As we typicall do with the DSL guys, let’s review last year’s selections before discussing this year’s:
Jose Cabello
2016: .277/.391/.333, .988 (C), +.029 GPA vs. DSL Lg. Avg. of .230
2017: .245/.431/.367, .993 (C), +.051 GPA vs. GCL Lg. Avg. of .237
Santo Falcon
2016: .250/.333/.335, .935 (CF), +.004
2017: .253/.318/.342, 1.000 (LF), -.008 (GCL)
Brailin Mesa
2016: .257/.302/.355, .944 (RF), -.005
2017: .125/.255/.175, 1.000 (LF), -.074 (DSL)
Jesus Morales
2016: .261/.312/.298, 1.000 (2B), -.015
2017: .290/.368/.361, .958 (2B), +.023 (DSL)
Juan Pascal
2016: .239/.315/.268, .927 (SS), -.021
2017: .196/.255/.239, .906 (3B), -.062 (GCL)
2017: .164/.207/.200, .939 (SS), -.084 (NYPL)
On a rate basis, Cabello showed a lot of improvement… in 20 games. Falcon held his own, but Mesa hit the wall despite repeating the level a second time while Morales improved in his third DSL season. Pascal put up terrible numbers but was promoted to Auburn anyway, so perhaps there’s more there than meets the stat line. Perhaps more telling: none of them were stellar enough to make the 2018 Watchlist.
Now, for the 2018 guys…
Wilmer Perez
POS: C/1B
JULY 1, 2018 AGE: 20
STATS: .313/.382/.464, .977 (C), +.055 GPA vs. DSL Lg. Avg. of .233
Like Cabello a year ago, Perez is an older side (19) but Nats are still hurting for power and remain shallow at 1B from top to bottom, and at C at below AA.
Adrian Liriano
POS: 2B/SS
JULY 1, 2018 AGE: 18
STATS: .237/.358/.325, .938 (2B), +.009
Anytime a 16- or 17-y.o. is better than the league average, you take notice. Unfortunately, he’s behind a talented trio of MIs in the GCL, one of whom may repeat that level.
Landerson Pena
POS: RF/LF
JULY 1, 2018 AGE: 20
STATS: .261/.337/.369, 1.000 (RF), +.011
Despite repeating the DSL, Pena started slow and didn’t catch fire until early July. Whether that’ll be enough to get him to Florida remains to be seen.
Luis Aquino
POS: LF/SS
JULY 1, 2018 AGE: 19
STATS: .270/.330/.365, .967 (LF), +.007
Aquino appears to still be in search of a position, having played 2B in 2016, and SS, CF, and LF in 2017. He was barely better than lg. avg. but on a last-place DSL team, that was one of the five best performances.
Caldioli Sanfler
POS: CF
JULY 1, 2018 AGE: 20
STATS: .237/.348/.321, .984 (SS), +.004
Sanfler is yet another old-for-the-level player who showed promise defensively (just 2E in 59G) and some strong discipline at the plate (37BB in 58G; that’s 4th-best among Nats batters with 200+ PA). One would hope that’s enough to a get a chance in the GCL, but it’s just as likely he could repeat or be released.