Keith Law Ranks Nats’ Top 20 Prospects

The streak of waiting one day too few continues…

Yesterday, Keith Law released his Top 20 for the Nats, and let’s just say it differs from MLB Pipeline and Baseball America:

1. Dylan Crews, OF
2. Seaver King, SS
3. Travis Sykora, RHP
4. Brady House, 3B
5. Jarlin Susana, RHP
6. Kevin Bazell, C
7. Alex Clemmey, LHP
8. Cade Cavalli, RHP
9. Luke Dickerson, SS
10. Tyler Stuart, RHP
11. Caleb Lomavita, C
12. Yohandy Morales, 1B/3B
13. Cayden Wallace, 3B
14. Daylen Lile, OF
15. Andry Lara, RHP
16. Robert Hassell, OF
17. Kevin Made, SS
18. Jake Bennett, LHP
19. Randal Diaz, SS
20. Robert Cranz, RHP

Bold = 2024 Draft Pick
Italics = 2024 Trade pickup.



Suffice it to write, Law is high on Washington’s ’24 draft. Forty percent of this list was not here this time last year.

I’m a little disappointed that Law had the guts to drop Elijah Green but not Cade Cavalli. I know it may read like I’m picking on the latter, but Cavalli still turns 27 this summer and hasn’t made three starts in the same month since 2022.

A few other nuggets which would not have been in his Top 100 post last month:

…Susana allowed a .407 OBP to LHBs, which he attributes to his low arm slot that gives lefties an even longer look at the pitch.

…Like the Nats, Law likes Bazzell’s bat even at the expense of subpar defense but feels like the Texas Tech pick could close that gap.

…Despite his strong season, Law still sees Lara as a FB/SL reliever that they try to hide from lefties, who, like Susana, tee off on him (.467 SLG%).

…As Todd also noted, Law is higher on Stuart than most, with potential as a starter vs. a middle reliever. He likes his SL and CH more than his variety of FBs that don’t have much life despite his leverage as a power forward on the mound.

…Conversely, Law sees Lile as a 4th OF having barely enough glove to play center and not nearly enough power to play left or right. This would be more concerning if the Nats didn’t have a surplus of OF candidates.

…Unfortunately, one of those (in Law’s eyes) is not Hassell. It’s really hard to argue against his assessment that he “kind of stopped hitting entirely the moment he got to the Nats’ system and hasn’t resumed.”

…Finally, Law thinks Cranz could get a turn in the rotation this summer despite having spent most of his collegiate career in the ‘pen. This isn’t really all that radical, but lately a lot of teams seem willing to pigeon-hole pitchers into a relief role before seeing if they’re capable of more.