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Matt Grace DOB: 12/14/88 Ht. 6’3″ Wt. 190 Bats: L Career Stats |
The dearth of viable left-handed prospects is why a 27-y.o. remains atop atop this relatively short list of southpaws. With 40 days’ MLB service, he’s also justbarelyarookie. Major-league hitters knocked him around (.356 OBA) but AAA hitters were less successful (.249) though LHBs, who were stifled in 2014 (.113) weren’t as fooled. Sure, some of that is luck, but it could also mean the league(s) have adjusted to him. |
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Nick Lee DOB: 1/13/91 Ht. 5’11” Wt. 185 Bats: L Career Stats |
Lee was semi-surprising addition to the Washington 40-man roster ahead of the 2015 Rule 5 Draft, in part because he did not dazzle in the Arizona Fall League. Walks have been the bugaboo for the 2011 (and 2010) pick, with a career rate of 4.8 per 9IP and 5.7 in 2015. While he may not throw strikes consistently, he does throw hard (mid- 90s) and is still lefthanded. Best guess: a return to Harrisburg to refine his delivery and improve his changeup. |
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Connor Bach DOB: 2/17/91 Ht. 6’6″ Wt. 230 Bats: L Career Stats |
Bach is a local boy (Centreville High, VMI) but methinks his size and dexterity mattered more when the Nationals drafted him in the 21st Round of the 2014 Draft. Reportedly throws a low-90s fastball and has a deceptive delivery. Spies in Hagerstown point to spotty command, though he struck out 106 in 110IP. He also walked 69 (5.6 per 9IP). He’ll likely commute from Clifton to Woodbridge in 2016, where he’s a candidate for the P-Nats starting rotation. |
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Taylor Guilbeau DOB: 5/12/93 Ht. 6’3″ Wt. 170 Bats: L Career Stats |
Guilbeau was Washington’s 10th Rd. pick in the 2015 Draft out of the Univ. of Alabama, where he was a Friday night starter. After a brief stint in the GCL, Guilbeau headed north to Auburn and started in 10 of 11 appearances. He gave up more than a hit per inning but walked less than two per 9IP, unexpected given his 5.13 BB/9IP rate in college. Seems a good bet for the 2016 Hagerstown rotation. |
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Taylor Hearn DOB: 8/30/94 Ht. 6’6″ Wt. 215 Bats: L Career Stats |
Hearn was drafted three times by three different organizations before he signed with Washington in 2015 as the 5th Rd. pick out of Oklahoma Baptist University. The tall Texan went 9-0 with an ERA of 3.50 and whiffed 9.93 per 9IP, albeit against NAIA batters. Like the O.T. (↑other Taylor↑), Hearn made two appearances in the GCL, then made 10 starts for the Doubledays, finishing with a line of 3.98/3.40/ 1.44. Also seems likely to move up to Hagerstown in 2016. |
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Grant Borne DOB: 4/6/94 Ht. 6’5″ Wt. 205 Bats: L Career Stats |
Borne split time between starting and relieving for Doubledays, but that might have been effort to keep his innings down after 15 starts for Nicholls State in the spring. He reportedly throws a sinker, curve and a changeup, but no word on the velocity. He was better as reliever than a starter, which leads to the inference that he may need more time in short season or XST before heading to Low-A. Said to feature a low 90s FB along with a CV that “shows promise.” |
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Tyler Watson DOB: 5/22/97 Ht. 6’5″ Wt. 200 Bats: R Career Stats |
American-born teenagers are extremely rare in the Nationals minors, so that alone might have been enough to get on the 2016 Watchlist one way or another. That he posted an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 0.825 in extremely small sample size of 13⅓ innings is just gravy. A $400K bonus handed to him shortly before the mid-July deadline talked him out of going to Loyola Marymount. Said to throw a low- 90s fastball along with a curveball that “shows promise.” |