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Four Nats Make the BA Top 100

January 19, 2023

The payoff from last summer’s selloff came yesterday as the Boys in Durham™ released their first Top 100 Prospects List of 2023 (is that preseason or post-postseason?).

Joining Cade Cavalli from last year, which saw three Nats make the Initial Top 100, are James Wood (11), Robert Hassell (57), and Elijah Green (58). Keibert Ruiz graduated from prospect status while Brady House dropped from the list.

It’s been eight years since the Nats had this many Top 100 guys in January. Might be worth noting (reminding) that only three of those guys—Michael Taylor, Erick Fedde, and Joe Ross—spent significant time in D.C.

Since Cade Cavalli has been covered ad infinitum as the “Obi Wan” prior to 2021, I’ll steal from the player capsules I just wrote (but haven’t published yet; that list o’ OFs is long).

JAMES WOOD
The first thing you’ll notice about Wood is his size. As you might expect, he hits for plus-plus power and was fast and athletic enough to steal 20 bases in 25 attempts in ’22. Despite 75K in 76G, scouts like his pitch-recognition skills and attribute the whiffs to aggressiveness. Currently a CF, scouts believe he’ll be shifted to a corner to take advantage of his arm. Best bet is to join T.J. White and Jeremy De La Rosa, unless the Nats have decided to shift White to 1B as scouts have hinted.

ROBERT HASSELL
One of the key players acquired in the Juan Soto trade, Hassell was drafted 8th overall in 2020 by the Padres and has risen from Low-A to AA in just two pro seasons. His 2022 ended after just two games in the AFL with a broken hamate bone, which may sap his already fringy power. However, his true value lies in above-average on-base, bat-to-ball, baserunning, and throwing skills. If healthy, he could return to City Isle to start the season

ELIJAH GREEN
As you might expect from the son of an NFL tight end (Eric), Green has size, strength, and power. Likewise, those six extra-base hits came at the cost of 21K in 12G in the FCL. What you might not expect: He can run and throw, too. In addition to the swing-and-miss in his offensive game, there are some concerns about his ability to handle elevated velocity, both of which he’ll probably get tested at Low-A this season.

We now return you to your January malaise…

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29 Commments

  1. Will says:
    January 19, 2023 at 7:31 am

    Those three guys have the potential to give the Nats the best OF for the next decade. But more likely, Hassell’s bat remains broken, the delicate balance of Wood’s swing falls apart and begins looking like Green’s did, and none of these guys ever make the majors.

    But I’d even consider it a success if two make the majors, with one being an above average regular.

    1. Alou2alu says:
      January 19, 2023 at 6:31 pm

      Interesting how the Nats changed from Potomac to Fred with the flag logo because there is a traveling team organization called Pro Field using a eerily similar P with flag
      I met in my travels a guy associated with Pro Field and he mentioned that ex Nat Andrew Young’s Dad is involved with Pro field

      1. FredMD says:
        January 20, 2023 at 11:53 am

        sounds like a six degrees of separation tale, like your moniker.

        inside a month to pitchers and catchers hitting the field. woohoo!

        1. Alou2alu says:
          January 22, 2023 at 7:14 am

          Listen to the Doctor ( Doobie Bros )
          I’m sure there are a few more minor league “ suitcase Joes “ to be added to AA/ A plus level rosters by elementary Watson

    2. Bob says:
      January 21, 2023 at 11:46 am

      Sounds good to me. Now, what about Gore, Abrams, Dollander, Vaquera, House, Cruz, Savana?

      1. Alou2alu says:
        January 22, 2023 at 7:17 am

        All we need to keep doing “ What about Bob” ( Bill Murray ) is say the name into the universe enough
        Or to shift the Hendrix song title
        And the wind cries Dollander …surely the Pirates might go budget car rental fee on the first amateur pick ???

  2. KW says:
    January 19, 2023 at 9:57 am

    I’m (pleasantly) surprised to see Wood ranked the #11 player in all the minors. I’m high on him, but he hasn’t played above the A level. He does have the look of someone who could develop prodigious power. One would hope that they can convince him that he can generate that power without over-swinging.

    Hassell has said that his existing hand injury was already sapping him of power. He thinks that he will be able to show more power this season, although as we know from Trea and Werth, recovery from that injury can be slow.

    Green remains very boom or bust, as does House. I was skeptical of Green in particular, although there’s no denying his tool set. Personally, I would have gone the surer route of a college hitter, probably Brooks Lee, who got a cup of coffee at AA before the summer was done.

    With so much OF talent stockpiled, one also would think that a future trade or two may feature some guys from that stock. I could 10 legit OF prospects in the system now.

    1. Alou2alu says:
      January 22, 2023 at 7:18 am

      Some scouts never learn their lessons from dating women and the art of attraction perception hence deception
      Lol

  3. Mark L says:
    January 19, 2023 at 10:47 am

    The removal of the hamate bone is almost always a good thing. It certainly explains issues Hasell was having after the trade.

    A good comp would be Ian Desmond. He was a little farther along when he had his hamate removed and he then exploded on to the scene.

    I also would have preferred Brooks Lee but will watch Green with great intent as his ceiling is extremely high with a whiff rate that needs to be overcome.

  4. John says:
    January 19, 2023 at 12:27 pm

    Green will be an absolute superstar if he can hit. I always wondered what Bo Jackson could have done if he focused on baseball. Green may show us.

    Or he may be Bubba Starling or even less. We shall see.

    As I said in the other post, Susana is my guy. He could be historic. I said the same about Eric Lindros and was wrong.

    1. John says:
      January 19, 2023 at 12:30 pm

      I get excited when a player as the tools to be the Luke Erickson of baseball. It is so hard to put that on a player, but Green and Susana have those super rare, historic physical gifts to get it done.

      1. Luke Erickson says:
        January 19, 2023 at 1:10 pm

        Wait. What?

        1. John says:
          January 19, 2023 at 1:57 pm

          Yeak you are right. They would have to have 90+ grades across the board. What was I thinking

          1. Mark L says:
            January 19, 2023 at 11:32 pm

            Ha! 🙂

          2. Luke Erickson says:
            January 20, 2023 at 7:20 am

            Academically, maybe. But even in my 20’s the only thing I might be able to do as well as these guys physically is run. In a straight line. On pavement or a track.

            Totally agree with you on Susana — reminds me of Joan Baez in that he produces velocity with such little effort. Contrast that to Cole Kimball, who looked like he was giving birth with each pitch.

    2. Alou2alu says:
      January 22, 2023 at 7:23 am

      Eric Lindros helped build the Avalanche for success in Denver
      The trade that kept on giving
      Funny how spurts is now effected by that silly -rigged – pong ball which made some rich on the ten o’clock news lotto game between weather and spurts
      Will the Blackhawks get the top seat for the generational skater in June NHL draft
      Will Toews play in Avs uniform by my birthday ?
      Will MacKenzie speak more truth on the mound in DC then Al ever did ??

  5. John says:
    January 20, 2023 at 9:34 am

    I enjoy your work and wanted to say so in a creative way ✌

  6. John says:
    January 20, 2023 at 10:54 am

    It will be interesting to see how many guys are in the top 100 next year. Susana, House, Vaquero, and the #2 pick come to mind as additions. Cavalli and possibly Hassell as subtractions.

    1. Mark L says:
      January 20, 2023 at 1:10 pm

      Yeah, Cavalli will exit prospect status in April or May if he’s healthy.

      Hassell might be a September callup. That realistically means the Nats could have 6-7-8 players in yhe Top 100.

      Don’t sleep on T.J. White!

      1. John says:
        January 20, 2023 at 1:41 pm

        TJ White and some of the 22 draft picks came to mind.
        Jorgelys Mota came on strong late. It is tough to crack the top 100 out of rookie ball if you are not a big name. He or Vaquero making Fredericksburg could lead to a top 100.

      2. Alou2alu says:
        January 22, 2023 at 7:25 am

        White is the sleeper in the barn haystack

  7. KW says:
    January 21, 2023 at 9:15 am

    It’s a very good thing that the Nats now have a number of higher-ceiling guys in the organization. They certainly need them. Time will tell whether they can develop them. Time also will tell whether they’re honest in their evaluation of them. That’s a big part of why they’re in the deep hole they are now: they were totally wrong about the ceilings of several key guys like Robles, Kieboom, Fedde, and Romero.

    There have been times where they have made the right call. Alex Meyer was quite highly rated, but three steady years from Denard Span was better that what little Meyer actually became. They were honest about Wil Crowe’s ceiling and got Josh Bell for him.

    So who do they truly believe in now? I scratch my head when people (including BA) talk about Vaquero as being on the cusp of the top 100 because a) he wasn’t deemed to be good enough to start stateside, and b) he didn’t particularly do much in the Dominican. (But c) he is still very young.) Green has very high reputation/value now, but that will crater quickly if he continues to struggle to make contact. On the flip side, if he hits 35 homers across two levels, he’ll be one of the hottest prospects in baseball.

    In other words, the better the prospect, the bigger the gamble. The Nats are heavily stocked in outfielders, though, so they could afford to part with a few. I think they’ve got to roll with (keep) Susana and hope he makes it because they have very few truly high-ceiling pitching prospects.

    1. Alou2alu says:
      January 22, 2023 at 7:27 am

      I always revert back to the Uncle Lou Pinella line about young players : keep an eye on their doubles and triples numbers
      Plus as Whitey Herzog always said especially in St Louis : speed never sleeps !

      1. KW says:
        January 22, 2023 at 8:31 am

        Doubles are a good indication of a sold all-around hitter. Triples largely are a fluke. Plus in minor-league stats, you never really know how good the outfield defense was that allowed those “triples.”

        1. KW says:
          January 22, 2023 at 8:31 am

          SOLID all-around hitter.

  8. KW says:
    January 21, 2023 at 9:21 am

    Higher-ceiling OF prospects: Wood, Hassell, Green, Vaquero, de la Rosa, White, Lile, Quintana, Cox, and McKenzie. That’s 10 guys with a decent chance to make it. The odds are that only three or four actually will make it, though. Choose wisely my friends.

    Also, with this stock, I really scratch my head when people trumpet Dylan Crews as the potential pick for the Nats this summer. At what point does picking for need trump “best player available?”

    1. Alou2alu says:
      January 22, 2023 at 7:28 am

      Life is a 5D chess game or checkers game what ever game suits Your fancy

      1. FredMD says:
        January 22, 2023 at 11:57 am

        played at the same time people are shouting your next move at you from all angles!

  9. Pingback: Five Nats Make Keith Law’s Top 100 Prospects List

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