Top prospect lists for 2015 season

[whytev]

Think any of the guys drafted would even fit in that top ten?

No.

[zimm_da_kid]

Ross? Ward?

I meant to put Ross after Lopez.  Ward sucks.  He's no longer young for his level and still isn't hitting.  He'd be in my 11-15 range.

[sportsfan882]

Ross should be in there. Cole should be removed.

[natasaurus]

I meant to put Ross after Lopez.  Ward sucks.  He's no longer young for his level and still isn't hitting.  He'd be in my 11-15 range.

??? Ward is still young for his level. Not saying he's a top prospect (I'd put him in the 11-15 range too), but he's still young for his level. He played in full season low-A ball last season as a 19 year old, and he's playing at high-A Potomac as a 20 year old. He's a year older, but he's progressed a level too. He started out the season as the 5th youngest player in the Carolina league, and he's currently the 4th youngest, so a .703 OPS isn't bad, and that's against older competition.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/10-youngest-players-every-full-season-league/

[BrandonK]

Ross should be in there. Cole should be removed.

Why? He only has 9 IP.

I meant to put Ross after Lopez.  Ward sucks.  He's no longer young for his level and still isn't hitting.  He'd be in my 11-15 range.

Word. Just wondering.

That high on Stevenson though? I like Wiseman a bit more, but don't think either's a top-10 guy. None of the HS picks seem to have much high-end potential, either. Coco Montes may be too big to even stick at SS

[natasaurus]

It seems to me that Difo and Pivetta have improved their stock considerably and a lot of people were low on Difo coming into the season because they wanted to see if last season was the real deal. Cole has a high floor but seems like he's probably reached his ceiling and has struggled against major league hitters. Severino struggles against righties but is only 21 and has time to develop more, and it seems like he has a high chance to make the majors as a back-up (maybe in a platoon since he's hitting .367 against lefties).

1.  Giolito
2.  Turner
3.  Lopez
4.  Ross
5.  Difo
6.  Fedde
7.  Reetz
8.  Pivetta
9.  Cole
10. Severino
11.  Voth
12. Stevenson
13. Ward
14. Wiseman
15. Robles
16. Perkins

Any of the 2015 2nd-3rd round picks have a chance to move into the 8-10 range with a solid pro debut. I'm also interested to see what Robles will do in his stateside debut. I'm guessing he and Perkins will rotate CF/RF.

[BrandonK]

It seems to me that Difo and Pivetta have improved their stock considerably and a lot of people were low on Difo coming into the season because they wanted to see if last season was the real deal. Cole has a high floor but seems like he's probably reached his ceiling and has struggled against major league hitters. Severino struggles against righties but is only 21 and has time to develop more, and it seems like he has a high chance to make the majors as a back-up (maybe in a platoon since he's hitting .367 against lefties).

1.  Giolito
2.  Turner
3.  Lopez
4.  Ross
5.  Difo
6.  Fedde
7.  Reetz
8.  Pivetta
9.  Cole
10. Severino
11.  Voth
12. Stevenson
13. Ward
14. Wiseman
15. Robles
16. Perkins

Any of the 2015 2nd-3rd round picks have a chance to move into the 8-10 range with a solid pro debut. I'm also interested to see what Robles will do in his stateside debut. I'm guessing he and Perkins will rotate CF/RF.

Solid. I'd have Fedde and Cole higher, myself, but this is great.

[natasaurus]

Solid. I'd have Fedde and Cole higher, myself, but this is great.

Thanks! Don't worry; Fedde will move up on the list by the end of the season, once he starts pitching in games. I wanted Cole a little higher, but as I was making the list, there were just guys that I liked a little more. He's definitely 'safer' than most of the guys ahead of him. I'm pretty high on Pivetta; he's added a curveball, so he's willing to make changes to improve, and he's getting results.

[HalfSmokes]

why would you want Cole higher? He's struggling at AAA this year, he was only ok there last year. He was great in AA for ~2 seasons but that's about all he's done to impress

[NattyBroskinator]

Cole sucks.

[whytev]

Cole sucks.

Maybe.

Did Rizzo punk Beane and then Beane one up him?

[RD]

Cole is struggling to adjust to the bigs but I don't think he sucks. He was pitching well at AAA before the back and forth started. His last two minor league starts has seen his ERA rise almost 2 full runs and he's walked 9 guys.

He's got work to do and may not pan out but I wouldn't give up on him yet either.

[natasaurus]

I've liked Cole ever since I saw him close out the Futures Game in 2013. He was aggressive and faced some top prospects. A lot of prospects struggle during their first taste the majors. Let's have an extended look before writing anyone off.

On the other hand, IMO, there are 8 prospects in the system who are more promising.

[houston-nat]

Kiley McDaniel's updated top prospect list has Lucas Giolito at #4, Trea Turner at #15, and Victor Robles in the top 40. Robles second-biggest jump of any prospect in baseball.

Also from his post, he expects modest growth and improvement from both Michael Taylor and Joe Ross.

[Matugi]

Came to post that.  It seems like Giolito is gonna continuously hover around 3-6 in any prospect list, simply because he is the best pitching prospect and you tend to know what you have with them, whereas hitting prospects can jump a ridiculous amount, such as the aforementioned Robles (whom I predicted would end up being a top-50 guy, bet he goes to Hagerstown in September).

EDIT: I think the biggest thing is they now have Turner at 60 FV; he was just 50 FV before the season.  They think he's a future all-star

[BrandonK]

MLB.com has an updated top-30, too. http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2015?list=was

[HalfSmokes]

MLB.com has an updated top-30, too. http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2015?list=was

the etas on there are the interesting part

[Matugi]

the etas on there are the interesting part

I think that they lack extreme context.  For example, they put Robles's ETA at 2019, when he would be 22, likely because it is still unprecedented for young guys to be called up early.  But every scouting report lists Robles as a five-tool player well beyond his years, who could theoretically be called up in 2018 or even 2017.  Similarly, they list Giolito's ETA as next year when there's no rotation spot for him unless there's an injury or something weird happens, like Stras being traded.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Matugi - you don't think Giolito is in line for a mid-season call up when a starter goes down? He probably enters the year along with Cole as the 6th starter candidate

[BrandonK]

Matugi - you don't think Giolito is in line for a mid-season call up when a starter goes down? He probably enters the year along with Cole as the 6th starter candidate

Agreed. Little Gio has turned the corner in AA. Most top prospects skip AAA nowadays. We'll see how the offseason shakes out, but Giolito may even be competing in ST camp

[Matugi]

Matugi - you don't think Giolito is in line for a mid-season call up when a starter goes down? He probably enters the year along with Cole as the 6th starter candidate

I don't think so.  The Nats have always been cautious with their pitchers developments; I think Cole or Jordan are called upon before Giolito.  I think he spends almost all of next year in AA and gets the AAA call-up in September

[sportsfan882]

Who is Bryan Mejia??? is he a legit prospect or no?

edit: nevermind. 1 BB/37 K in A ball.

[BrandonK]

I doubt it will be this year. All top prospects, outside of Little Gio, took a step back or graduated to ML. No one from the draft class may even be in the top 10...

This discussion probably isn't for this thread--but we graduate Turner and Ross. We still have Lopez, Difo (who, maybe it's just be, but some of the shine is off him), Robles (who I wouldn't be surprised if he was in high-A/AA by the end of 2016) in the pipline among others--plus multiple picks. I think our future is just fine.

Anyone have a postseason revised top prospects list (outside of MLB.com)?

[R-Zim#11]

Anyone have a postseason revised top prospects list (outside of MLB.com)?

Baseball America does the Nats on Jan 4.

[R-Zim#11]

Here is BA's mid-season top 10 for the Nats:

MIDSEASON TOP 10

1. Lucas Giolito, rhp

The Nationals held Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez back in extended spring training to begin this season as a means of managing their workloads this season. Giolito had to shake off some rust once he got to high Class A Potomac in May, but soon returned to dominating hitters. Giolito’s fastball still regularly reaches the upper 90s, and his command of the pitch has improved this season. He is on track to increase his strikeout rate and decrease his walk rate for the third season in a row following Tommy John surgery.

2. Trea Turner, ss

After several months in limbo as the widely reported player to be named later in the three-team trade with the Rays and Padres, Turner joined the Nationals in June. He soon earned a promotion to Triple-A Syracuse and shined in the Futures Game, showcasing speed and a line-drive swing.

3. Joe Ross, rhp

While Turner was stuck in the Padres’ system in the first half, Ross, who was also a part of the three-team trade, made his major league debut for the Nationals, filling in for three starts when Stephen Strasburg was hurt. He pitched well in his cameo, showing an improved changeup and delivery.

4. Reynaldo Lopez, rhp

After beginning the season in extended spring training with Giolito, Lopez also joined the Potomac rotation. His stuff, especially his mid- to upper-90s fastball, has been as good as ever, but his fastball command hasn’t been as good as it needs to be for him to dominate.

5. A.J. Cole, rhp

Though Cole has scuffled a bit for Syracuse, he made his major league debut, appearing in three games for the Nationals. Cole’s velocity was down a tick early in the season but has improved as the season has continued, as have his breaking balls.

6. Victor Robles, of

After an impressive showing in extended spring training, Robles got off to a fast start while making his U.S. debut in the Gulf Coast League. He has true five-tool potential and shows an advanced understanding of the game to go with his elite athleticism.

7. Erick Fedde, rhp

After finishing his rehab from Tommy John surgery, Fedde made his professional debut in June in the New York-Penn League. While he’s still getting back to form after missing a year, he’s already showing the same low- to mid-90s fastball and quality secondary offerings he showed before his injury.

8. Wilmer Difo, ss

After a breakout 2014, Difo has continued to hit this season and made his major league debut in the first half. The Nationals continue to believe in his ability to play shortstop, but when he was briefly teammates with Turner at Double-A Harrisburg, Difo slid over to second base.

9. Pedro Severino, c

His glove has long been ahead of his bat, and that has continued to be the case as Severino has advanced to Double-A this season. He’s young for his level and still earning praise for his defense and athleticism behind the plate.

10. Nick Pivetta, rhp

Before Giolito and Lopez arrived, Pivetta anchored the Potomac rotation. His 6-foot-5 frame allows him to throw his low- to mid-90s fastball from a good downhill angle, while his secondary pitches continue to make strides.