NationalsProspects.com

The 2020 NationalsProspects.com Watchlist

While I may have been waiting to see if the Nats were done on the trade front until January, the little burst of minor-league news last week kept this on the backburner until today.

This was easier to compile than a year ago, though I’m not sure why. The system still skews old and there’s not much depth. Carter Kieboom remains “the coming thing,” with Luis Garcia “the next man up.”

Jackson Rutledge seems poised as the next great arm developed by the Nationals – a list that thins considerably after Stephen Strasburg, and especially when you limit the list to those not traded away. My worry for him in 2020 (call it the Fedde Factor™): Will GM Mike Rizzo resist the temptation to rush Rutledge to the majors if/when the bullpen falters?

Simply getting healthy might be the best Washington can ask for from its prospects in 2020, given that not one, not two, but three of its Top 10 prospects per Baseball America are either coming off surgery (Seth Romero, Mason Denaburg) or have yet to return to full strength (Yasel Antuna).

Now for the annual reminders….

• Most of these guys will not make it past High-A – Only a handful will make it to “The Show,” and most of those will be bench/role/reliever-types. Despite what the Astros, Orioles, and Brewers might think, finding major-league players is a numbers game and it’s not easy.

• It’s not a depth chart – Players are listed primarily by the highest level they’ve played in the minors. For ten years, I’ve resisted the urge to alphabetize to make this point clear.

• It’s not a prediction of usage – The Nats love to try infielders at multiple positions and it’s not unusual for some pitchers to both start and relieve for multiple seasons. Position switches have happened in the upper minors (José “Orange” Marmolejos) and even the majors (Tyler Moore).

This is the largest list since 2014 because—unlike years past—I’ve mostly added names rather than subtract since I floated the trial balloons in late November. I’m sure I’ll be kicking myself for this largesse next month when I get down to the “shorties” [insert Viandel Peña joke here] on the player capsules.

Once my support staff is up to the task, we’ll add this to the sidebar and change out the 2019 tab up above.

The next few weeks will be spent building these out while waiting for the prospect books to arrive. From time to time, I’ll let you know when I’ve finished a category or two, but you can also check to see when a category has been hyperlinked.

In the meantime, feel free to discuss in the comments…

C 1B 2B SS 3B OF
Barrera Corredor Freeman Kieboom G. Lara Banks
Reetz Harrison Arruda L. Garcia Meregildo Rhinesmith
Diaz Mendoza Martina Cluff Connell
Murzi Emiliani V. Peña Mendez
Randa
Senior
Hurtado
Sanfler
De La Rosa
RHPs LHPs DSL Bats DSL Arms Notable Arms Notable Bats
Crowe Braymer De La Cruz Cedeño Tetreault Antuna
M. Sanchez Teel Geraldo Gomez Schaller Jo. Sanchez
Condra-Bogan Raquet R. Gomez Hiraldo Cuevas J. Garcia
Fuentes Cate Marte Montero Aldonis D. Martinez
German Cronin Rivero Rodriguez A. Lara Quintana
A. Lee Troop Marquez Santana
Bartow A. Hernandez
Rutledge Chu
A. Guillen E. Lee
Adon Knowles
Irvin Ferrer
McMahan B. Peña
Turner
Dyson
Peterson
Willingham
Yean
Seijas
P. Gonzalez

31 Commments

  2. Luke. great job. the 1b list is really the farm depth chart @ 1b especially if Mensoza hop scotchs two levels in early 2020…..

    1. Remove Matt Davidson from the depth chart additions @ Fresno since he signed a pact with the busy Reds.
      Matt Duffy still out their ? Pedro Floriman still unsigned ? Mike Ahmed a 3 b option for Harrisburg or maybe Bichette , Jr finds his way back in spring ??
      Luke. Slow releases from BA…..
      Courtney Hawkins for an org role @ Harrisburg if Hunter Jones not invited back to the gang ??

    1. Always welcome to get info like this – been waiting for BA to do a post because if you and Mick are hearing these things, then it’s likely FAs at AAA are starting to sign too

      1. Time for moles, Luke. I clicked on TODDBOSS feed to the big board but some page pops up from google about milk cookies and white Russians…..
        hmmm. Fresno Troop taking shape.
        maybe I am too hasty in antipating Corredor AND Sagdal getting assignments there, but maybe brass will push the envelope with some kids. ( Williams, Lara and Meregildo to Burg?).
        Hernandez and Wilson should see camp time with A squad.
        Maybe Wilson is the March surprise keeping Kieboom @ AAA for some more seasoning?
        Ward, Keller, Kieboom, Davidson, (Snyder), Noll, Raffie Bautista, Greg Bird(?), Read, Sam Haggerty (?), …Banks? Wiseman has to stay @ AA because unless brass gets creative with AA FA signees like Bichette son last summer…outfield should have Agustin, Sundberg, Cole Freeman (2b/OF), ….
        belch..good coffee and chili….

      2. Luke, I know you said this is not truly a depth chart, but would you agree that the Lisson/Meijia promotion to Hags should draw kids like Martina, Pena, Hurtago, Emiliano and maybe even Tovar to Hags ( the final season ) ( Like TG- the good place NBC…LOL!)
        Nats scouts should be scouring the Florida camps for some of those bodies to seed the empty spots in AAA/AA.

      3. Luke, apparently you are sold on Alex Dunlop and his Stanford pedigree. no news on Reetz health so the question beckons if Alex Dunlop earns Harrisburg chores with the Longhorn alum??

      5. St Michael @ F troop :
        Crowe
        Espino
        Braymer
        Kyle McGowin
        AAA Free agent
        Vegas odds for beer league ERA guess??

      6. Grissom : poetic in the wake of number 6 leaving for the rusty horizon of Autry Angel land that number 6 for Le Expos passes – Ron Fairly ….

      8. Luke. BA posted. But not updated to New Year
        David Hernandez another guy who was a desert snake once

    2. Wow! Jacob Wilson returning is a big surprise, I hope this means the Nats are turning away from Josh Donaldson and maybe get someone else to maybe platoon with Wilson. Wishful thinking maybe.

      1. I recall when Nats might have had an eye inSF Giant Ryan Jones 3b / 1b
        Duffy , Bird but all those plan Bs after The playoff run hero off the bench AC
        Kipnis , Walker , ??!!!???

    3. In that case maybe we should pencil in Brandon Snyder for F-troop too to join bumped up Corredor, Sagdal, Noll ( not earning that Big club PT)…..
      which site is feeding the under the radar AAA signees??

    4. sign the Josephs brothers. salty vet backstop for Fresno and brother plays all over the lineup….

    6. In a non World Series season as the ball drops in a few hours in NYC. Jakob Wilson May see cups of coffee for Nats.

  6. My takeaway from this is we’re swimming in RHPs. Maybe some of them can play third base…

    1. Cane , did you enjoy that Johnson 3 story in BA??? This helps us appreciate the magic found in the run this October for the Nats .

  7. Jakson Cluff might be an infield prospect to watch IMHO. Older at 23 he has less time to make something happen.

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