The 2012 NationalsProspects.com Watchlist
Here it is, kids.
Now that the Rule 5 draft is over, this can be finalized. I was expecting not to add any names; drafting 16th in a crop that nearly every prospect guru said was thin, that seemed obvious. I was hoping not to drop any names, but the Yankees and Cardinals seem to think that a couple of our guys might be worth a flier next Spring.
So let’s review the caveats before folks go willy-nilly, pell-mell, or helter-skelter to the comments:
- Not a depth chart — players drafted prior to 2011 are ordered by where they finished in 2011
- Not a prediction of 2012 placement — 2011 draftees are slotted by my best guess
- Not a prediction of 2012 usage — If it didn’t look so ugly, I’d clump the RHPs and LHPs like the OFs
- Not responsible for injuries or accidents — I’m keeping Marrero and Solis on the list for the time being
Next steps? Building the new watchlist over the next few weeks (why, yes I am beginning with the Potomac players), as I await the BA and Sickels books to hit the streets (and in the case of the latter, e-mail — this year, he’s doing a PDF version.
| C | 1B | 2B | SS | 3B |
| Derek Norris | Chris Marrero | Steve Lombardozzi | Zach Walters | Justin Bloxom |
| Sandy Leon | Tyler Moore | Jeff Kobernus | Jason Martinson | Blake Kelso |
| David Freitas | Steve Souza | Adrian Sanchez | Rick Hague | Anthony Rendon |
| Adrian Nieto | Justin Miller | Hendry Jimenez | Bryce Ortega | Matt Skole |
| Arialdi Peguero | “Fred” Ortega | Wilmer Difo | Jean Carlos Valdez | |
| Jose Marmolejos-Diaz | Junior Geraldo | Diomedes Eusebio | ||
| OF | RHSP | RHRP | LHSP | LHRP |
| Corey Brown | Brad Peacock | Rafael Martin | Tommy Milone | Josh Smoker |
| Bryce Harper | Paul Demny | Pat Lehman | Danny Rosenbaum | Matt Purke |
| Eury Perez | Alex Meyer | Marcos Frias | Sammy Solis | Kylin Turnbull |
| Destin Hood | A.J. Cole | Neil Holland | Robbie Ray | Paul Applebee |
| Brian Goodwin | Taylor Jordan | Matt Swynenberg | Matt Grace | |
| Kevin Keyes | Wirkin Estevez | Greg Holt | Christian Meza | |
| Michael Taylor | Taylor Hill | Joel Barrientos | ||
| Billy Burns | Brian Dupra | Hector Silvestre | ||
| Randolph Oduber | Nathan Karns | |||
| Caleb Ramsey | Manny Rodriguez | |||
| Narciso Mesa | Gilberto Mendez | |||
| Estarlin Martinez | Ivan Pineyro | |||
| Wander Ramos |
Sue why put Purke in with the relievers? The Nats have no intention of making him a reliever. Even if he’s way down in the list to start with he should be looked at as a started. What we believe might be true has nothing to do with what we know the Nats intend to do with him…
Because that’s how he has been used thus far as a pro. The third bullet point refers to this — the slotting is based on usage, not projection. The alternative to avoid this (grouping all the pitchers by handedness) would be much worse and much more specious.
BA is reporting that we’ve picked up Brett Carroll, presumably to help fill the Syracuse roster
Time for some Heinz… 😉
Gawd I wish Solis could stay healthy. It’s frustrating to see a kid (in particular a LHSP) with his stuff constantly dinged up. Wonder what the report from Dr. Yocum will look like.
I noticed you didn’t include Tatusko, Arnesen, and Roark. Are they gone too?
Good point. Tatusko would have to be ranked at the top of the right handed relievers list with Arneson right behind. There’s Wilkie Sue? 😉 😉
Albeit given Arneson’s age he was lights out in AA last year this is a case where Sue may be considering him an org man. But as far as I know that was the first time Arneson has pitched that well?
In the case of Tatusko they haven’t been bouncing him around he got promoted had problems starting, moved to relief and was very effective at the end of the year.
Of course Roarke repeated a level. Usually not a good sign. Still …
They’re still with the org; they just didn’t make the list. It’s a subset of the ~175 spots in the Nats minors and there are currently 70 names here. Some folks might argue that that’s still too inclusive.
Nothing wrong with rooting for the likes of these pitchers, and it certainly doesn’t mean I don’t like them, as a couple of those names are my personal favorites.
Cole Kimball? Was he left out because of the injury?
Yes. Same for Carr. McGeary? I couldn’t justify putting on the watchlist two years in a row as a rehab.
Same for Monar? He is perhaps one of the most underrated prospects in the organization.
Yes. Reputation doesn’t carry as much weight as production here, thus SS relievers that don’t throw much are going to be overlooked. Nature of the beast.
I would say a lot of this is reputation though for the guys in the last draft class (see Purke, Meyer, and Turnbull) just because of limited innings. I didn’t know if you had seen any of them in Instructs. I read a couple of things that said Monar had performed well there so I thought I’d ask about him.
No such budget. I think it bears repeating that a lot of the “Coach X says that Prospect Y”-type stories should be taken with a huge grain of salt. I know there’s one commenter that lives in Fla. but I’ve been unsuccessful in enlisting him as one of our “spies.”