NationalsProspects.com

Thursday’s New & Notes

Team Yesterday Today Pitching Probables
Rochester Won, 3-0 @ Toledo, 6:35 p.m. Adon (1-3, 5.54) vs. Bergner (1-1, 6.35)
Harrisburg Won, 7-4 @ Reading, 6:45 p.m. Ale. Hernandez (0-1, 2.00) vs. Phillips (1-3, 5.85)
Wilmington Won, 10-9
(10 inn.)		 vs. Hudson Valley, 6:35 p.m. Huff (2-2, 5.34) vs. Messinger (0-2, 2.23)
Fredericksburg Won, 7-2 @ Salem, 7:05 p.m. Cornelio (1-2, 5.66) vs. Ramirez (1-1, 1.21)

Rochester 3 Toledo 0
• Ureña 4IP, 4H, 0R, 2BB, 4K
• T. Romero (W, 1-2) 2IP, 0H, 0R, 2BB, 1K
• Danish (SV, 2) 1IP, 0H, 0R, 1BB, 1K
• Mazara 2-4, R, HR, RBI
• Baker 1-3, R, BB, RBI

Four Rochester pitchers combined to shut out Toledo, 4-0 on five hits. Starter José Ureña labored through four innings, giving up four hits and two walks while striking out four. He needed 85 pitches to get 12 outs. Tommy Romero (2IP), Alberto Baldonado (2IP), and Tyler Danish (1IP) combined for five shutout innings to get the win, hold, and save respectively. The Red Wings squeezed three runs out of four hits with the help of three Mud Hens errors. Nomar Mazara got the party started with a solo HR in the 2nd and later added a single in the 8th. Darren Baker singled, walked, scored a run, and drove in a run.

Harrisburg 7 Reading 4
• Cuevas (W, 2-0) 6IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 1BB, 8K, HR, 3HBP
• Peguero (SV, 6) 1IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• Cluff 1-3, 2R, BB, HR, SB
• Hassell 2-4, BB, RBI
• Tostado 1-4, R, HR(GS), 4RBI

The Senators got their first four-game winning streak of ’23 with a 7-4 triumph over the Fightin Phils. Michael Cuevas turned in his second quality start this month, allowing a two-run HR and three hits total while walking one and striking out a season-high of eight. It was nearly his second without a decision, but Jackson Cluff’s two-run shot in the 7th put Harrisburg up 3-2 and Frankie Tostado’s grand slam in the 8th made it 7-2. Orlando Ribalta got dinged for two in the 8th to make it close, but Joel Peguero cordero’d around two singles in the 9th with quite literally an assist from Donovan Casey, who threw out Reading’s Ethan Wilson at the plate for the third and final out.

Wilmington 10 Hudson Valley 9 (10 inn.)
• Luckham 2IP, 6H, 5R, 5ER, 3BB, 3K, HR, WP
• Peterson 2IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 1K
• Yankosky (W, 1-0) 2IP, 1H, 0R, 1BB, 2K
• Wood 3-5, 3R, BB, 2B, HR, 2RBI
• Mejia 3-5, 3R, BB
• De La Rosa 3-6, 2RBI

Wilmington went to town on the Hudson Valley bullpen, scoring nine runs in the middle innings to come back from deficits of 7-0 and 9-4 to force extras. The Blue Rocks clinched it in the 10th on Jeremy De La Rosa’s third single of the afternoon and the 15th hit for Wilmington. James Wood led the barrage with a single, his 9th double, and his 6th HR. The 20-y.o. also drew a walk. The Renegades had it made against Kyle Luckham, chasing the ’22 15th Rd. pick with five runs on six hits (one HR) and three walks after two. Neither Marlon Perez nor Dannel Diaz were less ineffective, both giving up two runs over two innings. Todd Peterson stopped the bleeding with two scoreless, which Tyler Yankosky matched to pick up the win, his first at High-A this season.
Roster moves: C Matt Suggs assigned from XST.

Fredericksburg 7 Salem 2
• Susana 4IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 5K, 68-37 PIT-K
• Atencio 2⅓ IP, 2H, 0R, 2BB, 3K
• Grissom (W, 1-0) 1⅔ IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 1K, 3-0 IR-S
• Witt 2-4, 2B, 2RBI
• Lile 2-4, R, SB
• Green 1-3, 2R, BB, SB

The FredNats returned the favor from Tuesday and lit up three Red Sox relievers for five runs in the 9th to turn a 2-2 tie into a 7-2 win. Jarlin “Oh” Susana and the fifth inning remain estranged, as the 19-y.o. needed 68 pitches to get 12 outs. He was charged with both Salem runs on three hits and two walks, though he set down five on strikes. Marquis Grissom Jr. picked up his first professional win, cleaning up the mess left behind by Jose Atencio (walk, single) and Brady House (1st of two errors) to strand three then putting up a goose egg in the 8th. Paul Witt and Brady House both drove in two while Daylen Lile went 2-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base to lead the Fredericksburg offense.

20 Commments

  2. Will the jazz drummer Todd the cymbal on the floor signaling the end of audition
    For Urena ( watch Clint Eastwood film Bird to get the gist cymbal reference ).
    Any buzz of what other pitching talent Nats eyeing in draft besides Skenes ?

    1. It’s funny that we’ve somehow lucked into yet another generational talent draft. Back in 2009 Strasburg and Dustin Ackley were two of the best prospects ever seen, to the point that there were a fair number of prospect watchers calling for Ackley to go #1, and then a wide gulf after them (pick #3 Donavan Tate never even made it above A ball). Wisely, the Nats went with Strasburg, and the rest is history.

      This year, there’s a similar top 2 by a wide margin, so it should be the easiest decision ever (as it was for the Mariners in 2009): take whoever the Pirates don’t take between Crews and Skenes.

  3. Grissom gets high leverage in his first action. he appears to be a righty that’s tough on lefties, good for a reliever. nice defensive play to end the 8th with a scoop when Quintana ranged far off he bag then threw low and behind him.

    Lile looks so comfortable at the plate and gets good swings most all of the time.

  4. Per Nats website – Israel Pineda cleared to begin rehab stint at Wilmington.
    Should slide in as the AA catcher. Turning 22 in September.

    Of course if we have catching prospect(s) that turn out to be good, one would think a deal would be made…

    1. I know we locked down Keibert Ruiz to a long term contract, but he was meant to be a bat-first catcher, and he’s hitting .229/.295/.350 at the moment with quite bad defensive catching numbers (as expected).

      I wouldn’t mind seeing what we have in Millas or Pineda before deciding Ruiz is the long-term solution behind the plate.

      Still, it’s a good problem to have, and really good to see Pineda finally return!

        1. It’s astonishing that Millas is hitting the way he is. He was always a glove-first catcher who never hit much, at least until the last 9 months.

          1. Even before this season, his OBP was intriguing. But it appeared that he had hit a wall at AA last year.

  5. Robert Hassell has quietly bounced back. He’s now batting .319/.425/.417 in AA. The power still isn’t back, as is usually the case with hamate injuries, but the plate discipline and ability to hit for average are.

    Any Harrisburg watchers got a scouting report on his CF defense? If he’s even average there, his profile looks really interesting, even without the power. But in a corner OF position, less so. Still, I expect the power will come back as his hand gets stronger and, more generally, he grows physically. I think a lot of people forget that Hassell is still only 21 years old! I guess it’s because he plays like a much more mature sort of player.

  6. We’ve been talking about Skenes as possible number one
    Is the amateur draft pool relatively strong to look forward to a nice talent with the second rounder ?

    1. Yes. There are some big college lefties and a few college bats I imagine Rizzo will look with the 40th overall pick.

    2. This is supposed to be deep draft. The Nats have picks # 2, 40, 71, and 102. I think the Nats will do the reverse at #40 of that they do at #2 — if they get Skenes, the #40 pick will be a college bat; if they get Crews, the #40 pick will be a college arm, a la Bennett.

  7. Clunker of an outing for Luckham yesterday, worst start of year. Anything to be concerned with? As many BB as K’s and looked to have gotten shelled in the 2 innings. I know he’s been in conversation to move to Sens, but after that and how Saenz dominated day prior, when Nats start moving guys, Luckham should be staying in Wilmington.

  8. Here’s the CF scouting report on Hassell. He runs down everything in the outfield. He really excels going after balls hit deep to CF. He also appears to have an above average arm.

    1. That’s certainly a promising scouting report on Hassell. It will be interesting to see what the Nats do with Robles. They do have a team option on him for 2024. He’s playing better this season and might have some trade value, but probably not a lot. His extra-base power has really disappeared. Hassell’s has yet to show up. Hassell is in AA for his age-21 season, though, and making reasonably good contact. His walk numbers are excellent.

      1. And the Nat future CF picture would change a lot if they draft Crews, although it sounds like Hassell is better in CF than Crews is.

Comments are closed.