Blog's top 5 prospects

[BBQ]

He said we have limited talent, but this guy gives no credit to players below Medium A ball which is where the talent is. I must say I somewhat agree.

I usually like to find the top 5 pitchers and the top 5 hitters from each team for these lists, but the Nationals have such limited talent that I think a top 5 overall list is sufficient. Of all the teams out there, I can’t find many that can match the Nationals lack of young talent in the minors. While they have 2 power hitters in Michael Burgess and Chris Marrero, there’s not much pitching depth, and they failed to sign pitcher Aaron Crow out of Missouri, their top pick from the 2008 draft. All these things combined make for a really weak farm system.

1. Chris Marrero – Right now Marrero is rehabbing a broken leg he sustained in a collision at home plate earlier this year, but he should be back and ready to go by next spring. I’m beginning to have my doubts about him, however I think he still has a lot of potential, so I’ll stick with him for now.

Projection:.255-.290 average, 25-40 home runs, .750-.850 OPS
Comparable player: Jeromy Burnitz with more power

2. Michael Burgess – If Marrero fails to show signs of development next season, Burgess will take over the #1 spot on this list. I guess if we went purely by possible ceiling, Burgess would be ahead of Marrero, but right now he’s being held back by an inflated strikeout rate, which usually sits in the 25-30% range. He has tons of power and could be a real beast one day, but he’s too raw right now to warrant a #1 ranking.

Projection:.260-.290 average, 30-45 home runs, .850-.950 OPS
Comparable player: Mark Reynolds with a bit more power and more strikeouts

*There are a few other hitters that are just beginning their pro ball careers in the Nationals’ system that could prove to be solid players. However, without any substantial amount of stats to go by, I won’t include any of them on this list. Otherwise, there really aren’t any other above average hitters in the system right now.

And now, on to the pitchers…

3. Jordan Zimmermann -- While not the most talented pitcher out there, Zimmermann still has solid numbers all around and good potential. He’s still at least 2 or 3 years from being a productive major league pitcher, but he’ll have some very good years in the future.

Projection: Good #2, possible #1
Comparable player: Mike Pelfrey

4. Jack McGeary – While it’s true that McGeary has only pitched in rookie ball this year, he has shown significantly more potential than all the other pitchers the Nationals have at the moment. I’m going to go with McGeary at #4 on this list for now and hope his numbers aren’t a fluke.

Projection: Unknown, possibly top of the rotation
Comparable player: Unknown

5. Josh Smoker – I’ve been a little disappointed in Smoker thus far, but he’s still got a lot of time, so maybe he’ll come around. With only about 40 innings under his belt there isn’t much to go on, but his low ground ball numbers and average strikeout rates don’t warrant much excitement.

Projection: #3-5 starter
Comparable player: Ian Snell

Honorable mentions: Ross Detwiler, Colton Willems

http://theprospectcorner.blogspot.com/2008/08/i-usually-like-to-find-top-5-pitchers.html

[sportsfan882]

I usually like to find the top 5 pitchers and the top 5 hitters from each team for these lists, but the Nationals have such limited talent that I think a top 5 overall list is sufficient. Of all the teams out there, I can’t find many that can match the Nationals lack of young talent in the minors.

Ignorant.

[BBQ]

Ignorant.

But I must say we don't have a future #3 hitter or a true ace in the system.

[sportsfan882]

Has this moron ever heard of Luke Montz, Leonard Davis, Bill Rhinehart, Tyler Clippard, Marco Estrada, Garrett Mock, Craig Stammen, Dan Lyons, Aaron Seuss, Destin Hood, Adrian Nieto, Daniel Espinosa, Graham Hicks, Marvin Lowrance, Mike Daniel, Roger Bernadina, Dee Brown, etc, etc. I could go on much further. Sure not all of these players will be studs but surely some will pan out.

[sportsfan882]

While they have 2 power hitters in Michael Burgess and Chris Marrero, there’s not much pitching depth, and they failed to sign pitcher Aaron Crow out of Missouri, their top pick from the 2008 draft. All these things combined make for a really weak farm system.

That's the funniest thing I've read all day.

Our Minor League pitching is Top 5 in baseball. We have so much pitching depth it's ridiculous.

[BBQ]

I was looking through the minor league roster's here I'll right up all the prospects
Clippard, Martis, Zinicola, Bernadina, VanAllen, Zimmermann, Rhinehart, Guzman, Daniel, Maxwell, Atilano, Detwiler, King, Marrero, LeFave, Everts [I'm telling you guys!] Burgess, Willems, Espinsosa, Norris, McGreay, Smoker, Gonzalez, Nieto, just to name the above-average ones!

[Dave B]

He gives quite the wide range in projections. 25-40 HR for Marrero.  Thats a pretty big difference.

Also what the hell is with his comparables? ...is like player X with more Y.  Are you telling me that in the past 10-20 years in baseball, of all the players out there, you cant find one that you think he will be like that doesnt cause you to throw out a name and modify an attribute of that player.  There is nobody else out there that has more power than Burnitz but is otherwise similar that makes for a more apt comparison?

Why not this?

Chris Marrero is like Nook Logan except with more power, less speed, and less defensive ability.

Its like the only two players he knows are Mark Reynolds and Burnitz.  Maybe they are close to Marrero and Burgess in height and weight and that is what he uses for his initial basis

[BBQ]

He gives quite the wide range in projections. 25-40 HR for Marrero.  Thats a pretty big difference.

Also what the hell is with his comparables? ...is like player X with more Y.  Are you telling me that in the past 10-20 years in baseball, of all the players out there, you cant find one that you think he will be like that doesnt cause you to throw out a name and modify an attribute of that player.  There is nobody else out there that has more power than Burnitz but is otherwise similar that makes for a more apt comparison?

Why not this?

Chris Marrero is like Nook Logan except with more power, less speed, and less defensive ability.

Its like the only two players he knows are Mark Reynolds and Burnitz.  Maybe they are close to Marrero and Burgess in height and weight and that is what he uses for his initial basis

He has a good blog just bad comparisons and hates our farm.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

Ignorant.

Quite an idiot.  Considering how Detwiler's peripherals are still solid and Smoker received a demotion back to the GCL earlier this year, how is Smoker ahead of Detwiler, let alone Shairon Martis who's done well at AAA at age 21 and has added velocity?

1. Zimmermann
2. Martis
3. Detwiler
4. McGeary
5. Smoker

To say we have no top 5 in our pitching is a riot.  And then with the emergence of Bill Rhinehart, Roger Bernadina, and Derek Norris this year, he could've rounded out a top 5 hitters.

[sportsfan882]

Damn, yeah I forgot about Martis. I think he's going to be solid. I was impressed with his stuff in a game I watched in the Olympics.

[spidernat]

You guys are hilarious. 

[KnorrForYourMoney]

BBQ, is this the blog you've been reading to get prospect information?

If so, I'd suggest this one instead:

http://www.minorleagueball.com/

[eagleskins]

I think McGeary could be our future ace. 

[houston-nat]

Dude, did you notice what he said about Burgess? "Mark Reynolds with more strikeouts." That's like saying "The Sahara with more sand" or "George Bush with a smaller vocabulary" or "Arnold Schwarzenegger with more action movies." Or "A Santa Claus who checks his list three times."

[BBQ]

BBQ, is this the blog you've been reading to get prospect information?

If so, I'd suggest this one instead:

http://www.minorleagueball.com/

No but I like to stay checked in with him. His power projections are ridiculous, Chris Davis is not a 50 HR threat!

[BBQ]

I think McGeary could be our future ace. 

I think the rotation by 2013 will look a bit like this

Strasburg
McGreary
Zimmermann
Lannan
Smoker

[BBQ]

Dude, did you notice what he said about Burgess? "Mark Reynolds with more strikeouts." That's like saying "The Sahara with more sand" or "George Bush with a smaller vocabulary" or "Arnold Schwarzenegger with more action movies." Or "A Santa Claus who checks his list three times."

He does not give a damn about our team he just goes off sheer numbers and that looks like Burgess is a future 200 K player. He is a Braves fan.

[BBQ]

Pitchers
Zimmermann
McGreary
Martis
Smoker
Detwiler

Hitters
Burgess
Marrero
Esmailyn
Norris
Nieto

2 catchers! And we were supposed to have like no young catchers in the farm.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

You really have wood for Smiley.

But I forgot about him, and I would put him ahead of Rhinehart and Bernadina for his upside.

Also, not to nit-pick, but why do you always refer to Jack McGeary as "McGreary"?  There's no extra "r" there.  Jez sayin.

[BBQ]

You really have wood for Smiley.

But I forgot about him, and I would put him ahead of Rhinehart and Bernadina for his upside.

Also, not to nit-pick, but why do you always refer to Jack McGeary as "McGreary"?  There's no extra "r" there.  Jez sayin.

Lol I just learned how its spelled sorry my bad I apologize to Mr. McGeary if he is on these boards and is offened because I added an R to his name. Just keep pitching great Jack!

[houston-nat]

Lol I just learned how its spelled sorry my bad I apologize to Mr. McGeary if he is on these boards and is offened because I added an R to his name. Just keep pitching great Jack!

Mr McGeary goes to Stanford, so he probably knows how to spell Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateatur ipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakit anatahu, as well as what it is and how tall it is.

[UMDNats]

Mr McGeary goes to Stanford, so he probably knows how to spell Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateatur ipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakit anatahu, as well as what it is and how tall it is.

That kid seriously has one of the best deals of any college student, anywhere. Free ride to college, get a huge signing bonus, and get to play professional baseball in the summer.

He's ace material.

[d_mc_nabb]

This guy is an utter moron, our system is ninth in the majors, and he an't find sufficient talent?! My God, he has no idea what he's talking about, he's probably gonna say that the Mariners have the best farm system he's ever seen.

And McGeary may or may not have ace potential, but he definitely has #1 potential.

[HalfSmokes]

This guy is an utter moron, our system is ninth in the majors, and he an't find sufficient talent?! My God, he has no idea what he's talking about, he's probably gonna say that the Mariners have the best farm system he's ever seen.

And McGeary may or may not have ace potential, but he definitely has #1 potential.

with injuries to our sluggers this year and not signing our number 1 pick we're probably not number 9 anymore. Especially since its BA's ratings and in their draft recap they called Crow our number 1 prospect after we drafted him.

[JMUalumni]

This guy just has a grudge or something.  Even if you don't think there is sufficient talent in the system, you could find 10 guys that are considered MLB prospects, maybe even just by looking at Potomac's roster throughout the year.  Even if you think that Crow would have been the number one prospect in our system (which is not a lock for a top 10 pick, see DETWILER, ROSS), you could still include some guys from this year's draft that have some potential; (Hood, Espinosa, Nieto, Ramirez).  While our major league team sucks, saying that there is not even 10 prospects in our system worth noting is ignorant and demonstrates how little this guy knows about the minor leagues as a whole.