NationalsProspects.com

The NationalsProspects.com Top 10 Pitchers

Or, who the Nats might trade this week!

It looks like we’re not gonna get any more votes, so it’s time to call it and write it up.

If that sounds a little resigned, well, it’s because just four (4) points separate #8 from #12. Statistically speaking, all of these surveys have been the (dreaded) small sample size but when there are 23 pitchers across 10 ballots (which is actually identical to last year), there’s whole lot more noise than signal.

Before I continue, ze list:

  1. Erick Fedde
  2. Seth Romero
  3. Will Crowe
  4. Wander Suero
  5. Nick Raquet
  6. Jackson Tetrault
  7. Austin L. Adams
  8. Jefry Rodriguez
  9. Joan Baez
  10. Alex Troop

Others receiving votes: Grant Borne, Gabe Klobosits, Brigham Hill, Austin Voth, Tomas Alastre, Weston Davis, Kyle Johnston, Matt Crownover, Steven Fuentes, A.J. Bogucki, Matt DeRosier, John Simms, Jorge Pantoja

Eight of those names are new to the list, five are from last June’s draft. So my snarky “Erick Fedde and the 2017 Draft class” wasn’t that far off, was it?

Other thoughts…

• Fedde returns as #1 and is a near-lock to graduate in 2018, IF he’s healthy.

• Fedde, Romero, and Crowe were the only three pitchers named on every ballot.

• Voting was so close that nos. 11 and 12 might have made it with just one or two more votes or one or two positions higher, and no. 11 was only named on two (2) ballots.

• Austin Voth, who was an underdog and favorite here (some idiot actually thought he might get the nod ahead of Fedde), fell the farthest (last year’s #3) and hardest (two votes) and also has questions of his health due to his velocity slipping from fringe-average to “well, he’s usually around the plate.”

• It is, however, disturbing that two of these players are 26 years old (Adams will turn 27 in May) – it’s never a good sign when a prospect is no longer eligible for the Selective Service.

As always, feel free to discuss in the comments.

22 Commments

  1. That list says it all about the state of the Nats fARM system…

    But what surprises me the most here is the inclusion (and so high up) of Nick Raquet. I see a pitcher who projects as a reliever, had an extremely unimpressive college career, and then put up equally unimpressive numbers in Auburn: 22 strikeouts in 51 innings, and he was no spring chicken at age 21.

    Can a Raquet fan give me a counterargument besides that he went in the 3rd round? Because I’m quite frankly baffled as to why he deserving of a 3rd round pick in the first place, especially looking at comparatively more impressive players that went after him (Hill, Tetreault, Johnston, Klobosits, etc.).

    1. I’m not going to argue for or against Raquet, because if the Nats system wasn’t so depleted in pitching he wouldn’t be high on the list anyway. All I’ll say is that the Nats’ scouts must have seen some potential unseen upside in a guy who didn’t pitch much in college, whereas the others were pretty much known quantities by draft day.

    2. I did have Raquet on my list, based on some positive scouting reports, but I thought he was an overdraft in the 3d round. Like Will, I share concerns that despite a fastball said to be in the upper 90s, he isn’t striking anyone out with it. He did have a K/9 of 11 at Wm & Mary, but a WHIP of 1.60 and ERA of 4.66, against what wasn’t nearly the highest level of competition.

  2. “It is, however, disturbing that two of these players are 26 years old…”

    And are relievers no less. 🙁

  3. Anyone who uses the phrase idiot on another fan should keep in mind that some people in Nats brass still holds out faith in Austen Williams .

    1. …or let Shane McCatty take up space for more than one summer in Auburn, likewise for Cody “5-for-81 in Potomac” Dent

    2. Org filler that might be future org coach/scout etc. Its not like Scouts and player development types live forever.

  4. No need for Rule 5 pick with Glover returning , Suero rises, Goforth signed, Kinzler re-signed .
    Now they add some bench bats and maybe some Cuse filler on mound and around the horn…

    2. I thought Spencer Kieboom might get liberated in Rule 5, but no such luck for him. I just don’t see him as much more than organizational depth for the Nats unless there are a rash of injuries.

    3. Jacob Wilson eye opening numbers @ Cards Springfield affiliate. Utility guy in 500 ABS
      Kaleb “Bela” Fleck nice arm for Cuse
      Pen . Fleck could be added to Luke’s top 15 fav arms
      Wilson, Fulu , Norfork, Marmelos
      Martinson – Cuse IF??

      1. No tears for Orlan to Tribe. Good luck to him. Howard is coming up.
        Braymer to the pen. Latin arms coming up along with our favorite
        Gil Chu.

    4. And I still like Austin Adams … best stuff in the system … but as someone pointed out .. he is definitely an older prospect.

  5. Overall assessment of the arms: Meh. We’ll know a lot more about the 2017 draftees after 2018. We’ll know a lot more about Fedde after 2018, as I expect him to either “graduate” or get traded. I suspect Suero and Adams are making their one-and-only appearances, as they’ll either move up or be 27-year-old relievers by the next vote.

    Still, it’s not a terrible crop. Fedde still seems to have potential to be a #3-4 starter in the majors. I’m still not convinced that Romero has the makeup to live up to his potential, but he’s got high-ceiling talent if he does. Crowe was a higher-level talent than pick #65 who fell because of a combination of age, TJ, and Boras. I would think the Nats might move him up aggressively because of his age.

    I don’t know what it says about depth, but our reasonably informed voters here named 23 different pitchers as worthy of consideration. On quick count, though, I think only six of them have pitched above Potomac. Other than Fedde, Suero, and Adams, I don’t see much of a safety net in the upper minors for the big club in 2018.

Comments are closed.