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Eury Perez DOB: 5/30/90 Ht. 6′ Wt. 180 Bats: R Throws: R Career Stats |
Despite the drop in steals (and career bests in doubles, triples, and home runs), Perez’s game is still built for speed, which may not make folks very comfortable. Why? Because you can’t steal first base (just 28 walks in over two seasons in the high minors). Defensively, he’s still a plus defender, but with such poor on-base skills, it’s becoming obvious that his ceiling is as a spare outfielder |
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Brian Goodwin DOB: 11/2/90 Ht. 6’1″ Wt. 190 Bats: L Throws: L Career Stats |
Though he just turned 23 this past November, there is a sense that Goodwin has stalled, if not struggled, in a season and a half at AA. He’s still regarded as the Nats’ best position prospect, and the 3rd best overall. Scouts call him a five-tool guy, tagging his speed as his best attribute, but are still not sold on his ability to stick in CF, citing “iffy instincts.” Offensively, he’s projected to have average power, but with plus bat speed, could become an above-average hitter. |
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Steven Souza DOB: 4/24/89 Ht. 6’3″ Wt. 220 Bats: R Throws: R Career Stats |
As suggested in the 2013 edition, Souza did make it to Harrisburg and is now considered a “late bloomer” with the inevitable comp of Michael Morse. The physical tools have never been in question; he’s strong, quite fast for someone his size, and has power to all fields. On defense he’s a solid-average corner OF with a plus arm. There is some worry that he’ll be vulnerable to offspeed stuff, though scouts note that he can handle just about anyone’s velocity. |
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Michael Taylor DOB: 3/26/91 Ht. 6’3″ Wt. 190 Bats: R Throws: R Career Stats |
After struggling in his first season at High-A, Taylor broke through in 2013 with an All-Star campaign (named to both midseason and post- season teams for the Carolina League) and multiple POTW awards. His K rate did decrease, but only slightly. Nevertheless, the power returned (as predicted) and he exceeded his career-to-date SB total (44) with a 51-steal campaign, second-best in the league. Defensively, he continues to show MLB-level skills with plus range and a plus arm. |
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Drew Vettleson DOB: 7/19/91 Ht. 6’1″ Wt. 185 Bats: L Throws: R Career Stats |
Picked up in the Lobaton-for-Karns trade, Vettleson is a supplemental 1st round pick in the 2010 draft who signed late and began his career in 2011 in the Appy Lg. and has moved up a level a year since. He’s hit for a solid average but the power dropped off last season, which is partly attributable to the pitcher-friendly FSL. While scouts are confi- dent the power will return, there’s concern about his plate discipline. Defensively, he’s got an above-average arm but poor footwork led to 14 errors in 2013. Could go to Harrisburg, but Potomac seems more likely. |
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Brandon Miller DOB: 10/08/89 Ht. 6’2″ Wt. 215 Bats: R Throws: R Career Stats |
Miller was second to Zach Walters in home runs in the minors with 20. He led the Washington minors in strikeouts with 164. This is problematic because he doesn’t hit for average, doesn’t draw a lot of walks, and is below-average on defense overall. Still, power is in short supply in the system and that’s what keeps him on the watchlist for 2014, though he’ll have to make dramatic improvements to make it to AA. |
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Wander Ramos DOB: 4/26/90 Ht. 6’3″ Wt. 192 Bats: R Throws: R Career Stats |
Injuries limited Ramos to just 76 games, but he still managed to post a respectable OPS of .780, third-best on the Suns. This is probably a make-or- break season for “Help Me,” presuming that the acquisitions of Wooten and Vettleson aren’t indicators that’s he’s become an organizational guy. |
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Estarlin Martinez DOB: 3/8/92 Ht. 6’1″ Wt. 185 Bats: R Throws: R Career Stats |
Martinez suffered a power outage in 2013, as his SLG% dropped from .455 to .352. Like Ramos, injuries also curtailed his season and it’s not entirely clear if those two trends are necessarily related. Unlike Ramos, time is still on his side as he’ll likely repeat Hagerstown as a 22-y.o. rotating between 1B, LF, and DH. |
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John Wooten DOB: 1/19/91 Ht. 6’3″ Wt. 190 Bats: R Throws: R Career Stats |
Acquired from Oakland (really) in a November 2013 trade, Wooten hit .315/.375/.456 in three seasons at East Carolina University before the A’s drafted him in the 37th Rd. in 2012. The North Carolina native hit 20 HRs for Low-A Beloit of the Midwest League in 2013 while drawing 53 walks. With a dearth of power-hitting OFs, Wooten figures to progress to Potomac in 2014. |
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Isaac Ballou DOB: 3/17/90 Ht. 6’2″ Wt. 205 Bats: L Throws: R Career Stats |
Ballou was a standout on a very weak Auburn team, posting an .803 OPS for the Doubledays albeit at the age of 23. Baseball America rated him as the best athlete and fastest runner among the Nats’ 2013 draftees and made the comp of Fred Lewis as a late-bloomer. |
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Bryan Lippincott DOB: 9/26/89 Ht. 6’3″ Wt. 210 Bats: L Throws: R Career Stats |
This is Lippincott’s second appearance on the watchlist, though it was aided by a weak Auburn team. He put up a decent line of .283/.358/.464 in 44 games, albeit as a 23-year-old. If he’s not cut or sent to XST, Hagerstown is his best bet to begin 2014. |
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Greg Zebrack DOB: 8/28/90 Ht. 6’1″ Wt. 200 Bats: R Throws: R Career Stats |
Zebrack was signed as a NDFA after using up his final season of collegiate eligibility as a graduate student for USC. Like Lippincott, he benefits from being among the best of a weak group of hitters, but is a year younger, so his chances of sticking are slightly better. |
| Rafael Bautista DOB: 3/8/93 Ht. 6’2″ Wt. 165 Bats: R Throws: R Career Stats |
One of last year’s “DSL Guys,” Bautista didn’t steal nearly as many bases (just 26 vs. 47 in 2012), but otherwise put up remarkably similar numbers (.791OPS vs. .815) while playing primarily in centerfield where he made no errors in 41 games. |
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Randy Encarnacion DOB: 7/31/94 Ht. 6’3″ Wt. 180 Bats: R Throws: R Career Stats |
Encarnacion, who went by Novas in his first two professional seasons, had a breakthrough season on offense on a rate basis. His triple slash went from .271/.337/.421 to .349/.437/.523. However, he appeared in only 34 games, with the logical inference being that he was the odd man out on a loaded GCL team. |
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