Nationals Prospect Reports / Minor League Rankings 2021

[UMDNats]

i'm not convinced mason denaburg is actaully a real person. you can't prove to me he is

[imref]

i'm not convinced mason denaburg is actaully a real person. you can't prove to me he is

He’s from Nebraska

[JCA-CrystalCity]

He’s from Nebraska

you can't convince Nebraska is a real place.  I mean, I realize there needs to be something between Missouri and Colorado, but isn't Kansas enough? 

[Smithian]

I can't remember the last time the Nationals had a first round pick that excited me. Probably Giolito.

Jackson Rutledge feels high ceiling, which is good?

[Slateman]

I can't remember the last time the Nationals had a first round pick that excited me. Probably Giolito.

Jackson Rutledge feels high ceiling, which is good?

He is. His stuff is filth. Like Scherzer filth.

But its mostly projection at this point

[imref]

I can't remember the last time the Nationals had a first round pick that excited me. Probably Giolito.

Jackson Rutledge feels high ceiling, which is good?

Cavelli looks impressive, very Strasburg-esque in the way he pitches. Cole Henry looks like a legit future closer.

[imref]

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/top-22-prospects-washington-nationals-2/

The have Rutledge at #1.  I don't know why neither Garcia nor Kieboom are on the list, I guess too many games at the major league level?

[Slateman]

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/top-22-prospects-washington-nationals-2/

Fangraphs evaluation of the Nationals farm system

TL;DR - Its bad and Washington's inability to develop players is only making it worse.

[imref]

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/top-22-prospects-washington-nationals-2/

Fangraphs evaluation of the Nationals farm system

TL;DR - Its bad and Washington's inability to develop players is only making it worse.

Can we get a third posting of this?

[Five Banners]

Can we get a third posting of this?

Sure!

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/top-22-prospects-washington-nationals-2/

[Elvir Ovcina]

Sure!

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/top-22-prospects-washington-nationals-2/

Hey, did you know Fangraphs rated the Nats system?  See it here:  https://blogs.fangraphs.com/top-22-prospects-washington-nationals-2/

[imref]

This dulls the pain of how awful our farm system is.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

the fangraphs ratings seem low on Henry relative to other ratings of the Nats system.

[Slateman]

the fangraphs ratings seem low on Henry relative to other ratings of the Nats system.

He projects as a right handed reliever with upper 90s and an above average breaking ball. Not sure why you think he's rated low. He seems about where he should be

[JCA-CrystalCity]

He projects as a right handed reliever with upper 90s and an above average breaking ball. Not sure why you think he's rated low. He seems about where he should be

he was #8, and I think several other rankings has him #3.

[Elvir Ovcina]

he was #8, and I think several other rankings has him #3.

Fangraphs punishes guys who don't have starter potential.  They seem to assume that if your ceiling is as a relief gorilla, the system has a raft of starters ahead of you whose downside is 98-chucking relief gorilla; in other words, your upside.  They don't seem to adjust for actual facts, that not all relief gorillas are equal, or that not every failed starter turns into a 2-pitch fireballer and suddenly finds command. 

Suffice it to say, I find their scouting stuff unimpressive: it's mostly recycled analysis recycling stuff from other people who also haven't seen the players actually play baseball.

[zimm_da_kid]

So our mlb.com list currently goes as follows:

1. Cavalli
2. Rutledge
3. Henry
4. A tuna
5. Lara
6. De la Rosa
7. Cruz
8. Cate
9. Denaburg
10. Cronin
11. Mendoza
12. Quintana
13. Infante

I’m guessing house will start at #2 behind cavalli with it being possible that some publications will have him as our new #1. Not sure where Lile starts.  Guys that are pure hitters have long been underrated but that’s starting to change.  I’d guess he gets ranked after Lara in the de lab Rosa/Cruz group. Quintana and infante could be risers with a couple more weeks of FCL play as well.

[imref]

free if you create an account:

https://theathletic.com/2709665/2021/07/16/nationals-assistant-gm-on-cade-cavallis-development-carter-kiebooms-season-luis-garcias-power-and-more/

[Elvir Ovcina]

So our mlb.com list currently goes as follows:

1. Cavalli
2. Rutledge
3. Henry
4. A tuna
5. Lara
6. De la Rosa
7. Cruz
8. Cate
9. Denaburg
10. Cronin
11. Mendoza
12. Quintana
13. Infante

I’m guessing house will start at #2 behind cavalli with it being possible that some publications will have him as our new #1. Not sure where Lile starts.  Guys that are pure hitters have long been underrated but that’s starting to change.  I’d guess he gets ranked after Lara in the de lab Rosa/Cruz group. Quintana and infante could be risers with a couple more weeks of FCL play as well.

House is a high school guy.  Lower than #2.  Probably 4. 

But man that's a depressing list.  I've seen individual MiLB teams this year that had more prospect potential than that entire list.

[zimm_da_kid]

House is a high school guy.  Lower than #2.  Probably 4. 

But man that's a depressing list.  I've seen individual MiLB teams this year that had more prospect potential than that entire list.

Veen, hassell, and Hendrick all made the post draft mlb.com top 100 last august.  With how well-regarded the 4 high school shortstops were this year, I bet they all make the top 100.  Rutledge was barely in the top 100 so that’s what my thinking was. 

List will also look better once we get vaquero in January

[Elvir Ovcina]

Veen, hassell, and Hendrick all made the post draft mlb.com top 100 last august.  With how well-regarded the 4 high school shortstops were this year, I bet they all make the top 100.  Rutledge was barely in the top 100 so that’s what my thinking was. 

List will also look better once we get vaquero in January

That's reasonable thinking.  I suppose it'd just surprise me given the extreme skepticism that House sticks at SS, but you may well be right.  That bat at SS is top-100.  That bat at 3B isn't, not yet.  That said, I wouldn't have put any of those OFs there last year given the projection needs and unlikelihood that any of them stay in CF.

I guess my problem is that I'm a big believer in thinking pretty much every prospect ain't crap until they do it at least in high-A, and more reasonably AA.

[Slateman]

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2945855-updated-mlb-farm-system-rankings-after-2021-mlb-draft

Still last

[imref]

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2945855-updated-mlb-farm-system-rankings-after-2021-mlb-draft

Still last

I’d imagine we’d be higher if Garcia were still included.

[zimm_da_kid]

i'm not convinced mason denaburg is actaully a real person. you can't prove to me he is

Just like I’m not convinced Jefferson City, Missouri is a real place even though it’s their capital

[welch]

Just like I’m not convinced Jefferson City, Missouri is a real place even though it’s their capital

Neither are a lot of people who live in Missouri. Comment among relatives after narcotics detectives closed down a meth-amphetamine-making house: "They're taking him to Jeff City? Where even is that?" (It's about a hundred miles away)