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Cole Freeman Born: 9/27/94 Ht. 5’9″ Wt. 175 Bats: R Throws: R Career Stats |
To his credit, Cole Freeman played his way from an overdraft to a watchlist category player with the kind of season most would have expected in 2018: 31SB, 82R, 27-2B in 123G. Despite his size (5’9″ in 2″ cleats), he’s a dead pull hitter, which doesn’t exploit his speed. Almost 50G in the OF suggests the Nats are looking for him to develop into a “super sub,” though he only has the arm to play 2B and CF. | |
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J.T. Arruda Born: 10/20/97 Ht. 5’10” Wt. 180 Bats: L Throws: R Career Stats |
Arruda was drafted in the 11th Rd. out of Fresno State as a redshirt sophomore. Scouting reports are scarce, which is complicated by his brother Aaron, who also went to Fresno State (and has already flamed out of the Oakland organization). The younger Arruda spent all of 2019 in Auburn where he was tried at SS, 2B, and 3B. Offensively, he struggled early (.138 BA in June) before finding a groove late (.284 in August). | |
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Junior Martina Born: 12/12/97 Ht. 5’11” Wt. 190 Bats: R Throws: R Career Stats |
Martina became the fourth National to sign from Western Oklahoma State College in the 2010s. The native of Curaçao beat up on the GCL to the tune of .338/.461/.515 before going 3-for-17 over four games for Auburn. Like Arruda, he also saw time at 3B and SS, and there’s little to be found beyond his draft info. | |
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Viandel Peña Born: 11/22/00 Ht. 5’8″ Wt. 148 Bats: S Throws: R Career Stats |
Peña signed as an IFA for $150K in 2017 and made the watchlist as a “DSL Bat” in 2019 after posting a .386 OBP in the DSL. He drew slightly fewer walks, but more than compensated by boosting his BA from .250 to .359 in the GCL last summer. As you might expect, scouts believe his value will be as a glove-first defender and will never have much in the way of power. Ten career steals in 102 games suggests the speed is not in his arsenal either. |