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Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 40 | Run: 60 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 40The Nationals signed three Top 50 international prospects at the start of the 2023 window last January -- Manuel Cabrera (No. 39), Andy Acevedo (No. 45) and Edwin Solano (No. 46) -- but it was Batista who stood out most in the early days of pro ball during his time in the Dominican Summer League after he signed for $375,000. The 6-foot-1 outfielder was named a DSL mid-season All-Star and finished with a .232/.374/.352 line with two homers and a 104 wRC+ over 43 games in the complex circuit.A right-handed hitter, Batista perhaps was at his best with his plate discipline against wild low-level pitching with a 17.4 percent walk rate (41st-best among 299 DSL qualifiers). That did come with some swing-and-miss (28.4 percent K rate), but the free passes give him something to build on. Only nine of his 29 hits went for extra bases, and while there’s time for him to find pop as he matures, he might end up as more of a doubles hitter. His contact rate was especially heavy toward to the pullside with 54.5 percent of his batted balls going that way.A plus runner, Batista wasn’t afraid to press the issue on the basepaths, going 30-for-39 in stolen-base attempts during his age-17 season. Those 30 thefts ranked third in the DSL and were seventh-most among all Nats prospects regardless of level. He got time in all three outfield spots but made the majority of his starts in right field out of deference to Acevedo, who made a home in center. Batista has the wheels to play up the middle, though, and his arm strength would play anywhere on the grass. There’s the potential for a classic center-field/leadoff type here, but improving quality of contact at the plate will be a focus.
