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The BA Prospect Handbook, Part Two

Let’s get this out of the way…

16. Jackson Cluff 21. Cole Freeman 26. Nick Banks
17. Tyler Dyson 22. James Bourque (18) 27. Steven Fuentes
18. Reid Schaller (11) 23. Joan Adon (25) 28. Jakson Reetz
19. Israel Pineda (15) 24. Jackson Tetreault (21) 29. Nick Raquet (19)
20. Ben Braymer (20) 25. Malvin Peña (28) 30. Jhonatan German

As it was a year ago, IFAs make up a third of the list and pitchers almost 2/3rds (19 of 30). The power of incumbency is on full display with the inclusions of Bourque and Braymer, both of whom should have aged off the list. (Yes, they may be useful to the big club, but I prefer not to talk salary considerations).

But more confusing is Malvin Peña, who moved up the list despite a 20-HR season (good for hitters, not so much for pitchers) and 6.20/5.55/1.40 line. Just six of his 23 starts went six or more innings with three or fewer runs allowed. Believe me, when he pitched in Woodbridge last summer, it was never anything but “I hope we come out on the right side of this 7-5 game.”

RHP Eddie Yean was named as this year’s breakout prospect. Last year, that title went to C Israel Pineda. Two years ago, it was 3B Kelvin Gutierrez; three years ago, LHP Tyler Watson, so take that for what it’s worth.

RHP Jhonatan German was named the system’s sleeper, which was given to IF Jake Noll in both 2019 and 2017 with RHP Gabe Klobosits sandwiched in between in 2018. For fantasy baseball owners folks outside the Natmosphere, that may actually be useful information.

Let’s go back to mocking BA for its lineup projections, because, well, it’s fun. Here’s what they predicted in 2017 for 2020:
C – Pedro Severino
1B – Daniel Murphy
2B – Wilmer Difo
SS – Trea Turner
3B – Anthony Rendon
LF – Adam Eaton
CF – Victor Robles
RF – Bryce Harper
#1SP – Max Scherzer
#2SP – Stephen Strasburg
#3SP – Erick Fedde
#4SP – Joe Ross
#5SP – Austin Voth
CL – Koda Glover

Another 3-for-14, maybe five if you want to give a pass on Eaton and whichever of the Nos. 3-5 SPs ends up being the actual #5 SP this season. So, presuming that there will be no FA signings, no trades, no injuries, and no sudden declines in skill, here’s your 2023 Washington Nationals:
C – Tres Barrera
1B – Drew Mendoza
2B – Luis Garcia
SS – Trea Turner
3B – Carter Kieboom
LF – Juan Soto
CF – Victor Robles
RF – Adam Eaton
#1SP – Stephen Strasburg
#2SP – Patrick Corbin
#3SP – Max Scherzer
#4SP – Jackson Rutledge
#5SP – Wil Crowe
CL – Tanner Rainey

We now return you to your Sunday. Is there anything on TV tonight?

22 Commments

  1. The only way Fuentes is ranked 27th is if you think the entirety of his performance was from that drug, which name escapes me.
    He’s about to be 23 and entering his 2nd year at AA.

    We’ll know how the Nats think about Dyson and Schaller once we see their assignments. They should be making their way to Fburg this year if the instruct and the offseason went well.

    1. Heptaminol, I believe, is the drug. BA has never been big on Fuentes. I hope his performance last year was real and sustainable; I watched a start or two of his, and while he doesn’t throw hard, he knows how to pitch and did not look easy to square up at all. I want to say he ultimately becomes a crafty, groundball-heavy middle reliever who can occasionally set up or close games…think Brandon Kintzler or Joe Blanton.

      1. Wow us old farts think back to our buddy Bill Singer bring trades for Andy Messersmith with this Joc Peterson and Ross Stripling and a young low A ball OF for angel pieces. Kudos to Angel GM trying to fill holes especially after adding Tony 2 bags

        1. I still don’t understand this trade from the Dodgers point of view…it looks like an utter steal for the Angels…i’m i missing something?

        1. Somebody on senatorsbaseball. Com needs to officially retire AdderlingRuiz to his GCL asst coach new gig. Lol.

  2. Some interesting IFA picks on this list, as you’ve already pointed out. Surely Alfonso Hernandez is more interesting than Yean, Adon or Pena, right?

    Condra-Bogan, Teel and Bartow also seem to be omissions, as well as Emiliani and Pena.

    But altogether it’s not a bad list, barring the few surprisingly high takes on the above names, and their continued infatuation with hype and not performance (Denaburg and Romero).

    2. Good Will Hunting : Will will both Pena’s surface on Suns in April ? V and Landerson???
      This has to be the summer where more bats rise to the forefront . Lead by “ Strohs”.

  3. Like Will, a couple of omissions are head scratchers. Carson Teel’s first full season was a complete success. He was unhittable in Hagerstown, then went to Potomac and ended the season as Carolina player of the month in August. Then was promoted to Harrisburg for the playoffs. For a 16th rounder!

    Emiliani is another to watch this year. The Nats kept him in Florida for a second straight year and he rewarded them with a .947 OPS last year. He turns 20 in a month, let’s see if the f.o. thinks he’s ready for Hagerstown.

    1. The near-total lack of attention paid to Teel is remarkable. He arguably outpitched his fellow monosyllabic-surnamed, six-foot-tall, 2018-drafted left-hander, Tim Cate.

      In fairness, Cate is almost two full years younger than Teel, and he obviously comes with more cachet as a prospect. But still!

    2. Emiliani , Randa and Sanfler who seemed to be in many photos in Auburn website last summer.
      Sunday is sound of music . Music.
      By the way did anybody think that the much ballyhooed Judy film was a BBC production equal to what Luke spoons out to the dogs ??

  4. Some other observations on this list:

    – just one new name that hadn’t been mentioned on any other list for the team: German at #30.

    – Precipitous falls from last year’s list for Gage Canning (12th last year), Raudy Read (13th last year) and Telmito Augustin (14th last year) in particular. You mean Read isn’t a better prospect than Reetz at this point?

    – Surprised that Tetrault continues to be so low; he was already young for the league starting in High-A in 2019, then dominated it to the point where he forced promotion after 7 starts. I suppose its kind of hard to move him up a ton … but who has had a more impressive pro debut so far? Tetreault or Irvin?

      1. Jackson T for sure.
        If only we could jump ahead to April 3 and see what type of camps many of these kids have.
        Case in point.: does Harrisburg get help from Lara and Williams on the corners ?
        Does Dante Bichette , Jr truly return to help Sens or Grizzzz? Same with Sagdal and Corredor
        How does that inaugural
        FredNats lineup look like ?? Geraldo , Antuna , Marincasa, Meregildo, Drew Mendoza , Jake Rhinesmith , Cody Wilson , Armand – no Hammer- Upshaw , Connell, Caufeld ???

  5. Well, if the Nats have 13 players better than Cronin, and 26 better than Fuentes, and all 30 better than Condra-Bogan, I guess they’ve got a loaded system! Goodness, these things are, I don’t want to say “silly,” but there’s a real detachment from actual performance — or any performance at all in the cases of Lara, Denaburg, Antuna, and Romero.

    1. KW, are you insinuating that Romero’s and Denaburg’s pro results haven’t been Top 10? 🙂

      1. What would really be fun for Harrisburg would be the graduation of Jackson T, Cate , Tapani and the Pirate cast away Edwin V to City Isle at some point in 2020….

  6. Romero’s stuff was possibly the best in that draft. In spite of attitude issues and a UCL on the verge is giving out he still managed an excellent strike out rate. Given the state of our system, he has a higher than usual ceiling.

  7. Todd, Mark and Jeff. You got it right on Jackson Tetreault. Yet, he gets overlooked by many for his efforts. Since being drafted in 2017 out of JUCO, Tetreault is won of the fastest movers to AA at only 22 years old from the 2017 draft class. His Short Season debut includes a 2.58 era, 38 inn, 36 Ks, 2018 Low A, 2.50 era second half season forcing a promotion to High A Potomac, 2019 High A, 1.91 era, 37 inn, 30 ks, 1.12 whip, Promotion to AA Harrisburg and a 3.88 era in the first 11 starts up to July 2, 50 inn and 43 ks. Last seven starts looked a bit rough, however, of the 123 innings thrown by Tetreault in 2019, 96 were shut out innings. Of the 53 total runs given up, 17 of those runs were given up in only 3 starts of 25. Minus those 3 rough starts (which most starters will have) and you have a 2.92 era! That’s AAA stuff! Who, if not Tetreault, a 7th round pick, has made the climb to AA in the National’s organization more efficient as a starting Pitcher with that body of work!

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