As threat…er, promised Baseball America has updated its 2021 Top 30 Prospects to include the International Signings from this past January, which occurred after its Prospect Handbook went to press. Not sure if that makes this the post-preseason Top 30 or the pre-midseason Top 30.
Before we go further, ze “new” list (previous ranking, if applicable):
| 1. RHP Cade Cavalli | 11. 1B Drew Mendoza (10) | 21. OF Roismar Quintana (20) |
| 2. RHP Jackson Rutledge | 12. SS Jackson Cluff (11) | 22. RHP Tyler Dyson (21) |
| 3. RHP Cole Henry | 13. SS Sammy Infante (12) | 23. RHP Jake Irvin (22) |
| 4. SS Yasel Antuna | 14. LHP Seth Romero (13) | 24. RHP Joan Adon (23) |
| 5. SS Armando Cruz | 15. C Israel Pineda (14) | 25. C Jakson Reetz (28) |
| 6. RHP Andry Lara (5) | 16. C Tres Barrera (15) | 26. RHP Sterling Sharp(25) |
| 7. OF Jeremy De La Rosa (6) | 17. OF Daniel Marte | 27. OF Andry Arias (26) |
| 8. LHP Tim Cate (7) | 18. LHP Ben Braymer (17) | 28. LHP Jackson Tetreault (27) |
| 9. RHP Mason Denaburg (8) | 19. RHP Holden Powell (18) | 29. OF Nick Banks (28) |
| 10. LHP Matt Cronin (9) | 20. RHP Steven Fuentes (19) | 30. RHP Reid Schaller (29) |
Basically, Armando Cruz was added in at #5, everyone else dropped one spot, and Bryan Sanchez got bumped. No sense re-ranking based on, oh, I don’t know:
- LHP Seth Romero going missing (figuratively, at least; perhaps even literally if the past is any indication)
- RHP Jake Irvin still recovering from TJ surgery
- What the scouts saw in Spring Training
As the headline notes, the Boys in Durham also updated its Top 100 list, which moved Cade Cavalli in—presumably up from #101, natch. Like the ~2° difference on a airline seat, that apparently makes *all* the difference.
If you’re so inclined to ponder over who’s in, out, or at least on the roster for the Nationals Alternate Training site, we’ve got you covered.
It’s a little less than five weeks until “our” Opening Day, but if the protocols that BA reported on for the players and coaches and the steps being taken at Nationals Park for limited attendance at the outset are any indication, it may very well still be a while before normality returns.