NationalsProspects.com

2019 Spring Training Thoughts

Spring Training has FINALLY arrived, with pitchers and catchers reporting to West Palm Beach tomorrow. Our intern and copy editor, however, are not all that excited.

Why? Because, like the last several springs, there’s almost no chance that one of “our guys” makes the club unexpectedly in 2019. Victor Robles? All signs point to the CF job being his to lose, and doesn’t it feel like his days as a prospect are a technicality anyways?

Today, the Nats released the names of the non-roster invitees and it’s here that there’s perhaps the most interest for us. Last February, there were four short-term seasonal apprentices minor-leaguers who played for Washington during the previous summer. This February, it’s eleven — including six watchlist players. While that doesn’t mean their chances are any better, it does mean we might see a bit more of them early in the spring.

Alas, after today’s momentary diversion from the elephant in the room, it’ll be nearly two more weeks of waiting for the actual spring training games to begin on February 23rd. MASN will be covering seven games this year, none against the Orioles and just two midweek day games.

Yours truly will also do writeups for about 2-3 weeks, calling it quits probably around St. Patrick’s Day. It’s absolutely gratuitous, but it helps me get back into the habit of writing every morning in preparation for the minors seasons, which begin on April 4th.

We now return you to your mid-February malaise.

31 Commments

  1. Many of us are rooting for AAron Barrett to pull all the spinach out of the can like Popeyes in F troop outer post bullpen !
    Jones and Wilson truly earned a look with big guys after their 18 summers.
    Loogies maybe the next additions to join Mills in Fresno and Taylor G in Burg ?

    1. I had the same thought on Jones and Wilson, and Noll, too. They worked really hard to get this look, and whether or not they have any real future in the major leagues, they deserve to spend a few weeks on the major league side this year.

      1. Spring training thoughts , Luke, :
        1) how many DSL18 kids get bumped up to GCL 19 or – gulp coffee- maybe cup of April coffee ☕️?
        2) how will brass differentiate between blue chip / favored guys for Harrisburg versus far west F troop guys in Grizzlies cave ? Knorr gets who versus LuCroy gets bunch headed by Carter K??

  2. A big WOW that Garcia will be in the big-league camp as an 18-year-old. I’m trying to remember whether Harper was in the MLB camp at 18, or not until 19. Anyway, that’s highly unusual, and an indication of what a fast riser they believe he’ll be. I’ve scratched my head a bit over his seemingly diminished status in some of the later prospect rankings, including Keith Law’s real dismissal of him.

    On the flip side, I feel bad for Austin Davidson that he didn’t get an invite. I don’t know him, and I believe Luke when he says that he has no defensive position, but I’m not sure Noll does, either. Yet Noll (.687 OPS at AA) will be in the big-league camp, but Davidson (.846 OPS at AA) won’t be.

    The missing pitching name that most surprises me is Andrew Istler. There’s a legit chance he could see time with the big club this year, plus he’s new to the organization, so it’s curious that they’re not taking a closer look at him.

    1. Istler wil probably get called over to A games @ some point.
      Futures on Davidson and Meijia interesting

      1. Davidson seems like a pretty decent left-handed hitter? Not sure about his defense though … Princeton grad is probably smart about honing his game.

    2. The guy doing the Nats for Baseball Prospectus was really down on young Luis too … but the guy saying watch out for this guy to his new fantasy audience on theAthletic? None other than John Sickels. I tend to favor Sickels. Seems like he is almost always right … his sleeper catcher in the majors is none other than Alfaro. Hmmmmm Philthy fans … that was definitely not a McPhail move, me thinks ownership stepped in and demanded that deal be made in order to attract that elephant’s attention.

    3. KW. Nats love their loyal troopers and injuries can open doors .
      That’s why I believe Bryan Meijia will be back especially if Luis Garcia is pushed .

  3. Nats trade Trevor Gott to the Giants. The return has yet to be reported, but it’s likely between a box of balls and an used L-screen.

  4. Gott picked up by the Giants. Best wishes to him. Something went really wrong for him in the Nat organization. He had made the majors at age 22 and pitched well, but he struggled with control his first spring with the Nats and was sent down, got injured at some point that year, and never came close to being a contributor. Was he a flash in the pan with the Halos, or did the Nats miss something about him?

    1. I’d be willing to bet Gott turns into at least a moderately useful arm.

      We have a long wake of “failed” relief pitchers that have gone on to have productive careers outside of DC.

  5. Hi everybody, a very good read by Keith Law about the Nats farm. He said it looks a lot more promising than at 1st glance.
    Great details about a lot of players. He brought up something I’ve said before; that big haul of pitchers they picked was intriguing. The Nats generally rest their pitchers the year they are drafted because of concern of overuse.
    He thought there was a good chance that a few of them turn out to be big time prospects.

    1. The returns on the big draft investment in pitchers in 2017 have been underwhelming thus far. In fact, Crowe is the only one who has succeeded by any measure, and many who saw him at Potomac were not impressed with his Gio-like high-wire act even while he was getting his wins. Others have shown some flashes of promise, while injuries have derailed or slowed a number of others.

      Some of the 2018 draftees strike me as having potentially higher ceilings than the 2017 ones. We’ll see. There should be a lot of shaking out/sorting out in 2019 as some of the 2018 arms force the 2017 ones to either step up or step aside.

    1. Realistically, no. He’s a backup to the backup at 1B and roughly 7th or 8th in line for the OF. Plus, he’s not on the 40-man roster and has been outrighted once already.

      1. If the power numbers go up? Things might look differently … but he’ll have to do that in Fresno.

        1. Peric. Would you agree that the majority of NRI everyday guys ends up with Knorr in F- troop out west ? Yes I am advocating for Noll to be versitile with Reynolds and Wilson.
          G Lara. City Isle or Potnat ?

          1. Yes, the NRI guys for sure but they’ll need filler down to Potomac too? I think the top prospects may see Fresno as there may be a wider variety of competition and venue for both hitters and pitchers out west. But it’s hard to divine what the Nat’s strategy will be? If they drop enough of their rotational, bullpen and positional depth in City Isle then G. Lara probably with the PNats. I wonder if they’ve made that call yet?

  7. Harper to The F— Phils. Fighting or maybe something else in the elevated rivalry now that the Golden Boy has taken to the city of b- love. I will be disappointed if the Harrisburg vs Reading rivalry doesn’t stoke up intensely

    1. Like in the film the Natural where the press writer played by Robert DuVall asks Roy Hobbs about concern for his legacy. How will MLB monkey grinder image / legacy media paint Harpers career canvas when he finishes his The Philadelphia Story ( not involving Cary Grant or Jimmy Stewart)??
      We all know that the Nats mimicked the Expos who moved on from Andre Dawson who walked to the Cubs where he reached one NLCS with the Cubs vs the Giants.
      Look at the Braves. 13 division titles. ONE WS ring.
      It’s a business . A player is not as grandiose in the greater scheme .
      I know many fans could give a Flip Wilson with camp underway about 34, the hair dooo, the slumps. Division titles with stalled success in the playoffs
      If Corbin wins 18-20 in the 3 slot. Then the occasional walk off by 34 in divisional play will be minor
      I still advocate the Nats see what they have. Then play through to the trade deadline and maybe pick up needed Pieces especially CARGO to reunite with Rizzo and be lightning off the bench.
      And if things really tank then brass has good draft pick order slot plus a fourth from Philly but Davey should get a nice jump out of the squad especially if Robles and Soto do their version of Raines and Dawson along with Trea Turner reminding people why Hank Aaron loves to watch 7 play

      1. With the signing of Hellickson its hard to see them tanking … especially with the better version of Kyle McGowin … the depth is pretty solid until you get to AA. Then as they like to say about the Nat’s system, the steep drop off. Maybe Henderson Alvarez comes out fast and becomes an innings eater at the back of the rotation?

        But I guess anything can happen … maybe the DSL pitchers prove themselves to have major league potential? We seem to be down to that perhaps?

    1. That feels slightly low.

      The Nationals have 2 top 20 prospects. That alone is way more valuable than 10 top 100, but with them all clustering between 70 and 100.

      Quality over quantity remains true in prospecting.

      1. These are pitching prospects, of which the Nats have very few, age-appropriate-to-the-level or not.

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