As we have the previous two editions, let’s review the 2014-season selections before discussing the 2015-season group:
Joan Baez
2014: 4-1, 0SV; 11G, 11GS, 54⅔ IP; 1.15 ERA, 0.915 WHIP in the DSL
2015: 0-1, 0SV; 3G, 3GS, 10⅓ IP; 11.32 ERA, 1.839 WHIP in the SAL
2-2, 0SV; 5G, 5GS, 17⅔ IP; 7.13 ERA, 1.981 WHIP in the NYPL
1-3, 0SV; 9G, 9GS, 42⅓ IP; 2.13 ERA, 1.181 WHIP in the GCL → Made the 2016 watchlist as a “Notable”
Steven Fuentes
2014: 2-3, 0SV; 15G, 9GS, 54⅔ IP; 2.30 ERA, 1.226 WHIP in the DSL
2015: 3-4, 0SV; 11G, 6GS, 39⅔ IP; 5.22 ERA, 1.538 WHIP in the GCL
Angher Cespedes
2014: 4-0, 9SV; 22G, 17GF, 32IP; 3.94 ERA, 1.156 WHIP in the DSL
2015: 0-2, 4SV; 13G, 12GF, 14IP; 5.14 ERA, 1.429 WHIP in the GCL
Yonathan Ramirez
2014: 3-0, 2SV; 15G, 3GF, 27⅓ IP; 2.63 ERA, 0.915 WHIP in the DSL
2015: 2-6, 0SV; 14G, 14GS, 68⅔ IP; 2.75 ERA, 1.121 WHIP in the DSL → See below
Juan Bermudez
2014: 5-5, 0SV; 15G, 14GS, 60⅔ IP; 2.08 ERA, 1.055 WHIP in the DSL
2015: 0-2, 0SV; 5G, 2GS, 14⅓ IP; 6.91 ERA, 1.605 WHIP in the GCL
0-2, 0SV; 5G, 0GS, 8⅓ IP; 4.32 ERA, 1.800 WHIP in the DSL
The Nats appear to have overreached with Baez and Fuentes, but that’s easy to say sight unseen. What’s also complicated is not knowing whether a drop in IP is due to injury or competiton for reps.
On to the 2016 selections…
Pedro Avila
POS: RHSP
JULY 1, 2016 AGE: 19
STATS: 6-3, 0SV; 13G, 13GS, 59⅔ IP; 2.26 ERA, 1.056 WHIP in the DSL
1-0, 0SV; 1G, 0GS, 4IP; 0.00 ERA, 0.500 WHIP in the GCL
Avila was one of two bright spot on an otherwise dismal, albeit youthful, D-Nats team in 2015. Missing from the stat format: an eye-popping 13.0K/9IP between the two levels.
Francys Peguero
POS: RHRP
JULY 1, 2016 AGE: 20
STATS: 3-1, 12SV; 22G, 20GF, 34⅔ IP; 1.82 ERA, 0.837 WHIP
A converted CI (.526 OPS in 130PA, 16E in 30G on defense in 2013-2014), Peguero was the other pitching star for Washington’s ’15 entry, and struck out 52 against just 7BB and 2HBP.
Yonathan Ramirez
POS: LHSP
JULY 1, 2016 AGE: 19
STATS: 2-6, 0SV; 14G, 14GS, 68⅔ IP; 2.75 ERA, 1.121 WHIP
Despite a strong 2014 as a reliever, the Nats made Ramirez a starter in 2015 and he responded with similarly strong numbers, with predictable falloffs in K rate and increase in H/9IP.
Gilbert Chu
POS: LHRP
JULY 1, 2016 AGE: 18
STATS: 3-3, 0SV; 18G, 1GS, 49⅓ IP; 2.55 ERA, 1.095 WHIP
If it’s possible for a 17-y.o. southpaw to go mostly unnoticed with these stats, the Panamanian managed to do it. This may be in part because he worked mostly in middle relief, even though he worked multiple innings in 16 of 18 appearances.
Warner Duran
POS: RHRP
JULY 1, 2016 AGE: 18
STATS: 1-0, 0SV; 17G, 0GS, 33⅔ IP; 2.67 ERA, 1.218 WHIP
Likewise for Duran, who also worked multiple innings most of the time and had similar results to Chu, albeit with a higher walk rate (4.0 vs. 2.7) and a higher K rate (8.6 vs. 7.8).