| Rank | Hitters | Pitchers |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Bill Rhinehart | Hassan Pena |
| 21 | Mark Gildea | Yader Peralta |
| 22 | Aaron Seuss | PJ Dean |
| 23 | Edgardo Baez | Federico Tanco |
| 24 | Garrett Bass | Jack Spradlin |
| 25 | Alejandro Hodge | Marcos Frias |
| Francisco Soriano | Juan Jaime | |
| Yeurys Tejeda |
Rhinehart was a 2007 11th round draft pick out of the University of Arizona. He played primarily in the outfield for the Wildcats but moved to 1B after he signed with the Nationals. In 60 games with Vermont, the 23-year old lefthander hit 299/377/453 with five homers and 43 RBI. It’s still uncertain whether he can continue to hit at this rate as he progresses up through the system, but his initial performance speaks positively for the future. A numbers game at 1B might put him in Hagerstown to start the 2008 season.
Pena is a Cuban defector who the Nationals grabbed in the 13th round of the 2006 draft out of Palm Beach Community College. A combination of injury and a late sign kept him off of the field in 2006. He spent his 2007 pitching in Vermont where he was 4-5 in 13 appearances with a 4.25 ERA and 1.48 WHIP over 59 1/3 innings of work. He has a low-90s fastball with an average breaking pitch. He’ll continue to pitch as a starter but his future might be in the bullpen. Expect him to start 2008 in Hagerstown with Rhinehart.
Four more weeks | 23-Jan-08 at 8:59 pm | Permalink
I am starting to think that we have surfeit of people limited to first base. It is enough to make me a fan of the DH rule in the AL. If the Nats have too many 1st basemen, I suppose it is time to trade some to the Junior Circuit.
Brian Oliver | 24-Jan-08 at 7:33 am | Permalink
I’m not too worried about the number of 1B the Nationals have. Not all of them are going to develop and having one guy for each level is workable. I’m not sure what value the ones they have are to other teams. Aside from Marrero, none of the others are premium prospects.
My greater concern for the Nationals is the lack of depth in the middle infield and at catcher. Those are areas I hope to see improve in the short term.
Keep in mind, you cannot draft for positional need. You really need to target the best available but if there are two comparable talents available, I’d hope the Nationals would lean towards the shortstop or catcher.
Wooden U. Lykteneau | 24-Jan-08 at 8:18 am | Permalink
Brian — When you’re done with the countdown, could we see it broken out by where you expect folks to begin the season? For example, something like:
POTOMAC
Bass, OF (24)
Seuss, OF (22)
Peralta, P (21)
HAGERSTOWN
Rhinehart, 1B (20)
Pena, P (20)
Gildea, OF (21)
Tanco, P (23)
HARRISBURG
Baez, OF (24)
Spradlin, P (24)
GCL
Hodge, OF (25)
Tejeda, SS (25)
Soriano, SS (25)
Jamie, P (25)
DSL
Frias, P (25)
Brian Oliver | 24-Jan-08 at 8:30 am | Permalink
WUL - That’s the plan. I’m trying to keep track of my projected assignments so that I’m not putting three 1B at one level.
Hendo | 24-Jan-08 at 9:34 am | Permalink
By the way, re that GCL pitcher, is it Jamie or Jaime?
Brian Oliver | 24-Jan-08 at 9:56 am | Permalink
It’s Jaime, typo on my part