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Thursday’s News & Notes

This is post #3000 since the site was relaunched in June 2010. Thanks to everyone who’s read, commented, or contributed over the past nine seasons.
Team Yesterday Today Pitching Matchup
Syracuse Won, 9-2 @ Syracuse,
7:05 p.m.		 Valdez (3-4, 2.44) vs.
De Los Santos (8-3, 1.81)
Harrisburg Lost, 7-6
(10 inn.)		 @ Bowie,
7:05 p.m.		 Darnell (3-4, 5.33) vs.
Gonzalez (2-4, 6.81)
Potomac Won, 7-1 vs. Salem,
7:05 p.m.		 Crownover (3-7, 5.10) vs.
Mata (4-2, 2.95)
Hagerstown Lost, 3-0 @ Delmarva,
7:05 p.m.		 Alastre (3-3, 5.15) vs.
Hall (0-5, 3.14)
Auburn Lost, 3-1 vs. State College,
6:30 p.m.		 Y. Ramirez (1-2, 4.50) vs.
Baird (0-0, 3.24)
GCL Nationals OFF DAY vs. GCL Mets,
12:00 p.m.		  

Syracuse 9 Lehigh Valley 2
• Dragmire (W, 1-3) 7IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 6K
• Stevenson 2-5, RBI
• Gosewich 2-4, 2R, HR(GS), 4RBI
Roster moves: LHP Tim Collins outrighted from Washington.

Bowie 7 Harrisburg 6 (10 inn.)
• Sharp 6IP, 8H, 2R, 1ER, 2BB, 3K, WP
• Fleck (BS, 5; L, 4-4) 1⅔ IP, 5H, 3R, 2ER, 2BB, 1K
• Davidson 3-5, E, 2B, HR, RBI
• Kieboom 2-5, R, 2B
• Gushue 2-5, 2B

A 5-1 lead was too small for the Senators bullpen to hold as they coughed up five runs over the final four innings to lose 7-6 in 10 innings. Sterling Sharp bounced back from the beating he took from Richmond with a quality start of two runs on eight hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out three. Kaleb Fleck blew his fifth save with a run in the 9th and lost for the fourth time with two in the 10th as he gave up five hits and issued two walks over an inning and 2/3rds. Carter Kieboom extended his hit streak to nine games with a single and a double while Austin Davidson was a triple shy of the cycle while hitting his 6th AA home run. Roster moves: 1B-OF Matt Adams rehab assignment ended.

Potomac 7 Salem 1
• DeRosier 3⅔ IP, 2H, R, ER, 2BB, 3K
• McKinney (W, 2-2) 2⅓ IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 2K, HBP, 1-0 IR-S
• Corredor 3-4, R, 2-2B, 2RBI
• Barrera 2-3, 2R, 2B, HR, BB, 3RBI
• Wiseman 1-4, R, HR, 2RBI

Potomac got three runs early and three runs late to end a five-game losing streak with a 7-1 win over Salem. Matt DeRosier got the start and wobbled through the 1st before picking up steam in the 2nd and 3rd innings. He left with an unspecified injury (blister? brain tumor? this is the Nats, they’ll never tell) with two outs in the 4th and two hits and two walks allowed. He struck out three. Jeremy McKinney got out of the 4th and tossed two scoreless to pick up the win. Aldrem Corredor singled once, doubled twice, and drove in two while Tres Barrera doubled, homered, and drove in three to lead the P-Nats attack. Roster move: IF Luis Garcia promoted from Hagerstown.

Delmarva 3 Hagerstown 0
• Hill (L, 0-2) 4⅔ IP, 8H, 3R, 3ER, 0BB, 2K
• Morse 1⅓ IP, 0H, 0R, BB, 2K, 1-0 IR-S
• Choruby 2-3, SB, 2CS
• Freeman 1-4, 2B

The Suns lost for the 10th time since the All-Star break, 3-0 to the Shorebirds. Brigham Hill gave up all three runs on eight hits over four and 2/3rds innings as he took his second loss/ He walked none and struck out two. Phil Morse led a trio of relievers who shut down Delmarva for three and a 1/3rd hitless innings. The Hagerstown offense did nearly the same, as they mustered just five hits in the first six innings and were a woeful 1-for-10 with RISP. Nick Choruby was the sole batter to reach base twice but managed to get thrown out twice, once between third base and home plate to kill a would-be rally. Roster moves: OF Gage Canning promoted from Auburn; IF Branden Boggetto demoted from Potomac; OF Oliver Ortiz released.

State College 3 Auburn 1
• Fletcher 2IP, 2H, R, ER, 0BB, 3K
• Guillen (L, 0-1) 4IP, 3H, 2R, 1ER, 0BB, 6K, HR
• D. Smith 3IP, 3H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• Shaddy 1-4, R, 2K, E

The streak stopped at nine with a little “help” from three errors as State College beat Auburn, 3-1. Aaron Fletcher got the spot start and gave up a run on two hits over two innings. The loss went to Angel Guillen, who gave two runs (one earned) on three hits, no walks, and struck out six. David Smith finished the game with three scoreless innings. The Doubledays managed just five hits with Carson Shaddy connecting for the only extra-base hit and scoring the lone Auburn run. Roster moves: OF Pablo O’Connor reassigned from the GCL.

GCL Nationals – OFF DAY
The 3rd-place G-Nats pick things back up with a home game today vs. the 2nd-place G-Mets. Roster move (from 7/2): SS Bryan Bencosme released.

41 Commments

  1. Hmm, 3,000 makes you a mortal lock for the Hall of Fame, right? Thanks for all the hard work on this site!

  2. Congrats, and thanks again Luke for this and the other 2,999 posts. I’m sure I’ve posted in about half of them!

    I love how aggressive the Nats have gotten with promotions. Just two years ago, we were complaining how conservative they were being, and now they’ve moved in the opposite direction!

    Luis Garcia was already the youngest player in A ball (all leagues). With his promotion to High A, he is again the youngest player there. While his numbers aren’t eye popping, for his age level, they’re remarkable. Juan Soto started the season in Potomac, and Luis Garcia is a full year and a half younger than Soto. He could stall out for an entire year, and still be one of the youngest players at his level.

    Canning and O’Connor are well deserving of their promotions and were on my list yesterday before their promotions were announced 😉

    Also, a farewell for Bryan Bencosme, who was our most expensive signing in the 2014 IFA period. Inked for $425k. All in all, 2014 was a missed opportunity. Bencosme, Yoel Andujar, Juan Evangelista, Adanlis Martinez, and Brailin Mesa were our biggest signings. Mesa is the only who is still with the organization, and even that looks temporary, given he hasn’t played a game with the DSL Nats since June 26 and was hitting a paltry .125/.255/.175.

    1. Correction: Soto started the season in Hagerstown with Garcia. Still, Garcia’s youth gives him a huge advantage. Guys in Potomac that we still consider prospects, like Rhett Wiseman, are a whole five years older than him. (Speaking of Wiseman, he’s due for a bump as well)

    2. O’Connor at Azusa Pacific this season: .337/.455/.691 with 17 HRs and 13 doubles in 48 games. He had a .392 avg. and 19 HRs in 2017, with 56 total homers in four years. Curiously, he was an OF in college but playing 2B with the Nats thus far . . . but is arriving at Auburn at the same time as 2B Shaddy.

  3. Gil you foresaw the clock ticking on some guys repeating certain levels like o2 and benincosme
    I would not be surprised if O’Connner reaches Hags

  4. Rhett Wiseman with his 15th HR. He’s gotta be wondering what it’s going to take for him to graduate from Woodbridge.

    Nick Banks has 13 hits and 13 strikeouts in 13 games at Potomac.

    I know the organization still has no idea what to do with Austin Davidson, but he keeps hitting. (Also, there was no error for him on the 4th, as he was the DH! The error was for Kieboom.)

    1. Yes, Davidson hit at Potomac and continues to do so in Harrisburg. It’s tough to watch Ozzie Abreau play against NL affiliates and hit .175 while Davidson sits on the bench.

  5. We had a brief tag on the discussion yesterday on the aggressive promotion of Luis Garcia, who is just barely 18. Luke had written after seeing him just a few days ago that he hoped the Nats would leave him at Hagerstown for the full season. The Nats must think well of his makeup. He’s certainly on the fast track. Just hope they don’t stunt his development by rushing him.

  6. Congrats on 3000! Thanks for your timely and detailed posts on all the Nat’s Farm Teams. I look forward to the daily posts to keep up with the Boys.

  7. 3,000! Wow! Congratulations, Luke.

    Didn’t realize the Nats paid so much for Bencosme. There’s always a certain creepiness to paying so much for 16 year olds based on guessing their genetics.

    1. The failure rate on Latin players isn’t as widely known or tracked as there isn’t a list like the annual draft list. We all know the success rate with U.S. high school draftees isn’t high, particularly high school pitchers. The Latin players are signed two years younger, having been seen against less challenging competition and usually with substandard body develop due to lacking nutrition and workout facilities.

      One area where the Nats have had pretty good success in recent years has been in signing “older” Latin players, which in their case still means 17 or 18 years old. I’ve forgotten all of them, but it’s a good list, including Rey Lopez, Bautista, Marmolejos, and Difo.

      1. Jefry-Rod is adored upstairs despite the suspension while Austin Voth wonders which MLB team will take on his talents . Trade with Seattle ?

        1. What an impressive outing in Delmarva by the two Latin kids
          1-0 with 1 hit allowed by Delmarva on a night softball games broke out in DC and Woodbridge
          Rooting for Voth to replace Helly in Nats rotation

      2. For those who may howl @ O. Abreau . Let’s keep in mind he did make it to the launching pad on City Isle while many other Latin infielders have not. Head scratcher that he hasn’t been handed an outfielders glove.
        Davidson should get a bump to Cuse to allow Meijia to bump up to City Isle to see what he can rake .

  8. Luis Garcia’s ascension is pretty amazing. I mean, they just signed this kid two years ago and he’s already at Potomac?

    A week ago, I thought – and posted – that he’d be the primary trade bait in a package to bring a bat to help the floundering big club.

    Now I think he could be playing for the big club in 2020 as the big Nats don’t appear to be recovering from their swoon and even if they do, it’s likely too late to salvage this season.

    I think the more realistic option is those of us here will have a whole bunch of new prospects to be learning about as I think the Nats will be sellers and move pending FAs like Murphy, Herrera, Adams, Reynolds, etc… are shopped to actual contenders.

  9. Just for some perspective, the Nats laid out 800k for Jackson Reetz?in 2014.

    I think the ratio of spend/sunk cost on international prospects remains better than high schoolers from the US.

    I also think that we are seeing the effects of the Nats numbers game as much as we are seeing the failure of certain prospects. The Nats have had a tremendous influx of underage infield talent at the lower levels, and Bencosme could not reckon to see the field in Florida.

    There are others I see this happening to, Ortiz being another, and others who are on the cusp. I won’t mention the names because their families read here, other than to wish them well to turn it on and ignite. And occasionally, some folks rescue their career with their last chance. Austin Davidson, interestingly, may be one such example.

  10. Congratulations to Pablo. But GCL should only be a pit stop for an upperclassman. Choruby got a chance and hopefully Pryor will too.

    There are still pitchers to be shuffled from XST. And position players as well, reminder that DSL grads like Aquino are barely now getting to play.

    1. Bryan Pena 6’1 175. Nice size for a lefty. Fonzy Hernandez and Pete Gonzales three arms truly stepping up the stuff in the lowest levels .

    2. Rooting for Pryor too.
      One would think , Gil, that GCL could get by with ABs going to ALL RH OF bats.
      This calendar year has been interesting . A good Rule 5 minor league purchase find in Wilson . Several bullpen arms ML FA. Some
      Revelations from outfielders before injury . Several eye openers from Latin kids from Hags down to DSL.
      One wonders if Braian Fernandez @DSL will have the same projectary as …ahem.. Mr Victor Robles . Time will tell or several others in the dandy DSL dudes.
      Like a punch line from Buddy Hackett…. call up Austin Voth, Mr Rizzo’

    1. Every time I see the name Ferrer I think about the actor who married Audrey Hepburn!!

  12. From a prospect preservation standpoint, wonder if the Nats are going to back off any possible consideration of dealing a top prospect at this point given that the post-season is far from a given. It’s one thing to consider giving up either Kieboom or Robles for Realmuto (or a DeGrom) if there is no doubt that the Nats are playing in October, but if making the post-season is iffy, at best, either with or without Realmuto (or another ace starting pitcher), wonder if the Nats will be less likely to make a deal until and unless the Nats make a run before the end of July to show that post-season is a reasonable possibility.

    1. July will tell.
      Luke so busy on 3000. Worth repeating.
      July 4 th DSL SS hit for cycle. The single came last. Well done

    2. Was I the only one who thought this
      yesterday ? Fedde tightens up.
      I thought. Should have signed lefty out of UMiami Canes now in Giant rotation

    3. From my perspective, I never saw the likelihood of including Robles or Kieboom (or Soto, before he became SOTO) in a deal for Realmuto. Including any of them seemed like too much future mortgaged.

      I’m not even sure what the next tier of valued prospects would be. It probably starts with Garcia. Romero is there talent-wise but I’m sure devalued right now after being exiled all spring. Maybe Jefry Rodriguez is around the same level of value after decent MLB results. Next level would probably be Crowe, Sharp, maybe Antuna. That’s more the level I think they would consider trading from — Crowe or Sharp (and only Antuna for a big fish).

      I’m doing this off the top of my head so am probably forgetting a few folks. I don’t think guys like Ward or Gushue have a great deal of value right now. Read would, but they’re desperate at catcher. By the end of the series with ATL after the All-Star Break, though, the Nats will have a pretty good idea whether they’re in the market or looking to sell.

      1. They should be sellers–the team is a disaster thanks to injuries, Harper becoming the clubhouse cancer his critics said he would be when he broke into the league and the awful choice of the weakest MLB manager I have ever seen to “lead” them. Even standing pat would be better than losing more prospects trying to plug the hole in the Titanic.

      2. Kw true true. Karma bites after several years of division winning with overcoming injuries.
        This might be the type of year for Nsts the Mets know do well

    4. Could we consider the Lerners choice in Letting Baker go and bringing in Davey Martinez as the younger molder of youth . Mike Maddox was an expensive pitching guru so maybe Lerner family thought bringing in a new perspective in A former Brave guy like Lilliquist was closer to heart from ATL days and fresh like an April opener .
      We truly have learned something in the Latin market. You can score with a Reynaldo Lopez or Jefry -Rod for cheap while striking out for 425K in Bryan Benincosme . Like in a mercyme song. : you win some you lose some

  13. Ty also to Springfield fan who updates big board as fast as the
    Number haulers @ Hagerstown .
    Cane which college arms are on a certain IP count in their affiliation assignment compared to other draftee arms ??

  14. I think they all are, actually. No one goes deep in games the year drafted. Did any draftee in recent memory go more than 5 innings?

    1. Cole went six innings three times in 2017, but 2010 ain’t exactly “recent.” Beyond him, wow, it would be hard to say. Taylor Jordan had a few 6+ IP stints, but he was a 2009 draftee. Have they had a draftee since 2010 go six? Giolito only made it five.

    2. Oh, misread what you meant, but opened a new can of worms. You’re talking about guys pitching deep in the year they were drafted. I was thinking of any Nat pitching draftees who have gone more than five innings at the MLB level. It’s a pretty sad tale.

  15. It’s obviously been awhile. It’s not a qualitative point, but more an organizational priority to keep pitch counts down (and lower likelihood of injury) in pitchers coming into pro baseball with shorter season experience.

    There are those who may go 6 here and there once they are into the next year, and the occasional long outing, but not in the draft year.

    1. I don’t know that there’s much need for someone in the lower minors to go more than five innings. Someone advancing through the upper minors needs to ramp up the innings in the last couple of years before the majors, but before that stage, I’m not sure of the necessity to tax the arm that much. This is NOT the philosophy of college coaches, of course — witness the freshman going 129 pitches in the championship game. Yikes!

      1. Look again at the Hagerstown
        Pitching results last night. ThT is the perfect example of what a manager would love to see. A starter for night goes 6. B starter goes four and rests bullpen in this heat . Plus 13 Ks overall.
        Signature night for system under Potomac with all those QS.

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