Welcome to the eleventh edition of this collection of not-quite-qualified for full-fledged inclusion in the position categories.
Darren Baker just missed being the fifth player to make it from this category to the majors, as the Nats made him one of what’s now a very short list of September callups in 2024. Will one of the following guys be the next (joining Jacob Young, Brian Goodwin, Spencer Kieboom, and, yes, Juan Soto)?
Darren Baker
Baker might arguably have been the best of the Nats’ fetish for legacy picks, a singles-hitting second baseman (mostly) and left fielder (sometimes) with next-to-no power but can steal a base. The smart money is on a third tour of duty at Rochester unless he has a monster spring.
Maxwell Romero Jr.
Romero dropped out of the catcher category with the 2023 and 2024 draft picks showing more promise and a .624 OPS at Wilmington. He’s likely to spend 2025 as the backup backstop for the Blue Rocks.
Jeremy De La Rosa
Probably shouldn’t be here but for campaigning in the comments, as my rule is (or was) no repeats, but he just turned 23. On the other hand, 2025 will be his fourth tour in Delaware barring injuries or a massive turnaround, given the regression from 2023 to 2024.
Brandon Pimentel
Pimentel signed as an NDFA in July 2023 and tore it up in the FCL (1.092 OPS) and the month of April in Fredericksburg (.993). Alas, the league adjusted to him and he did not until August. He’ll turn 25 midway through ’25 but he should be playing at Wilmington to start the year.
T.J. White
White, along with Brady House, tore it up in the FCL as a teenager in 2021 and was still very productive in 2022 at Low-A. However, he’s languished in High-A the past two seasons posting OPSs of .557 and .658, though he had a very strong month of July (.293/.341/.488).
Armando Cruz
The Nats spent a lot of money on him, but there’s little to say that’s he not Yasel Antuna II, even with a social promotion to Wilmington.
Christhian Vaquero
Just like De La Rosa in 2024, Baseball America has Vaquero ranked as the #26 prospect despite regressing in 2024 as he never got off the interstate (.190/.291/.303) even with a finish of .255/.336/.373 over his last 31 games. Perhaps he’ll still start ’25 in Delaware, given the example of Cruz.
Everett Cooper
Cooper made it north of Florida in ’24 but struggled to a .629 OPS and finished the season on the 60-Day I.L. Another season at Low-A is a near certainty.