Now that the various leagues have been reviewed/recapped, the next step is to take a look at my top 30 Washington Nationals prospects. I have a mixture of some near term guys like Kory Casto, Garrett Mock, and Matt Chico along with some more long term options such as Chris Marrero, Colton Willems, and Shairon Martis. One thing that is clear from my ranking is the Nationals minor league system will be a long term rebuilding process … ten of the top thirteen prospects were not in the organization entering the 2006 season. Keep reading for my top 30.
- Collin Balester
- Kory Casto
- Chris Marrero
- Shairon Martis
- Colton Willems
- Matt Chico
- Garrett Mock
- Zech Zinicola
- Stephen King
- Clint Everts
- Stephen Englund
- Glenn Gibson
- Jhonny Nunez
- Larry Broadway
- Ian Desmond
- Dee Brown
- Craig Stammen
- Frank Diaz
- Esmailyn Gonzalez
- Brett Campbell
- Justin Maxwell
- Adam Carr
- Cory VanAllen
- Michael Daniel
- Rogearvin Bernadina
- Ryan Delaughter
- John Lannan
- Marco Estrada
- Yunior Novoa
- Luis Atilano
Feel free to add your own recommendations in the comments. The one thing that is for certain, the Nationals top prospects will remain a fluid process as Stan Kasten, Jim Bowden, and Mike Rizzo continue the rebuilding efforts in earnest
Scot | 17-Oct-06 at 10:54 am | Permalink
Good list. Depressing, but good. Gonzalez is tough to peg, since we haven’t seen him play yet, but I think ranking him a few spots behind Desmond is a reasonable first guess (though he could move quickly up the list).
Thoughts on Brandon Powell? He had decent numbers in High A for a 2B. Old for the league? Poor defensively?
Nate | 17-Oct-06 at 10:59 am | Permalink
As bad as our system is, there’s no place for the still just 24 year old Tony Blanco? I mean, if you’re going to consider Broadway and Casto prospects, surely Blanco outranks someone on the list? Ian Desmond or the almost as old Justin Maxwell, maybe?
Screech'sBestFriend | 17-Oct-06 at 11:03 am | Permalink
I was reading somewhere that Luis Atilano, the pitcher the Nats picked up from the Braves for Daryle Ward on August 30, despite Luis just having shoulder surgery, and out for up to 2 years–must be put on the 40 man roster, or exposed to the Rule V draft this spring. Do you know if that’s true? If so, that trade comes even more mindboggling. Does his injury delay his Rule V availability?
Nate | 17-Oct-06 at 11:08 am | Permalink
I’ll leave the details to the experts, but yes, I believe Atilano is Rule 5 eligible this spring if he’s not on the 40-man roster. But, just like the Nats, any team that picked him up would essentially be wasting a 40-man roster spot for the next year to 18 months while he rehabs. So he might slip through the draft for that reason.
Scot | 17-Oct-06 at 11:09 am | Permalink
Blanco probably isn’t on the list because he’s exhausted his MLB rookie eligibility. Even if he were eligible I don’t know that I’d put him on the list - his only real asset is hitting, and he’s not a very good hitter.
Atilano is eligible to be drafted in the upcoming rule 5 draft, and he is out for all of 2007. Any team taking him would also have to put him on the 40 man roster, and he wasn’t pitching all that well even before he got hurt - he’ll probably slip through. What more did you expect to get for just over a month of Ward’s services? Atilano is a longshot, but he’s more valuable to the franchise than a month of Ward would have been.
Brian J Oliver | 17-Oct-06 at 11:16 am | Permalink
I left Blanco off the list for precisely the reason stated by Scot … I really don’t consider him a prospect any more. He had his chance and after fulfilling the Rule 5 requirement to remain on the 25-man for a minimum of 90 days, was assigned to Potomac (the reason given was recovery from shoulder surgery). It would not surprise me to see the Nationals free up a 40-man spot by DFA him in November.
As for Atilano, the Nationals can use a 40-man spot if they believe in his potential. By removing someone like Billy Traber from the 40-man, a gamble on Atilano is not that out of the question.
Brandon Powell was 26 years old in Potomac. That’s way too old for the Carolina League. He’s likely as much a prospect at this point ast Josh Labandeira was in New Orleans
Marc | 17-Oct-06 at 12:03 pm | Permalink
No catchers? While the system is light on catchers, I think Ivany (Potomac) deserves consideration. Manriquez (Harrisburg) perhaps, but I believe he is free agent eligible.
Brian J Oliver | 17-Oct-06 at 12:14 pm | Permalink
Marc - No, no catchers. Manriquez is a 6-year free agent this off-season and is really a DH who wears a catcher’s mitt. Ivany and Brian Peacock were the only one I considered for the top 30. Both guys would likely appear in the 31-40 range, but without question, the Nationals need to build some catching depth in the organization.
David Uglow | 17-Oct-06 at 12:47 pm | Permalink
Hill and Perez are both under 50ip (but I don’t know about service time). If they were eligible, would you include them in the top 30?
Brian J Oliver | 17-Oct-06 at 12:51 pm | Permalink
I consider Perez/Hill as a step or two past what I’d call a prospect. Brett Campbell is the only guy on my list who has any major league experience of note and that was brief. I like Perez as an arm out of the bullpen in 2007. Hill has always been a sentimental favorite as NFA’s first interview and hopefully he can bounce back from arm issues to be a solid #4 or 5 in 2007.
Screech'sBestFriend | 17-Oct-06 at 2:04 pm | Permalink
Thanks everyone for the comments on Atilano. Its a curious trade to me, if they let him go. I understand his potential though. I also wanted to know, since Esmailyn Gonzalez is too young to play professionally, right now in the States, what form of “PRO” team is he playing for in the DR for the NATS?? Is he playing against other youngsters that have signed with Major League Team and, are also in the same situation. There’s alot of talent there, obviously, but is there a “JR. Pro League”, run my MLB, just for this type of players. Just curious, if you know, you guys seem to be up of all this stuff.
Brian J Oliver | 17-Oct-06 at 3:42 pm | Permalink
Gonzalez will play for the Dominican Summer League Nationals in 2007. Once he’s old enough he’ll come to the states and play for the GCL.
I have not seen his name as part of the Dominican Winter League which kicks off tomorrow. He’s on a short list of guys for whom I’ll be watching
Wooden U. Lykteneau | 18-Oct-06 at 8:41 am | Permalink
Agree on Powell — good speed, good power, but WAY too many strikeouts (124K in 126G). He’d be a monster in independent ball, though. Given the dearth of infield prospects, do you think he’ll be given a shot as a roster-filler at Harrisburg?
Brian J Oliver | 18-Oct-06 at 9:18 am | Permalink
Powell in Harrisburg. Possibly. I guess it really depends upon the direction the Nationals plan to go with their minor leaguers. Powell could play 3B/DH in Harrisburg but it also would not surprise me to see him seek an opportunity elsewhere.
Sam | 18-Oct-06 at 11:30 am | Permalink
So, did Marco really deserve to be on this list, or was that just for me?
Brian J Oliver | 18-Oct-06 at 11:38 am | Permalink
I see some promising things in Estrada. Also, at the 26+ point of the list, there is a jumble of guys. I based his ranking to a point on the fact the Nationals considered him for Hawaii
Tom | 21-Oct-06 at 10:12 pm | Permalink
Why so little love for Frank Diaz? He’s been the most steady hitter in the organization for the past two years and he has above ave speed and a cannon for an arm.
Brian J Oliver | 22-Oct-06 at 8:44 am | Permalink
Tom - Diaz needs to work on hitting the breaking stuff. From the games I watched him, he has trouble with major league quality curve balls. If he can learn to handle those, that wil help immeasurably.
tom | 22-Oct-06 at 8:13 pm | Permalink
All major league batters have problems with the major league quality curve balls! They hit sliders and hanging curve balls.
I watched Frank and Kory all of ‘05 at Potomac and I would have given Frank the edge. Frank seems to be slump proof. If you followed Frank’s numbers day in day out for the past two years, he has been very steady. Kory is your typical power hitter, streaky. Some amazing highs and combined with mediums.
tom | 24-Oct-06 at 3:56 pm | Permalink
By the way I am not dismissing Cory as the number one prospect. There is no doubt he has now earn the respect of the organization and should be given a real opportunity to make the ‘07 roster. I just think Frank is totally overlooked and underrated in your top 30 rankings.
Brian J Oliver | 24-Oct-06 at 4:38 pm | Permalink
Appreciate the opinion, Tom. I hope Diaz proves me wrong. He’s got the glove to be a major leaguer. Time will tell if he has the bat to stay there.