NationalsProspects.com

The 2016 NationalsProspects.com Watchlist

2016 WatchlistOK, fine. So it’s a little late this year—but it’s here.

Part of this is that I was waiting to see if a trade would be made that might [mess] things up, but with the spate of FA signings that seems to be highlighted by Daniel “not bad just unlucky on defense” Murphy, that seems less likely.

Thus, I present the sixth annual NationalsProspects.com watchlist. These are the folks that we’re paying a bit more attention to than the others for a variety of reasons. I am quite well aware that more than a few of them are only considered prospects in our little bubble, but I’ve never denied that there’s a fan component to this site (pro tip: check the tagline above).

Now is when we dance for the caveats…

• It’s not a depth chart – Players are listed primarily by the highest level they’ve played. This mostly applies to the pitchers and outfielders, but it’s unwise to assume that the player at the top of the list is better than the guy at the bottom.

• It’s not a prediction of usage – In the early iterations, I listed pitchers by whether they started or relieved. Now, I simply list them by right or left, which works until the Nats draft the next Pat Venditte. Some players could be listed elsewhere, but let’s not forget that positions changes are kind of commonplace.

• It’s not fair – You may notice some names have been dropped and/or shuffled around since the preliminary list was released. This is when and where you find out if my mind has been changed. It happens.

You can see that I’ve already added it to the tab above, but I’ll repeat it below to save you a click. Over the next few weeks, I’ll work on the player capsules and hyperlink the category pages when I’m done.

In the meantime, feel free discuss in the comments (or make corrections; remember who’s my copyeditor).

C 1B 2B SS 3B OF
Severino Skole Difo Turner
 Ward Ballou
Kieboom Marmolejos-Diaz Bostick Abreu Gutierrez Bautista
Read Kerian Mejia Lora Franco E. Martinez
Tillero Ortiz Dulin
 Schrock Keller
Stevenson
Robles
Agustin
Florentino
RHPs LHPs DSL Bats DSL Arms Notable Arms
 Notable Bats
Cole Grace Corredor Avila Br. Harper Goodwin
Giolito N. Lee
 Perdomo Peguero Bacus Mesa
Voth Bach Ventura Y. Ramirez J. Rodriguez Wiseman
Simms
 Guilbeau Medina Chu
 Baez Reetz
De Los Santos Hearn Evangelista
 Duran Serrata
 Perkins
Mapes Borne
R. Lopez Watson
A. Williams
P. Valdez
A. Lee
Fedde
Glover
Rivera
Peterson
DeRosier
Valerio

Player Name = Traded or released
Player Name = Graduated from prospect status
Player Name = On the 40-man roster

11 Commments

  1. 2015 should tell which kid Infiekders
    Step up from below auburn.
    2 Martinez
    Ramirez
    Martinez
    B-some
    Thomas Alvarez
    Franklin Sierra the switch hitter
    Some kids to mix and match with all
    The lefty swingers from June 15 draft
    Thoughts ??

    1. Luke if I lent you my Boston terrier to be your
      Copy editor he might write himself down ahead of
      Bautista in OF on watch list. Lol!

  2. Laugh out loud quote from the bozo twitter on Murphy. Thanks for that.

    Your copy editor from the last 2 years is much more Alpha than Spike, at least from the photos.

    I’m most excited about Severino & Kieboom. If one has a breakout season in 2016 it will set up the Nats very well for the future.

    I’m trying not to look at that miniscule LH pitchers list. Well, maybe with one eye.

    1. It’s not just the lack of LH arms; you have to go all the way down to Auburn to find much hope in terms of starters. The top three on the list are relievers. Bach was an average, somewhat soft-tossing starter at Hagerstown. The next four are all 2015 draftees. Matt Crownover could be in that mix as well. He had a better WHIP at Auburn than Guilbeau, Hearn, and Borne, and only Borne had a better ERA than Crownover.

      1. KW. Let’s see what Silvestre brings to the
        Table in a rebound from injury year. .
        Turnbull is a Penner

  3. Luke, some interesting names on the recent
    Minor league transition wire .
    Collier adds depth to AA outfield .Webb too?
    Smith lends utility to sens.
    No bio on Velasquez or Robinson. Depth if
    They break camp with an affiliate .
    Jeroloman a true OG.
    Luke, where are you penciling Zach Cox?
    AAÀ or AA ?

  4. Off topic, but yikes, couldn’t the Nats have offered something better than what the Yankees did for Chapman? I know he was under MLB investigation and that obviously reduced his trade value, but kinda upset the Nats didn’t just go for it considering the low price tag. And geez, what’s are the Reds doing? Trading away arguably the best pitcher and power hitter in baseball (o.k. one of the best) for middling prospects (not to mention that they even apparently turned down better offers at the trade deadline). And now Philips is handcuffing them too with his stubborn demands to waive his non trade status. Wouldn’t want to be a Reds fan right now – but hey, at least they have Tony Renda to lok forward too..lol.

    1. Now there’s a thought. Papelbon & Chapman in the same room.
      Best scumbag wins!
      Just imagine the betting line on that one.

    2. Yes, the Reds seem to have sold very low on Chapman. (And yes, I chuckled when I saw that Renda was part of the deal.) I didn’t want the Nats to touch Chapman with a 10-foot pole, though. The Reds were said to have been wanting guys like Lopez and Robles at the trade deadline, a far, far higher price than what they actually got.

  5. Thank you, Luke, as always. It stands to note that this list should integrate people whom the ats themselves have placed on their own watchlist because of their performance in the instructional league. High school draftees Weston Davis and McKenzie Mills were described to Byron Kerr as people who could move quickly and therefore ought to at least be on notable arms for completeness sake.

Comments are closed.