Follow the Prospects: Darren Baker, 2B

[Slateman]

And that makes Baker a better baseball player than Nunez. Base-running is not a matter of straight-line sprint speed, yet Nunez is being used like Herb Washington. And it seems likely that Miami would drop him again if the Nats give him back.

Baker steals bases, and has led Rochester in steals. Baker has hit .300 at every level in the minors. He is described as an acrobatic 2B. Baker does not hit home runs, but so what? Pete Runnels averaged 2.7 WAR over 14 seasons, with 4 homers a year on a .291 average and .753 OPS.

This Nats team carries Senzel, a .200 hitter who was a decent major leaguer only in 2019, his rookie year. The Nats carry Robles, who hits .080 and who was major league quality only in his rookie year, also 2019. It carries Nunez. Three dead spots on the 26-man roster.

Sprint speed is a measure of baserunning. Nunez is as fast a base runner as Jacob Young.

Senzel is outperforming Lipscomb

[welch]

Sprint speed is a measure of baserunning. Nunez is as fast a base runner as Jacob Young.

Senzel is outperforming Lipscomb

Sprint speed does not matter if Nunez is no more a baseball player than Herb Washington, Charlie Finley's "designated runner". Baker leads Rochester with 16 stolen bases. Wood has 9. Why keep dead wood like Senzel, with a .202 average and .726 OPS? Why keep dead wood like Nunez? Why not bring up live ballplayers like Wood and Lipscomb and Baker?

[Slateman]

Sprint speed does not matter if Nunez is no more a baseball player than Herb Washington, Charlie Finley's "designated runner". Baker leads Rochester with 16 stolen bases. Wood has 9. Why keep dead wood like Senzel, with a .202 average and .726 OPS? Why keep dead wood like Nunez? Why not bring up live ballplayers like Wood and Lipscomb and Baker?

Senzel is already outperforming Lipscomb. Baker cant play third.

Honestly, this board's love affair with Baker is silly.  Hes a worse hitting, slower version of Nick Madrigal

[welch]

Nick Senzel had an OPS above .700 exactly once, and that was years ago. He flopped year after year at Cincinnati, even though he was given plenty of chances. He has been the same player for the Nats.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/senzeni01.shtml

Baker? He hits, he steals bases, and he fields. That makes him better than Nunez, who is a waste of space on the bench. There is a good chance that he out-hits Meneses -- sinking -- and Gallo at at 1B, since they have an OPS of .552 (Meneses) and .591 (Gallo).

[welch]

Baker, today, is 1-for-3 with and RBI double. Hitting .306 with OPS of .739. Leads Rochester with 16 stolen bases. Baker could replace Nunez as a pinch-runner and Davy would not be afraid to let him hit. He's playing LF. 

Nunez in AA, Pensacola, hit .225 with .627 OPS. That was last year. https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=nunez-000nas

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Baker, today, is 1-for-3 with and RBI double. Hitting .306 with OPS of .739. Leads Rochester with 16 stolen bases. Baker could replace Nunez as a pinch-runner and Davy would not be afraid to let him hit. He's playing LF. 

Baker is drawing walks, too. .383 OBP.  i see the SBs, but he's nowhere near Nunez in terms of speed. Nunez is top 5% of baseball in terms of sprint speed. 

I think the plan for Baker is more that he's a 2d base option if Garcia gets hurt. I think they're letting him play in Rochester every day rather than using him in Nunez's role.

[Smithian]

I think it's time to start moving Darren Baker around. He's a LHB, so he doesn't fit well with Luis Garcia as a Vargas replacement, should Vargas be traded. The Nationals may be approaching OF glut and he is light hitting, so he can't really expect much in LF.

I like Darren Baker, I'm just not sure his future here if he isn't stating to learn to field 1B, 3B, RF. He needs to be versatile.

Or maybe they're just waiting to see if Luis Garcia flatlines? Which isn't entirely impossible based on past performance?

[Slateman]

I think it's time to start moving Darren Baker around. He's a LHB, so he doesn't fit well with Luis Garcia as a Vargas replacement, should Vargas be traded. The Nationals may be approaching OF glut and he is light hitting, so he can't really expect much in LF.

I like Darren Baker, I'm just not sure his future here if he isn't stating to learn to field 1B, 3B, RF. He needs to be versatile.

Or maybe they're just waiting to see if Luis Garcia flatlines? Which isn't entirely impossible based on past performance?

1B and CF are the only other options with his noodle arm.

And yea, Garcia is trending down, so maybe wait to see how that plays out.

[nobleisthyname]

Age: 25
Team rank: 24
Current level: AAA

May recap

PA

|

AVG

|

OBP

|

SLG

|

HR

|

SB

|

K%

|

BB%

|

ISO

|

OPS

|

wRC+

114

|

.257

|

.336

|

.307

|

0

|

5

|

21.1%

|

10.5%

|

.050

|

.643

|

71

Year-to-date
Games played at position
2B: 28
LF: 20

PA

|

AVG

|

OBP

|

SLG

|

HR

|

SB

|

K%

|

BB%

|

ISO

|

OPS

|

wRC+

199

|

.293

|

.371

|

.345

|

0

|

16

|

18.6%

|

11.1%

|

.052

|

.715

|

92

[imref]

4-5, 2 doubles, 5RBIs tonight. OPS up to .705

[nobleisthyname]

Age: 25
Team rank: 22
Current level: AAA

June recap

PA

|

AVG

|

OBP

|

SLG

|

HR

|

SB

|

K%

|

BB%

|

ISO

|

OPS

|

wRC+

103

|

.247

|

.304

|

.323

|

0

|

10

|

13.6%

|

7.8%

|

.075

|

.627

|

63

Year-to-date
Games played at position
2B: 40
LF: 29
CF: 2

PA

|

AVG

|

OBP

|

SLG

|

HR

|

SB

|

K%

|

BB%

|

ISO

|

OPS

|

wRC+

302

|

.277

|

.348

|

.337

|

0

|

26

|

16.9%

|

9.9%

|

.060

|

.685

|

82

[nobleisthyname]

Age: 25
Team rank: 25
Current level: AAA

July recap

PA

|

AVG

|

OBP

|

SLG

|

HR

|

SB

|

K%

|

BB%

|

ISO

|

OPS

|

wRC+

92

|

.259

|

.315

|

.271

|

0

|

5

|

20.7%

|

7.6%

|

.012

|

.586

|

57

Year-to-date
Games played at position
2B: 58
LF: 32
CF: 2

PA

|

AVG

|

OBP

|

SLG

|

HR

|

SB

|

K%

|

BB%

|

ISO

|

OPS

|

wRC+

394

|

.273

|

.340

|

.321

|

0

|

31

|

17.8%

|

9.4%

|

.048

|

.661

|

76

[imref]

Via national player development:

@darrenbaker_2  has doubled in 3 straight games and has hit safely in 11 of his last 12 G, slashing .354/.404/.479 with 6 2B.

[SkinsNatFan21RIP]

Why not just bring him up and see what happens? What more does he need to do? The team sucks anyway. Just give him a shot.

[Slateman]

Why not just bring him up and see what happens? What more does he need to do? The team sucks anyway. Just give him a shot.

Well, being a good hitter would be a start

[nobleisthyname]

Why not just bring him up and see what happens? What more does he need to do? The team sucks anyway. Just give him a shot.

Where would he play? He's limited defensively so he can't replace Vargas and the Nats are pretty set at 2B and LF.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Where would he play? He's limited defensively so he can't replace Vargas and the Nats are pretty set at 2B and LF.

well, those spots have Garcia and Wood in them. He has one potential chance on this team, and that is if Garcia is hurt or dealt

[SkinsNatFan21RIP]

Well, being a good hitter would be a start

Doesn't exactly seem like a bad one...

[Smithian]

Why not just bring him up and see what happens? What more does he need to do? The team sucks anyway. Just give him a shot.

Luis Garcia is in the midst of a career year, so can't bench him. Vargas is an established backup and hits from the other side of the plate, unlike Darren Baker. And even past them, I think Jose Tena has played some 2B in minors.

I assumed we'd see Darren Baker this season. I didn't expect Luis Garia to start hitting, for Vargas to not be traded, and for the Nats to make trades for infield system depth.

[Slateman]

Doesn't exactly seem like a bad one...

.691 OPS seems pretty bad to me

[welch]

.691 OPS seems pretty bad to me

Baker's lifetime minor league OPS is a little over .701. It is .691 so far in this season.

[Slateman]

Baker's lifetime minor league OPS is a little over .701. It is .691 so far in this season.

Yea, thats bad

[imref]

Via Nationals Player Development: 12 game hit streak: .347 (17-for-49), 5 2B, 5 RBI, 4 BB, 6 SB, 13 R in that stretch

Gotta be a way to get him to the majors next year either as a utility guy or as a trade chip. He has played CF, LF, and 2B this year.

[Natsinpwc]

He’s .689 OPS this season and slightly above .700 for his career. No reason to believe he is a MLB hitter. And he apparently can only adequately play 2B on the IF. We don’t need more young OFs and reality is his bat does not play there. Think Lipscomb gets the reserve role unless they acquire someone else.

[Mattionals]

He’s .689 OPS this season and slightly above .700 for his career. No reason to believe he is a MLB hitter. And he apparently can only adequately play 2B on the IF. We don’t need more young OFs and reality is his bat does not play there. Think Lipscomb gets the reserve role unless they acquire someone else.

The concern on Baker is that he is a very weak contact hitter with an average 2B only glove. Not great and not fast enough to be a utility guy. So I'm in agreement with you on everything. Guy is probably a career minor leaguer.