NationalsProspects.com

Thursday’s News & Notes

Team Yesterday Today Probable Pitchers
Syracuse Lost, 4-2 OFF DAY N/A
Harrisburg Won, 1-0 @ Trenton,
7:00 p.m.		 Giolito (5-2, 2.64) vs.
Adams (5-0, 2.65)
Potomac Cancelled vs. Myrtle Beach,
7:05 p.m.		 Whiting (6-2, 3.26) vs.
Martinez (3-4, 5.08)
Hagerstown Won, 6-5 vs. Greenville,
7:05 p.m.		 Baez (2-5, 5.21) vs.
Espinoza (4-4, 3.35)


Louisville 4 Syracuse 2
• Cole (L, 5-3) 6IP, 7H, 4R, 4ER, 2BB, 5K, HR
• Martin 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Lombardozzi 2-4, 2B
• Campana 2-4, 2B, CS

Matt Skole’s two-run HR prevented a shutout but wasn’t enough to deny Louisville the three-game sweep with a 4-2 win over Syracuse. Starter A.J. Cole gave up all four Bats runs on seven hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out five while losing his third game. Erik Davis and Rafael Martin both put up a goose egg in relief but the Chiefs offense was unable to capitalize. Steve Lombardozzi and Tony Campana both singled and double while Brian Goodwin singled twice to account for six of the eight Syracuse hits, none of which came in eight RISP chances.

Harrisburg 1 Trenton 0
• Mapes (W, 6-4) 9IP, 3H, 0R, BB, 4K, HBP
• Soto 2-4, 2B, RBI
• Difo 1-4, R, 2B

Tyler Mapes dominated the Thunder with a 98-pitch, complete-game shutout by the minimum margin of 1-0. The 24-y.o. put on five base runners with three hits, a walk, and a hit batsman, but none of them got past first base, though he only rolled one double play. Neftali Soto’s two-out double in the 1st plated Wilmer Difo, who doubled with one out for the game’s only run. Otherwise the Senators were in recess with just four hits and three walks the rest of the night while striking out 14 times. Soto (2-for-4) and Zach Collier (1-for-3, BB) were the only two Harrisburg hitters to reach base twice.

Salem vs. Potomac – CNCLD
The rain headed for D.C. today swept through Salem and washed away the series finale between the Red Sox and Nationals. It will not be made up, as it was the final meeting between the two teams in the first half (not to mention both division titles have been clinched).

Hagerstown 6 Lakewood 5
• Rodriguez (W, 6-2) 6⅔ IP, 6H, 4R, 4ER, 2BB, 5K
• VanVossen (H, 2) 1⅓ IP, H, R, ER, BB, K, 2-2 IR-S
• Agustin 1-2, 2R, 2B, 2BB, RBI
• Tillero 2-4, 3B, BB, RBI
• Davidson 2-4, 2R, 3B, BB

Hagerstown shaved the magic number for the Sally North first-half title to three with a 6-5 win over Lakewood. Jefry Rodriguez pitched into the 7th for the second time in three starts, though he couldn’t finish the frame. He was charged with four runs on six hits and two walks over six and 2/3rds while striking out five for his sixth win. Mick VanVossen let in two inherited runners while getting the last out of the 7th and pitched a scoreless 8th for the hold while Trey Lambert coughed up a run in the 9th but held the lead to qualify for the save. Telmito Agustin walked twice, scored twice, and doubled to lead the Suns’ ten-hit, five-walk offense.

15 Commments

  1. Tyler Mapes! Talk about a dominant performance by an under the radar player who gets little to no hype.

    A 30th rounder, to boot. Wow!

      1. The thing about Mapes is, as a college senior being a 30th rounder, he signed for about $12.

        Have to root for someone like him.

  2. With the Austen Williams demotion, the most advanced Nat from the 2014 draft, now standing by himself and poking out his chest, is the 30th rounder, Tyler Mapes. A complete-game shutout, in 98 pitches no less, is impressive at any level.

    1. Good for Mapes, though you just highlighted just how bad that 2014 draft was for the Nats. Fortunately, since then they seem to have changed their drafting philosophy. Last year’s class is very promising even without a first round pick, and this year it really looks like they did their homework.

      1. Does Turner sort of count towards our 2014 draft?

        But mostly I think it was also a historically bad draft class. The #1 pick still hasn’t played a single game. #2 looks like a bust, then a dozen or so within the top 20 that also look pretty bad. Fedde is still actually looking like a good pick in hindsight.

  3. In 105 AAA games over 2 seasons, Matt Skole has 17 HRs, 4 of them the last 12 games.

    Hard to imagine a team doesn’t take him in the Rule V if the Nats don’t trade him this summer or add him to the 40-man.

    1. It’s ironic that Skole is currently blocked by a guy in Clint Robinson whose career as a lefty power hitting first baseman who struggled for years to get his shot in the majors was quite similar. Maybe the Nats will use him to sweeten the package if they do indeed make a trade for a closer this summer.

    2. I would be shocked if Matt Skole was taken in a Rule V draft. For one thing, I think he may be a minor league free agent after this season (a team only controls a player for six seasons, and this is season six for Skole).

      But even putting that aside, despite his adherents facts are that Skole is aging (27 next month), a bad defender, and slow (20 SB in six seasons). So he’s a bat-only player. Nothing wrong with that per se, but if you’re going to be a bat-only player, you need to get your OPS over .900. Unfortunately Skole hasn’t managed to put his full season’s OPS above .800 since 2012. Even with four HRs in 12 games he’s only managed to get his OPS to .771. For a 27yo bat-only player, that’s not going to cut it.

  4. No chance that Matt Skole will be taken in the Rule V draft unless he continues on his previously unprecedented HR tear for another month and a half. If another team wanted Skole now, they could get him for a PTBNL. Love following the Nats’ prospects, but it’s easy to over-rate them.

  5. Speaking of PTBNL, who did we ever get from the Jays to complete the Storen trade?

    1. Probably still in play
      Just in time for the draft signing period: gardner Webb and
      DiNatale cut loose
      Marlins sign Conner Bach. Lefties always have
      Nine lives .
      Martin back with nats.
      Which Hector Ramirez RHP added?

      1. Corredor should slide into the 1b hole GCL
        Vacated by DiNatale .
        Perdomo should slide into GCL too

Comments are closed.