95 for me in the Arizona Fall League with an above-average changeup in the 82-84 range. Stevenson was promoted to Syracuse after a dominant April at Double-A, then struggled through the rest of the year, including a 37-game grande in the big leagues. For more information on the 20-80 scouting scale by which all of our prospect content is governed you can click here. Without much bat, Reetz is a backup catching prospect and one that’s far enough away from the big leagues to be held off the main portion of the list based on his risk profile. Mariano Rivera III, 0.0 KATOH+ – Rivera is still fairly new to baseball having not played in high school. He was a hard-throwing, fastball-only relief prospect at OK St, without a true out pitch, which is largely why he fell to the eighth round of the 2015 draft. Nats to add No. AL Central (CHW, CLE, DET, KC, MIN) Eric Longenhagen is from Catasauqua, PA and currently lives in Tempe, AZ. Soto was ranked No. Major League and Minor League Baseball data provided by Major League Baseball. Tyler Watson, LHP, 2.6 KATOH+ – Watson is a big, projectable lefty with a deceptive but ugly delivery that scouts think will necessitate a move to the bullpen where his fastball/curveball combo could play in middle relief. Johnson has big-league ability. 53. Raudy Read, C, 0.9 KATOH+ – Another glove-first catching prospect, Read has better natural bat-to-ball skills than Reetz but a bad body and scouts think his on-paper success is due to his age relative to level. Relevant/Interesting Metrics Scouting Report 4 starter even before his velocity took a leap last spring and a steal if the TJ rehab goes well. He’s a potential plus regular, his FV diluted only by his extreme distance from the majors. If he can’t, it’s harder to find a place both where the bat profiles and his deficiencies are hidden. He has some bat speed but takes stiff, high-effort swings and has mediocre bat control. Antuna has good hand-eye coordination and bat control for a switch-hitter his age. Name PA AVG OBP SLG wOBA Bat BsR Fld WAR; Juan Soto : 665.303.424.594.414: 48.8: 0.3-2.3: 5.9 Updated: Saturday, March 13, 2021 10:52 AM ET, Park Factors Here, I’ll revisit my 10 favorites from 2019; next time, I’ll highlight another 10 whose progress I’m eager to monitor in 2021. Pitching depth is plentiful, and the hopeful emergence of several young position players is on the horizon. A live-bodied catcher with long-lauded defensive acumen, Severino is unlikely to hit enough for regular duty but is a low-risk, glove-first backup catching prospect. Relevant/Interesting Metrics 2018 Nationals batting, pitching, and fielding traditional and advanced stats. That’s a great outcome for a fifth rounder. Antuna had a terrific statistical pro debut as a 17-year-old in the GCL, where he hit .301/.382/.399 with an 11% walk rate. He could max out as a back-end starter, though the idea of his fastball ticking up in the bullpen is also intriguing. Overall, Franco’s profile looks an awful lot like Gutierrez’s, but there’s a bit more power potential. Major League and Minor League Baseball data provided by Major League Baseball. Though he was drafted as a shortstop and took 100% of his reps in the GCL at shortstop after signing, I have Kieboom projected to third base. If healthy in 2019, Robles should have a strong year, too, and has the ability to impact the game in almost every aspect. Gabe Klobosits, RHP – Klobosits has a solid three-pitch mix (92-95, average changeup and slider) and he’s a physical beast at 6-foot-7, 250. Those are all virtues. He’s a polished, instinctive player capable of making an impact in every facet of baseball. Robles isn’t so big and projectable that scouts envision him growing into a corner-outfield spot until his physical decline. He has smooth, comfortable stroke, average bat speed and tracks pitches well. Even at short, a 45 hitter with 30 game power isn’t a no-doubt everyday player. March 21, 2018. Soto has put up cartoon numbers in two short summers in pro ball, slowed by some minor injuries. Played just 22 games due to injury. He has a vertical arm angle that produces a vertical slider and splitter, both of which are average but have some projection due to Rivera’s short history of pitching. All the 2018 Nationals batting and pitching stats, standings, depth charts, roster notes, schedule/results, news and analysis. He consistently commands the fastball to both sides of the plate and works down, inducing a high rate of ground balls. I became enamored of Neuse during his sophomore year at Oklahoma when the Sooners came to Arizona for early-season work. Baseball America. Reetz didn’t often catch pro-level stuff as a high schooler in Nebraska, and he’s improved his receiving as a pro. Posted 31% strikeout rate in 22 big-league games. Suddenly scouts were talking about how stiff and lifeless his hands were, a lack of bat speed and a defensive profile that fit best in left field. A healthy Stephen Strasburg will be a big boost to the Nationals' rotation. There’s no plus secondary, but the mix should play in relief. If his usage of either of those pitches improves, he’ll likely be a dominant late-inning reliever if the fastball/slider combo don’t get him there already. Franco didn’t see game action until July because of a back injury and then struggled to get to his above-average raw power in games during his abbreviated GCL season. These rankings are now available on The Board on the 2020 Fantasy Rankings tab, where you can also see Paul Sporer’s Top 25 Re-Draft Rankings! But he’s a good athlete with good makeup, so there’s reason to believe the offensive profile has growth. Despite his questionable health, Puk’s upside still … 56. Has produced 24% strikeout rate, 6% walk rate as professional. Scouting Report Sunday Notes: Harkey, Jenkins, Intangibles, Spring Stats, Meyer, more. January 14, 2021. Scouting Report He had navigated the minors free of any reported arm trouble until he felt forearm discomfort throughout a late-August 2017 start, just his third big-league outing. Website admin will know that you reported it. Nats extend invitations to Minors affiliates. 94), meanwhile, is also 30 numerical places, but the difference in talent is relatively small. We need your support to make FanGraphs sustainable so you can continue … His entire profile is ideal. He spent four years working for the Phillies Triple-A affiliate, two with Baseball Info Solutions and two contributing to prospect coverage at ESPN.com. He projects as a sinker/slider mid-rotation arm. I will say that the top 10-15 prospects are much stronger than in previous seasons. ... Top Prospects… The Nationals did improve their lineup for 2021 by making a trade for power-hitting first basemen Josh Bell. Previous work can also be found at Sports On Earth, CrashburnAlley and Prospect Insider. In February I also added a quick fantasy spin on Eric and Kiley’s great preseason work ranking the top 100 prospects in baseball. He’s barely played a month above A-ball, but Robles looked ready for the big leagues in 2017 and got a brief cup of coffee before finishing his season in the Arizona Fall League. He hit well throughout the low minors (not unusual for someone with this sort of pedigree) and was a Carolina League All-Star in 2016, before receiving a wakeup call at Double-A in the second half. He’s a 40 defender at third and doesn’t have the power to profile at first every day. Scouting Report He’s a diminutive 5-foot-10 without much present offensive ability, but his footwork and actions at shortstop are promising. He signed for $3.9 million in 2016. That said, he can hit, so he’s likely to carve out a big-league role of some kind, probably as a four-corners bench bat. Slashed .289/.370/.475 at Double-A in 2016. There’s still star potential atop this system, but its lack of depth is somewhat concerning if viewed with ignorance of the Major League club’s quality. He’s trending up and has a sexy profile, but it’s not time to go crazy, yet. Johnson had a 20/20 year split between Low- and High-A, then went to the Fall League and was relatively unimpressive when lined up against a higher concentration of talent. Also, while Schrock reached Double-A last year in just his age-21 season, Davidson remained in High-A, as a 23-year-old. Ian Sagdal, UTIL, 0.3 KATOH+ – Sagdal generates high-effort plus bat speed and has big raw power and some speed. Even with some extra weight he should be a plus runner and defensive asset in center. 4 starter and has a little more upside than that, but he’s also more of an injury risk than the typical pitcher. Severino has the physical tools to hit, but his feel for it is poor. The idea that Robles might also grow into 15-plus annual homers makes him a potential perennial All-Star and five-tool player. For each player, KATOH produces a WAR forecast for his first six years in the major leagues. Top 21 Prospects: Washington Nationals (FanGraphs) by Eric Longenhagen and Kiley McDaniel December 19, 2019 Below is an analysis of the prospects in the farm system of the world champion Washington Nationals.