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Five Honored with 2021 Minor League Awards

Jordy Barley, Donovan Casey, Cade Cavalli, Jack Dunn, and Jake Noll were the winners of Washington’s 2021 Minor League Awards.

The awards, which return after a 2020 hiatus, remain at five categories:

  • Player of the Year – UT Jake Noll
  • Pitcher of the Year – RHP Cade Cavalli
  • “Nationals Way” Award – IF Jack Dunn
  • Defensive Player – OF Donovan Casey
  • Baserunner of the Year – SS Jordy Barley

Noll had a career year for the Rochester Redwings, posting season highs in BA, OBP, and SLG% and tying his season-best 17HRs (2017), which was second-best in the minors to teammate Daniel Palka’s 18. Noll, who turned 27 in March, was taken with the Nats’ 7th Rd. pick in the 2016 Draft.

Cavalli, the Nats’ top pitching prospect, started in High-A Wilmington and finished in AAA Rochester, with a 3-1 record and a 1.77/1.63/0.89 linein seven GS for the Blue Rocks; a 3-3 record, 2.79/3.02/1.28 line in 11 starts for the Senators, and a 1-5 record 7.30/4.54/1.86 record for the Red Wings. The 23-y.o. was the Nats’ #1 pick in 2020.

Dunn, 25, spent all of 2021 with the Blue Rocks and posted a line of .276/.359/.350 in 65 games at all four infield positions, two games in LF, and appeared twice in relief with two scoreless innings with two hits, no walks, and no strikeouts. Dunn was the 20th Rd. pick in 2019, signed by current scout (former minor-leaguer) Justin Bloxom.

Casey was one of twelve players acquired at the trade deadline and split time between Harrisburg and Rochester. The 25-y.o. was a 20th Rd. pick for the Dodgers and had two assists and no errors in 50 games.

Barley was also a midseason pickup (Padres) and was deemed the organization’s best baserunner and finished seventh in the organization while playing just 33 games for Washington. Overall, he tallied 45 steals in 56 attempts, though he was caught five times in 17 tries for the FredNats. The IFA from the D.R. will turn 22 in December.

16 Commments

  1. That’s a name blast from the past !! Justin Bluxom.
    So the Boone award is now
    Nats Way
    Dunn sure showed his flexibility for the former Northwestern Wildcat
    Funny how it takes a prospects success to hear what scouts are actually employed by Nats
    Nats sure can use infielders who can don several gloves around the horn
    Barley was an interesting toss into the Hudson deal
    Maybe this retool won’t take as long as first thought
    Look at some of the guys on playoff clubs such as Gavin Sheets a short belch ago stuck in the Birds system shook loose from that nest like Josh Rogers .

  2. It’s pretty hilarious (and depressingly appropriate) that 40% of the award winners weren’t played for the franchise for only 40% of the season.

    Still, why give Barley the baserunner award? There’s some decently quick players in our system. Armond Upshaw stole 29 bases (out of 41). Justin Connell 21 of 34. Barley was 12 of 17. My darkhorse candidate: Jacob Young, who stole more bases than Barley (13 to 12) in fewer games (26 vs 33), and was perfect (13 for 13) this season in attempts.

  3. I’m still confused why the Nationals didn’t promote Noll at some point after the fire sale. Noll can play 1B, 2B, 3B and LF, so you can’t claim he was blocked. In the meantime, we gave dozens of starts to Jordy Mercer…

    1. Jake Noll was a 7th round pick. Luke is training a new copy editor.
      Will is right, Noll should have been promoted.

  5. What is the “Nats Way”? If it means positional versatility, I haven’t seen a lot of that at the MLB level.

    1. “Nats Way” is the award formerly named for Bob Boone, but apparently that name was shown the door at the same time that Boone was. There are a lot of people who seem to think that Boone was a Neanderthal when it came to player development, so let’s hope that the “Nats Way” comes to look a little different in the future. In the past, though, it has been sort of the perseverance award. If they want someone to rename the award for, I would suggest Aaron Barrett.

  6. Justin Bloxom, now that is a blast from the past. 11th round pick in 2009, rising to Harrisburg before being released mid-season in 2014. He was beloved by the people in Harrisburg, they had some kind of farewell ceremony for him when he left.

    1. Years fly by especially for guys like Bluxom .
      Jacob Young will get his time in the limelight for his skills
      Barley name maybe just getting pumped since he was part of deadline moves

  7. When I read that Noll was taken 7th in the 2016 draft, I did a double-take. I realize now you meant he was Washington’s 7th round pick.

  8. And yes, I did laugh that the organization, in its own awards, highlighted guys trained by the Dodgers as the best defensive player and the best base runner. Um, yeah, because those are skills that can be taught. If you don’t think that your internal guys have been taught as well as these half-season players, your guys who have been through all your camps and instructional leagues, then you might want to do a little soul-searching on that.

  9. Re: Jake Noll, I think the Nats gave him more than enough opportunities to showcase his talent at the major league level. He’s just one of those players who hasn’t been able to put it all together yet. Maybe a change of scenery would do him some good. It sure worked for Michael A.

    1. lol Noll has been given 29 ABs in the majors.

      Don’t get me wrong, I’m no big Noll fan. I think he was undeserving of his 2019 opening day rostering (and the subsequent performance showed this to be true). But to claim that the Nats “gave him more than enough opportunities to showcase his talent at the major league level” is a bit over the top.

      In the second half of the season the Nationals were 25-56 (.309 W%), and were clearly going nowhere. It behooves them to figure out what they have in players on their 40 man roster, and not blow that playing time on players with absolutely no future, such as Jordy Mercer or Gerardo Parra.

  11. With all the chatter about the bullpen arms we’d all love to see jump up several levels of advancement Cronin , Peterson , Schaller , Gabe K
    Billy Moores boy , Davis , put yo some good production for Wilmington .
    And we’re still awaiting to see the UCLA alum closer get back in the flow along with starter , Jake Irwin , in 22

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