Nationals Affiliates Announce Rosters
Yesterday, the Washington Nationals affiliates officially announced the 2015 Opening Day rosters. Let’s take a look at who landed where to begin the season.
SYRACUSE
Watchlist Pitchers — A.J. Cole, Felipe Rivero, Taylor Hill, Matt Grace
Watchlist Position Players — Cutter Dykstra
HARRISBURG
Watchlist Pitchers — Abel de Los Santos, Bryan Harper, Gilberto Mendez, Joe Ross, Austin Voth
Watchlist Position Players — Pedro Severino, Stephen Perez, Tony Renda, Matt Skole, Shawn Pleffner, Drew Vettleson
POTOMAC
Watchlist Pitchers — Jake Johansen, Nick Pivetta, Matt Spann, Wander Suero, Justin Thomas, Jake Walsh
Watchlist Position Players — Spencer Kieboom, Chris Bostick, Wilmer Difo, Drew Ward, John Wooten, James Yezzo, Isaac Ballou, Rafael Bautista
HAGERSTOWN
Watchlist Pitchers — None
Watchlist Position Players — Raudy Read, Austin Davidson, Jose Marmolejos-Diaz, D.K. Carey
M.I.A. — Robbie Dickey, Ian Dickson, Lucas Giolito, Cody Gunter, Brian Goodwin, Reynaldo Lopez, Jefry Rodriguez, Hector Silvestre, Sammy Solis, John Simms, Kylin Turnbull.
Obviously, there are more that fall into that last batch… but for the sake of expediency, I’m limiting my analysis to the watchlist.
• For those of you who haven’t heard, Giolito and Lopez are both being held back in XST, and that’s presumably the case with most of the other pitchers.
• If indeed Lopez and Giolito are activated in late April, the best bet is for them to debut at the Pfitz during the midweek games of the first homestand in May.
• That Brian Goodwin isn’t ready is in line with our suspicion that he’s much further behind in his recovery than team officials have stated, which is hardly a shock given the amount of time it took for them to divulge that he had labrum surgery at all.
• It’s interesting that players on the DL have not yet been identified. While not a surefire indicator, it’s a least a hint as to where they might end up.
• Folks shouldn’t read too much into Hagerstown having no watchlist pitchers — they do have five 2014 draft picks, and one of the flaws of the watchlist is that short-season guys can (and do) get shortchanged if they don’t succeed right away in the GCL or the NYPL.
• It’s tough to make out what the plans are for Matt Skole with his placement at Harrisburg, but it may be more of a comment on the club’s wanting Ian Stewart and Kila Ka‘aihue in Syracuse and available as replacements for Ryan Zimmerman and/or Anthony Rendon.
• Felipe Rivero is not starting for Syracuse; the team announced a rotation of Cole-Jordan-Hill-McGregor-Billings.
• Austen Williams is the only other Opening Day starter that’s been announced.
• Finally, longtime Nats/Expos farmhand Devin Ivany is listed as a coach for the Senators.
As always, feel free to discuss in the comments. Opening Night — weather permitting 🙁 — is tomorrow!
Voth gets the nod for Harrisburg on Thursday followed by Ross, Espino, Alderson, and Swynenberg in order
am I the only one surprised that Rivero is not starting or am I missing something?
The fact that Rivero isn’t starting may be more of a commentary on possible immediate need for lefties in the ‘pen for the big club. Thornton’s MPH is down, and Cedeno isn’t an established major-leaguer and wasn’t great in the spring. (I thought Grace should have beaten him out.)
The other possibility with Rivero not starting is that they’re taking it easy on him after an injury-riddled season. I hope they’re not giving up on him as a starter over the long term, though. Ditto for Solis.
Any scuttlebutt on Jefry Rodriguez? Hoping that he isn’t hurt, just a go-slow attitude like Giolito and Lopez.
Also of note: Trea Turner is skipping high A ball, and starting the season with the Padres double A affiliate.
Thank you much for that Intel. If the season goes to pot (and nats are getting blown out by mets as I type), trade Desmond for assets has to be considered.
Thinking that the Nats want to avoid hitting innings limits in late August/early September to leave their options open to use Giolito and/or Lopez in September or the post-season. I know that it sounds crazy, but other teams (Rays in 2008 with 21 year-old David Price) have used young power arms out of the pen in post-season with effectiveness, and the 2014 Royals demonstrated the potential dominance of high velocity arms in the post-season.
Obviously, this option will depend on how Giolito and Lopez fare in 2015, but if one or both are completely lights out and continue to flirt with high 90s/100 MPH velocity, don’t be surprised by such a late season move.
Wally. Suns GM told me @ team meet about
Dickey and Jefry – Rod getting over some aches
In Florida vs Damp Hagerstown .
Nice add for Sens with Ivany. All for pedro4!
Luke, any word on Chad tracy role assignment ?
Come what May- players reporting with warmer
Temps !
Luke you are the best !
Rivero was always thought of as a pen arm.
I am expecting solid season from Espino especisllly
With Severino catching that staff!!
I guess dent in hags is stop gap until Gunther
Appears – come what May. lol.
Patience through the april rains , injuries and
Cold bats !
Luke. Brilliant point about SS guys getting MIS judged .
Some cats just take longer to adjust to wood even if
An alum of CSF Titans or Pepperdine waves.
Makes sense for guys confidence to grow in 80 degree
Viera with the barrel meeting the ball jnsteAd
Of Hagerstown .
XST until NY Penn league or GCL starting is not
That bad considering how the balls don’t carry
In both A ball cities !
My watch eye player to eye from the get go is Jeff Gardner , who
Seems tobe the quickest adaption to wood out of Louisville Cardinal
Aluminum . Jeff, Read, M- Diaz might make for some
Interesting innings at plate !??
Anybody want to go down memory lane?
Josh Smoker just signed with the Mets!
Maybe he took a couple of years off & his arm became electric again.
Thank you much for that Intel. If the season goes to pot (and nats are getting blown out by mets as I type), trade Desmond for assets has to be considered.
Please delete comment above, Luke.