Thanks for a great list and comments. If you start to breakdown the list into groupings, it becomes evident that the pitching has significant more depth.

Pitching:
1-6: are likely to get a chance to start at the ML level
7-10: are likely to play a role at the ML level
11-15: show some promise, but still have to prove themselves

Players:
1-2: are likely to start at the ML level
3-6: are likely to play a role at the ML level
7-15: show some promise, but still have to prove themselves

While some might differ with my breakout - Maxwell for instance - the depth seems to be in pitching. In fact, I think I was generous with some of the 7-15 players. However, if you add Milledge, Dukes and Flores to the list, it balances out a bit.

I see your point about the middle infield and catcher. There doesn’t seem to be an outstanding glove at short. I hope the Dominican Republic effort brings something. It will be interesting to see how Derek Norris develops at catcher. Also, there is the possibility of trades at the end of Spring Training.

I would add one more concern. There doesn’t seem to be an ideal leadoff hitter. Maybe I missed it. Is there someone who has speed, works for walks, generally finds a way to get on base and knows how to run the bases?

Either SS/3B Harold Martinez or C Kyle Skipworth could be guys to look at sitting at #9…

Thanks for spending time on the rankings. Glad to see someone agrees that Jordan Zimmermann is a hugely under-rated prospect.

It will be fun to follow all of these prospects in 2008!

On the draft, I wonder if they’d take Hosmer/Smoak even though they’re 1B. I can see Bowden drooling over adding another big time bat, especially a lefty(or switch in Smoak’s case).

This year is supposed to be the best IFA class ever. I wonder if that would influence how the Nats draft. Perhaps they try a more signable pick and use more money on someone like Michel Inoa or Yorman Rodriguez.

My bet is that if either Smoak or Hosmer is there at #9, they’ll be a Nat.

The case I still think about was the Nationals passing on Rick Porcello and selecting Ross Detwiler. The conventional wisdom from all of the “experts” is that Porcello was better. But the one thing Porcello came with was the demand for a major league contract … as a high schooler. I believe many teams were scared off because the risk of accelerating a high schooler like that is his options would be likely used up when he was in his age 21 or 22 season. If he wasn’t ready to contribute you’d be forced to keep him on your 25-man or expose him to waivers. Add to that a huge bonus demand and I think the Nationals viewed Ross Detwiler as the safer gamble because they could control him to a later age and use the “savings” in the bonus to target signability picks later (case in point, Jack McGeary).

So I guess the Nationals thought was, we could have Rick Porcello and the challenges he brings with an accelerated development path or Ross Detwiler and a Jack McGeary type signability guy. And if the grand scheme of things, the Nationals didn’t have Detwiler and Porcello that far apart in talent rankings, it seems like a better path to pursue.

Of course you’d take him…

Personally, if Harold Martinez is sitting at #9 and guys like Alvarez/Smoak/Hosmer are gone (which I would only assume), he’s ours…

I’m hoping Hosmer’s there. He has an amazing swing and serious power. He’s still growing and filling out too.

Do you pass up potentially Alex Rodriguez just because you have Ryan Zimmerman at 3B? No way. Pick the best guy.