Vote for Your Favorite Arms
It’s probably been about five years since the Nats have been this low on starting pitching in the minors. After Cade Cavalli, it’s a struggle to name a true-blue starter that wasn’t acquired this past June or July or still has to register for Selective Service.
For your reference, here are the preliminary 2023 watchlist pitchers.
Like the bats, you can send your Top 10 list to enfieldmass-top10arms[at]yahoo[dot]com (link will open your preferred email client) or post them in the comments.
Once we have enough votes (or on Monday morning), I’ll weigh them in reverse order (#1 = 10 points, #2 = 9 points … #9 = 2 points, #10 = 1 point) and post the results, along with my comments and snark.
Like five years ago, I suspect we’ll have a consensus on the first two or three pitchers, then it’ll be a free-for-all, especially since there are so many relievers and swingmen from which to choose.
Cavalli, Susana, Bennett, Lara, Henry, Rutledge, Parker, Brzykcy, Cronin, Ferrer.
Honorable mention: Irvin, Atencio, Aldonis, Collins.
1. Cavalli
2. Henry
3. Parker
4. Bennett
5. Susana
6. Cronin
7. Bryzycky
8. Ferrer
9. Rutledge
10. Irvin
Sorry guys, anyone putting Cole Henry in the Top 10 has not been paying attention. There’s a chance his career is over. I’d like to be wrong but probably not.
TOS surgery is generally a career killer.
1. Cavalli
2. Susana
3. Cronin
4. Brzykcy
5. Parker
6. Ferrer
7. Knowles
8. Bennett
9. Lara
10. Yankosky
What a painful exercise. I’m somewhat of a Bennett skeptic as I fear he was an overdraft, but I hope he proves me wrong. Henry would be #2 on my list if not so badly injured. I’ll cut Lara some slack because of age and “playing up” but won’t extend the same courtesy to other big names who were “playing down” and underperforming. (I actually have more hope for Denaburg at the moment than I do Rutledge.) Theophile was terrific at A but hit a wall after promotion. Irvin has been added to the 40-man but really wasn’t very good and is about to turn 26.
Interesting how I came to many of the same conclusions as you and Jackson. I swear I didn’t peek at your comments before posting!
KW, fascinating that you’ve listed Yankoski. His control numbers were incredible but he was hurt the last week of June. I have no idea what his injury is.
Mark, when it came down to it, his numbers were so much better than anyone else’s. It’s not all about numbers, of course, but I thought he deserved a shout-out. Hope he’s OK.
KW, agreed. He’s someone I hope we’re following in 2023.
This was tough… there’s just so many wildcards that I’d rather cluster these according to themes (broken, unproven, reliever) than a top 10. But here goes nothing:
1. Cavalli
2. Susana
3. Bennett
4. Parker
5. Lara
6. Irvin
7. Agostini
8. Brzykcy
9. Cronin
10. Ferrer
If Henry didn’t go down with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, he’d have been #2, but I think there’s a better chance that any of these guys feature for the Nationals (probably unsuccessfully) than we are to get anything out of Henry, unfortunately, hence his absence. Then 8-10 are the best of a pretty good stable of relievers. But relievers are just by their nature less valuable than starters.
Some clusters of honorable mentions:
Broken: Henry, Aldo Ramirez, Carrillo, Shuman, Glavine, Alfonso Hernandez, Evan Lee
Unproven: Cornelio, Huff, Luckham, Luke Young, Atencio, Jose Cedeno, Aldonis, Jefrem Leon, Ogando, Franklin Marquez, Doimil Perez
Relievers: Collins, Sinclair, Carlos Romero, Troop (not really sure the Nationals know what they’re doing with him), Yankosky, Willingham, Ribalta
No idea: Cate, Rutledge, Denaburg, Teel, Powell
There some interesting depth here in the organization, but the top level prospects is awful. Only Cavalli and Susana (and maybe Bennett if he starts off really well) are legitimate prospects.
It’s crazy how quickly the pendulum has shifted in just 2 years from being devoid of bats and full of pitching to what it is now.
“Only Cavalli and Susana (and maybe Bennett if he starts off really well) are legitimate prospects.” I second that emotion. Some would claim Lara as well, but that’s still a very, very short (and concerning) list. And Cavalli is the only one anywhere near the majors.
I do really enjoy/appreciate looking at the lists of other folks here. You are the ones who are actually paying attention to what’s going on in the organization.
Although I didn’t list him, Will mentioned a guy who I hope can really do something this year, Aldo Ramirez. He had TJ last spring so should be back in 2023 with innings limit, I hope able to start at Wilmington. Could be an interesting rotation there if he’s joining Lara, Denaburg, and Rutledge.
I realize that Henry has TOS, but he has been so good when healthy and the rest of the arms are so underwhelming that I’m going to keep him highly ranked in hope that he can come back somewhere close to where he was.
1. Cavalli
2. Henry
3. Susana
4. Bennett
5. Cronin
6. Lara
7. Parker
8. Rutledge
9. Irvin
10. Bryzycky
HM: Ferrer, Theophile.
well I submitted my ballot and then changed it a few minutes later. I’m still not convinced that I’ve got it right. they are definitely short on slam dunk candidates for this list but that does not mean there are not many interesting stories to watch in 2023. hoping for good health for all the kids who’s lifelong dreams depend on it!