The NationalsProspects.com Top 10 Position Players
It’s been two years since we’ve done this exercise, back when Carter Kieboom and Luis García were both untouchable and the Nats were coming off a World Series title.
Well, much has changed since then.
Thanks to both time and trades, the latest Top 10 is almost completely different – just one holdover, who might not have been listed were it not for the cheerleading from the Alternate Training Site in 2020 by just about everyone in the traditional media… while being actually witnessed by almost no one.
The trend is here is pretty clear: players who can contribute now were valued more than those who may end up producing more later. To which I can only say: I get it. Kieboom and Garcia are, sadly, supports of that argument (while serving as examples of how the lost 2020 season may have irreparably damaged their careers).
Without further ado…
- Keibert Ruiz
- Brady House
- Armando Cruz
- T.J. White
- Riley Adams
- Yasel Antuna
- Donovan Casey
- Daylen Lile
- Jake Alu
- Jackson Cluff
Others receiving votes: Roismar Quintana, Ricardo Méndez, Jeremy De La Rosa, Drew Millas, Will Frizzell, Jacob Rhinesmith, Israel Pineda, Gilbert Lara, Branden Boissiere
Not much else to dwell on, since the list is almost completely new. Next up: the pitchers. This is usually much more interesting and wildly divergent. I expect to skew old and toward relievers, given both the audience and the candidates.
This kind of thing is always fun.
Not sure why Armando Cruz is here, he hasn’t done anything yet.
The most feelgood story is T.J. White. Not many 5th round high schoolers come out of the blocks as well as he did.
The same could be said for Yasel Antuna! The key difference is that Antuna has had four seasons to not impress, while Cruz has only had two months.
Also, I find the disparity between Antuna and Mendez amusing. Mendez is actually a couple months younger than Antuna, and they now even play the same position (though Mendez can play CF, which I’d be amazed if Antuna was capable of), so there’s some easy comparisons to be made. And yet, when you look at performance to date, Mendez has been notably superior both offensively and defensively.
But I’ll stop criticizing Antuna now. I’ve already done plenty of it.
3 B hot corner like the gap period for exodus between Wallach and Sean berry
Tony two bags to House
De Jon Watson played a season in the minors with Sean Berry .
The Nats would take Berry – ish numbers from Carter Kieboom.
I’m also surprised by the high level of support for Cruz. (I did vote for him, but not nearly that high.) The thing that concerned me about him was that he wasn’t deemed ready to play stateside his first season, as nearly all of their Dominican star signees have been. Then he barely hit there, plus made nine errors in only 47 games. (I will note: Dominican fields may not be too consistent.) I sure hope he turns it around. It is useful to note, though, that because of the missed season, he’s only half a year younger than House and White, who played stateside, crushed it in their SSS, and likely will start in a full-season league.
Speaking of bonus babies who were hurt by the missed season, I’m surprised that there was nary a vote for Sammy Infante. He did show some hints of power but also K’d 30%. He’ll be in his age-21 season next year.
An industry rag will always think highly of a bonus baby like Cruz .
Not to be overlooked, dang, the top two are promising. Ruiz is already showing that he can hit in the majors and may have an all-star ceiling. Yes, the price was steep. But good-hitting, middle-of-the-order catchers are among the rarest things on this planet.
I thought House was the highest-ceiling position player in the draft. No guarantees whatsoever that he reaches it, but so many of the other guys have “projectable” power. No imagination is necessary with House. Has there been a Nat farm hand to hit more than 30 HRs since Tyler Moore did 31 back to back? (Oh yeah, I forgot about Yadiel in the rare air of Fresno.) Anyway, House is going to be the next one. . . . Or he isn’t, and he becomes a K machine, and we’ll all be disappointed, but he’ll still put on a heck of a show when he does connect. Sure would be fun to see House, White, and Frizzell in the same FredNats lineup. Show up early for BP!
I realize that, because of injury, there is very little to go on, but I think Quintana is going to be one of the Nat’s top position players. And I haven’t given up on De la Rosa.
I like their chances better than any of the last six on the list, other than Lile.
I agree re Quintana, had him #6 on my list. But I also understand the reluctance of others since he’s played a grand total of seven pro games.
I also agree re most of the guys on the second half of the list. All may still have major-league potential, but it’s not higher-ceiling potential. We don’t know about some of these others who have barely played. Some of them probably won’t warrant being on the list next year, when they struggle. All will at some point. Well, Soto didn’t/hasn’t, but he’s from another planet.
Well , there is the old story of Vlad Sr arriving on the back of a motor cycle barefoot and the Dodgers ended up telling him
His swing was too long ….
The club’s (Rizzo’s) extremely optimistic take on Antuna:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/11/29/yasel-antuna-outfield/
Apologies if someone else previously posted this; I hadn’t seen it.
“We moved him to the outfield so he could focus more on his bat, and he had a hell of a second half of the season after not playing for two years.”
Putting aside the fact that Rizzo is trying to rewrite history by suggesting they have actually moved him to the outfield, and as a consequence his 2nd half performance improved as a result. This defensive move is entirely hypothetical at this point. He hasn’t played a game in the OF in the minors yet. There’s only talk of a defensive move, but no evidence of it.
With that said, this whole statement is entirely relative… Antuna hit .269/.350/.439/.789 in the second half (53 G) of the season.
Meanwhile, Alec Keller, who just retired after being jerked around by the org and never given a chance, batted a career .296/.348/.386/.734 across 7 seasons and 552 games.
But I guess they’ve gotta do their best to keep that prospect helium up.
Or Valium.