Washington Top Prospect, Lucas Giolito

Building off yesterday’s article in which I announced my selections for the Washington Nationals #20-#11 prospects, today I introduce my choices for the team’s Top-10 Prospects.

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#10 Jakson Reetz

The Nationals 3rd round pick in June, Reetz had supporters among scouts who felt he was the best high school catching prospect in this year’s draft class. An intriguing two-way prospect, Reetz is a quality athlete with a strong arm who profiles as a future above-average defensive catcher. Reetz also has offensive skills, as he has shown the ability to consistently barrel the baseball and should continue to develop power as he matures. One of my favorite prospects in the 2014 draft, Reetz was an absolute steal for Washington.

#9 Blake Treinen

The supposed third player in the Mike Morse trade last year, Treinen has exploded since being acquired from Oakland, showing a heavy high-90s sinker, a hard mid-80s slider, along with a curveball and changeup. But Treinen’s “bread and butter” is his sinker, which is one of the most impressive pitches I have seen in 2014. Treinen is 26-years-old and his other three pitches significantly lag behind his sinker, but Treinen could be a monster late-inning reliever or reasonable #5 starter for the Nationals next season.

#8 Pedro Severino

Signed as an international free agent in 2010, Severino has quickly earned the reputation as one of the elite young defensive catchers in the minor leagues. Armed with a plus arm, above-average or better blocking skills, and noticeable receiving skills, Severino is truly enjoyable to watch behind the plate. Recently able to buy beer legally as a 21-year-old, Severino struggles offensively with a relatively empty batting average and little home run power, although his swing is compact and does not have any real obvious flaws. Severino projects as an outstanding backup catcher, with the potential to be a starting caliber player if his offense shows improvements.

#7 Austin Voth

Selected in the 5th round in 2013, Voth has done nothing but dominate the competition since signing his professional contract, already reaching Double-A this summer. Voth has a strong 3-pitch repertoire consisting of a lively low-90s fastball that he commands well within the strike zone, a mid-80s slider with sharp breaking movement, and an average changeup. Pegged by scouts as a future reliever while in college, Voth’s improved changeup now gives him a strong chance to be a #4 starter in the majors.

#6 Steven Souza Jr

As rare as tuna tartar when drafted in the 3rd round in 2007, Souza took many seasons to turn his outstanding athleticism and tools into production on the field, finally breaking out in 2013 at Harrisburg. With above-average speed and a plus arm, Souza can play all three outfield positions well and profiles as a long-term asset in right field. Offensively Souza has excellent bat speed, massive raw power to all fields, and shows a knack for getting into hitter’s counts. Although he is now 25-years-old, Souza should have a solid career as a starting caliber corner outfielder beginning in 2015.

#5 Brian Goodwin

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#4 Erick Fedde RHP

The Nationals top pick this summer, Fedde was rumored to be a top-5 selection before undergoing Tommy John surgery just days before the June draft. A UNLV alum, Fedde has a prototypical pitcher’s frame with plenty of physical projection remaining, along with a solid 3-pitch mix including a mid-90s fastball, a plus slider, and a developing changeup. Fedde will not return to the mound likely until next summer, but the Nationals have had strong results rehabilitating injured pitchers. Assuming a return to health, Fedde should move relatively quickly through the minor leagues and has the potential to be a #2 or #3 starter.

#2A A.J. Cole RHP

A.J. Cole

A long-time personal favorite of mine, A.J. Cole possesses a strong 4-pitch mix, featuring a powerful mid-90s fastball, an above-average or better changeup with sinking movement, a promising but inconsistent slider, and a below-average “show-me” curveball. Still just 22-years-old Cole has polished his delivery this season and has shown some development with his slider, the two main hurdles to him reaching his ceiling. Cole has the potential to be a strong #3 starting pitcher, with the floor of an impact late-inning reliever, and he should arrive in the majors early in 2015.

#2 Michael Taylor CF

Nationals CF Michael Taylor

A true toolshed type athlete, Taylor has plus speed, an above-average throwing arm, and projects as a plus defensive outfielder in center field. In addition, Taylor has outstanding bat speed, and is one of the few hitters who when he makes contact, the ball “truly sounds different off his bat”, resembling a shotgun blast. Taylor still struggles with offspeed offerings and has plenty of whiff potential, but Taylor has the potential to be an asset defensively and could hit 60+ extra base hits a season at his peak. Taylor recently was called up to the majors, and should permanently remain in the majors beginning next year.

#1 Lucas Giolito RHP

Lucas Giolito

Perhaps the top pitching prospect in the minor leagues, Giolito was the Nationals 1st round pick, 16th overall in 2012 and underwent Tommy John surgery shortly after signing with the team. Now recovered from his surgery, Giolito has been carving up Low-A lineups this summer with a 93-98mph fastball, a true plus mid-80s curveball, and a rapidly developing, future plus changeup. The Nationals have handled Giolito like UPS men are supposed to treat boxes marked “fragile”, but the team should unleash him in 2015, and he could reach the majors as soon as 2016.

Nationals Park Opening Day 2014

Now that the July 31st MLB Trade Deadline is in our rearview mirror and the minor league season rapidly heading toward its conclusion on Labor Day, this felt like an opportune time to update my Washington Nationals Top-20 Prospect List. As Mrs. NatsGM can attest to, I have spent significant time in minor league parks this season scouting National’s prospects, so I feel very confident in the quality of this list.

Overall the National’s farm system is steadily improving, as this list feels significantly stronger than a year ago, after the graduations of Bryce Harper and Anthony Rendon had depleted what was once considered the top system in baseball a few short years ago. While the middle of this list feels slightly underwhelming, the Nationals can boast perhaps the top pitching prospect in baseball, Lucas Giolito, plus several players nearly ready to contribute at the major league level. The pundits, and myself, generally rated the National’s system toward the bottom third in baseball this past offseason, but with a solid 2014 draft and the development of several other players, this system should rank closer to middle-of-the-pack this winter.

My criterion for this list prioritizes, in order, the prospect’s possible ceiling, their likelihood to fulfill their potential, their positional value, and finally, how far they are from reaching the major leagues. In order to be on this list, the arbitrary cutoffs I used were 50+ major league innings for pitchers and more than 125 big league at-bats. With this in mind, here are my current #20-#11 National’s prospects.

Others Receiving Consideration:
Robert Benincasa, Anderson Franco, Taylor Hill, Destin Hood, Reynaldo Lopez, Jeff Kobernus, Eury Perez, Matt Purke, Tony Renda, Felipe Rivero, Hector Silvestre, and Drew Vettleson.

#20 Sammy Solis LHP

An extremely talented left-handed pitcher, Solis made noise during spring training with some quality performances that had him being mentioned for a possible bullpen role. Unfortunately Solis injured himself (again) in May, a recurring theme in his career. Now 26-years-old, this former 2nd round pick has been shut down much of the season with elbow discomfort, not a positive for someone with past Tommy John surgery on his resume. Solis is a major league quality pitcher, but until he can stay on the mound for a few months consecutively, I cannot rank him any higher on this list.

#19 Stephen Perez SS

Nationals SS Prospect Stephen Perez

No one prospect in my recent memory has improved more in one season than Stephen Perez, whom I had labeled as a glove-first prospect lacking enough power or bat speed to reach the majors last year. Last winter the 23-year-old Perez gained 10-15 pounds of pure muscle without losing any athleticism, adding some power to his offensive game and transforming his overall profile. While Perez’s reputation is still as a dynamic defensive shortstop with a strong arm, his improved physicality could allow him to develop into below-average starter or valuable utility infielder at the major league level.

#18 Matt Skole 3B/1B

A powerfully built man, Skole has impressive left-handed home run power and a keen batting eye; unfortunately after a breakout season in A-ball in 2012, he missed all of last season with an injury and has struggled in his return in 2014, hitting only .242/.353/.382 with 9 home runs in 393 at-bats. Skole, now 25-years-old, projects as a reserve corner infielder in the major leagues.

#17 Jake Johansen RHP

The Nationals top pick in the 2013 draft, 68th overall, Johansen is armed with one of the best fastballs in the organization, along with an at times above-average slider – unfortunately thus far in his career he has not been able to turn his raw tools into production. Only 23, there is still time for things to click for Johansen, who has late-inning reliever upside if everything comes together for him.
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#16 Rafael Bautista CF

A terrific pure athlete with plus speed, Bautista has been one of the best players for Hagerstown this summer, batting .286 with 60 stolen bases for the Suns. Only 21-year-old, Bautista profiles as an above-average or better defensive centerfielder due to his solid instincts, excellent speed, and fringe-average arm. His defensive skills and game-changing speed should allow him to reach the majors as a backup outfielder, and if he develops physically as he matures, he could profile as a second-division starter.

#15 Drew Ward 3B

Nationals Prospect Drew Ward

Washington’s 3rd round pick last summer, Ward is a well-built 6-4 210lbs athlete with a strong arm and legitimate home run power in his left-handed swing. Only 19-years-old, Ward has done an impressive job more than holding his own at Low-A Hagerstown this season, posting a .272/.345/.426 batting line with 9 home runs in 94 games. Scouts are not sold on his defense at third base, expecting an eventual transition to first base, and are skeptical of his strikeout totals (98 in 357 at-bats this season), but concede his ceiling could be a future starting third baseman. A personal favorite of mine, I am expecting a breakout season from Ward in 2015.

#14 Nick Pivetta RHP

A 2013 4th round pick from a New Mexico junior college by way of the Canadian Junior National team, Pivetta was viewed as a raw pitcher who could flash three average or better pitches with plenty of projection remaining. A massive man at 6-5 220lbs, the 21-year-old Pivetta has held his own in 2014 at Hagerstown, posting a 4.15 ERA, a 1.37 WHIP, 6.91 K/9 ratio, and a 2.93 BB/9 ratio over 110.2 innings pitched. Pivetta has plenty of “boom or bust” as a prospect, but his skills and potential could allow him to develop into a solid #4 or #5 starter in a few years.

#13 Aaron Barrett RHP

Nearly ineligible for this list, Barrett has blossomed from a 9th round pick in 2010 into one of Matt Williams most trusted relief pitchers in 2014. Armed with an above-average fastball and a downright filthy slider, Barrett should be a fixture at the back of the Nationals bullpen for much of the rest of this decade.

#12 Jefry Rodriguez RHP

A converted infielder, Rodriguez has only pitched for two seasons, but has already shown plenty of promise with a mid-90s fastball and an impressive mid-80s curveball with above-average future potential. Rodriguez struggled with his promotion to Low-A Hagerstown earlier this summer, allowing 27 hits in only 17 innings pitched, but the newly 21-year-old has regained his form at short-season Auburn. Jefry has the upside of a potential #4 starter in a few years, and should be a popular name in trade discussions this winter.

#11 Wilmer Difo 2B/SS

Along with Rafael Bautista, Difo has been a dynamic force at the top-of-the-lineup for Hagerstown, hitting .303/.346/.453 with 11 home runs and 41 stolen bases this season while splitting time at both shortstop and second base. The 22-years-old Difo is an excellent athlete with above-average speed and a solid-average arm, making him a better fit at second base or center field long-term. Difo possesses noteworthy bat speed and the knack for barreling the baseball, meaning he has a chance to continue to hit atop the lineup in the future. One of the true breakout prospects in the Nationals system this year, Difo stands an excellent chance to develop into a starting quality player in the future.

* Please return tomorrow, Tuesday 8/12, as I unveil my Nationals #10-#1 Prospects.*

Saturday evening, in an effort to have a unique date night with Mrs. NatsGM, I surprised my wife and took her to the Frederick Keys game against the Lynchburg Hillcats. The promise of a Nick Markakis bobblehead (which were gone before we arrived at 4:45pm), postgame fireworks, and a start from Lucas Sims made this the perfect opportunity to enjoy a wonderful summer evening. Although the smell of the tasty food and the delicious Flying Dog made it difficult for me to focus on the action on the field, I was mesmerized by the immense talent of Lynchburg’s starting pitcher, Lucas Sims.

Lucas Sims

Lucas Sims RHP Atlanta Braves

On the hill for Lynchburg was Atlanta’s top prospect, 2012 1st Round pick, 21st overall, Lucas Sims. The 20-year-old Sims has a classic pitchers frame, listed at 6-2 195lbs, with plenty of physical projection remaining, especially in his lower half. A quality athlete with obvious athleticism, this young right-handed pitcher currently lacks rhythm in his delivery, which causes him to struggle to find a consistent release point. During this appearance Sims was featuring a 90-93mph fastball, touching 94, with late life, natural cutting movement, and he located the pitch well both low in the zone and to the glove side. In addition Sims showed a slurvy, inconsistent 73-75mph curveball with potential, and an impressive 82-83mph changeup with glove-side downward sinking action.

Atlanta Braves Prospect Lucas Sims

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Lynchburg Hillcats RHP Lucas Sims

With that said, Sims struggles to repeat his delivery, which is not a particularly fluid motion and looks surprisingly non-athletic: as my wife eloquently described, “He is not the most graceful pitcher, is he”? He needs to improve his momentum throughout his delivery, but his youth and athleticism, not to mention Atlanta’s track record with young pitching, gives me little doubt he will improve and refine his motion with age. These improvements should help him reduce the number of walks allowed, and perhaps gain better consistency with his changeup and curveball.

Sims needs more development time in the minor leagues to refine his motion and develop his off-speed pitches, but this is an extremely promising young arm with true mid-rotation potential. Assuming he stays in High-A the rest of the season, and spends all of 2015 in Double-A, Sims is on-track to debut in the majors sometime in 2016. Sims is one of the most exciting pitchers I have watched this summer and is a no-doubt top-50 prospect currently in the minor leagues.

On a picturesque summer day in the greater Washington D.C. area, Monday I took in a matinee getaway game between the Frederick Keys, the Hi-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, and the Winston-Salem Dash. Frederick has been bolstered in recent weeks by some promotions from Delmarva, so I was eager to watch and evaluate the new Keys on the roster. Additionally Harry Grove Stadium, home of the Keys, is my personal choice for best minor league stadium, so I take any chance I get to watch a game there. These are some of my scouting notes from the game.

Mark Blackmar RHP Frederick Keys

Son of former PGA tour professional Phil Blackmar, Mark is a physically imposing pitcher on the mound, standing 6-3 215lbs and looks much stockier and stronger. The 22-year-old right-hander overwhelmed the Winston-Salem lineup with a 4-pitch mix, featuring a 90-92mph fastball with life, an 89-92mph sinker with sinking, occasional “parachute” movement, a below-average 80-85mph slider, and an infrequent mid-80s changeup.

Blackmar has a relatively smooth, compact delivery, and hides the ball well from the batter through his pitching delivery. Presently his below-average slider and changeup hinders his ability to induce whiffs and limits his future ceiling. However, Blackmar’s 2-seam fastball is a major league quality pitch and if he can develop one of both of his off-speed offerings, he could develop into a major league reliever. Blackmar does not have the sexiest profile, but he has a quality arm and is a prospect to watch in the Orioles’ farm system.

Jon Keller RHP Frederick Keys

Jon Keller

Mast Mood tadalafil 80mg capsule offers the effective way to relieve stress from your lives. A right destination pfizer viagra without prescription avail customers special offers. Intense and multiple orgasms can be achieved buy cialis australia by changing the lifestyle but condition like Erectile Dysfunction can be occurred by the signs of diseases such as: Cardiac issue Diabetes Overweight Multiple sclerosis Parkinson s disease Tobacco exercise Alcoholism Hypertension High cholesterol. As men get older, buy cialis without prescription the possibility that a man will need the product. The Orioles 22nd round pick last summer, Keller made his Hi-A debut the 7th inning and immediately impressed with his prototypical pitcher’s frame, standing every bit of his listed 6-5 215lbs. Keller features a 3-pitch repertoire consisting of a 93-95mph fastball with a good downward plane and late life, a hard 85mph slider which shows promise, and a firm mid-80s changeup. The almost 22-year-old pitcher needs to refine and polish his delivery, as there is some excess movement in his motion, which caused him to struggle to maintain his release point. Like most pitchers in A-ball, Keller also needs to improve his off-speed offerings, but both his changeup and slider showed promise. Keller is still rather raw, but he has major league potential, and the Orioles got a steal with him last summer. Expect him to be a popular name in trade discussions with other clubs the next few weeks.

Trey Mancini 1B Frederick Keys

Trey Mancini

One of my personal favorite prospects in the 2013 draft, Mancini was chosen by the Orioles in the 8th round last summer after a notable collegiate career at Notre Dame. A mountain of a human being, Mancini is surprisingly agile and athletic defensively at first base, as he made three eye-opening plays in the field Monday. He has below-average speed, but runs better underway and should not be a future base-clogger.

However, Mancini is primarily a hitting prospect with average or better bat speed and monstrous right-handed power. Mancini has a longish swing presently and has always been pull happy at the plate, which leads to a healthy amount of strikeouts, but he does show a good batting eye and consistently gets on-base. His power has not necessarily translated thus far professionally, as he has 9 career home runs in 600+ at-bats. Mancini will face a difficult challenge at Hi-A and Double-A, and it will be intriguing to see if he flourishes like fellow Orioles prospect Christian Walker, or if the strikeout totals begin to mount and keep him from reaching the majors. In a system lacking hitting prospects, Mancini is a name to remember.

Adrian Marin SS Frederick Keys

Adrian Marin

Like the coffee at McDonald’s, I like Adrian Marin far more than I should. For too long I stayed hung up on what Marin likely is not – a future MLB shortstop or speedy prototypical leadoff hitter. Conversely, I have started to focus on what the 20-year-old Marin is, a young middle infielder with average tools who’s baseball acumen allows him to play above his skills. Marin will never hit for power, and is likely a second baseman or utility player in the majors, but his bat-to-ball skills, defensive talent, and wisdom on the diamond should allow him to carve out a career as a major leaguer. The profile is not particularly spicy, but Marin is a quality prospect and a solid pick in the 3rd round.