Author Topic: The infield prospect logjam (Read 399 times)

imref · « **on:** April 23, 2026, 12:17:56 am »

Nusbaum on how the Nats plan to get playing time for their crop of infield prospects:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7216470/2026/04/22/nationals-infield-prospects-eli-willits/

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #1 on:** April 23, 2026, 10:27:23 am »

Quote from: imref on April 23, 2026, 12:17:56 am

Nusbaum on how the Nats plan to get playing time for their crop of infield prospects:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7216470/2026/04/22/nationals-infield-prospects-eli-willits/

ANy choice quotes?

imref · « **Reply #2 on:** April 23, 2026, 10:52:14 am »

Quote from: JCA-CrystalCity on April 23, 2026, 10:27:23 am

ANy choice quotes?

He talked about how Coy James, Fein, Willits, and Dickerson are all pushing each other. He also mentioned a number of drills to improve launch angles and swing selectivity. They end every practice at Fredricksburg with HR derby and do competitive drills as well. They have a hard hit and barreled balls leaderboard in the clubhouse.

WRT to getting them all playing time, he noted that Fitz-Gerald and Feliz were already promoted to high-A, now joined by Cruz. Dickerson and James have been playing some OF for the first time in their careers. Willits has taken reps at 2nd. Fein has had time in the the OF.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #3 on:** April 23, 2026, 11:06:53 am »

In addition to DHing, Dickerson has started 4 at CF, 3 at 3rd, and 9 at 2B this year. No SS.

Dickerson has improved a ton this year. OK, a .405 BABIP won't last, but his ISO jumped from .117 to .292. 6 HR all of last year, 2 already this year. Maintaining a good BB rate while stealing bases. Salvaging this pick / bonus baby from the 2nd round behind King will be a good story.

blue911 · « **Reply #4 on:** April 23, 2026, 11:43:20 am »

Quote from: JCA-CrystalCity on April 23, 2026, 11:06:53 am

In addition to DHing, Dickerson has started 4 at CF, 3 at 3rd, and 9 at 2B this year. No SS.

Dickerson has improved a ton this year. OK, a .405 BABIP won't last, but his ISO jumped from .117 to .292. 6 HR all of last year, 2 already this year. Maintaining a good BB rate while stealing bases. Salvaging this pick / bonus baby from the 2nd round behind King will be a good story.

He should have been playing short season ball.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #5 on:** April 23, 2026, 01:02:49 pm »

It's amazing how much he was dissed last year

Smithian · « **Reply #6 on:** April 23, 2026, 03:14:37 pm »

Not to be pessimistic, but they're all tearing up Fredericksburg. One of these guys will crash and burn in Wilmington or Harrisburg, one will end up being a AAAA player, another will hopefully be a major league caliber starter

Now, if in 2027 or 2028 they're all in Harrisburg or Rochester raking, someone burn me for this post.

Slateman · « **Reply #7 on:** April 23, 2026, 08:50:06 pm »

Quote from: Smithian on April 23, 2026, 03:14:37 pm

Not to be pessimistic, but they're all tearing up Fredericksburg. One of these guys will crash and burn in Wilmington or Harrisburg, one will end up being a AAAA player, another will hopefully be a major league caliber starter

Now, if in 2027 or 2028 they're all in Harrisburg or Rochester raking, someone burn me for this post.

Yep. Don't pay any attention to anything until they're in Double A

imref · « **Reply #8 on:** April 26, 2026, 04:32:57 pm »

King and Wallace are making strong cases for promotion.

zimm_da_kid · « **Reply #9 on:** April 26, 2026, 07:53:20 pm »

Quote from: imref on April 26, 2026, 04:32:57 pm

King and Wallace are making strong cases for promotion.

King needs to go to aaa so he’s ready to come up when we trade Abrams

imref · « **Reply #10 on:** May 10, 2026, 04:46:22 pm »

King and Willits both sat out today…

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #11 on:** May 10, 2026, 08:26:41 pm »

I guess they still see something in Marcus Brown. As for A ball, there's lots of SS on that club. Dickerson, James, Fien, ...

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #12 on:** June 07, 2026, 09:23:18 am »

Bump.

Willits is nearing time to promote him to A+. This would clear time for Fien, James, Dickerson, or maybe Rafael Ramirez at SS.

Fitz-Gerald ought to be bumped to AA as well. He could play SS ahead of Marcus Brown at this point, or, if they want to play him at 2B and 3B, they can bump Wallace to AAA to open his time up to Fitz. Right now, Fitz is playing about 45% at 2B and the rest pretty evenly split at SS and 3B.

Cruz has been playing almost exclusively at SS in Wilmington, so a Willits bump will eat into his time there. Angel Feliz has been moved around to get playing time. Having Jorgleys Mota out opens time at 3B for both Feliz and Fitz-Gerald.

I guess they may want both Cruz and Willits to play exclusively at SS, thus holding back Willits's promotion. Still doesn't explain holding back Fitz-Gerald.

imref · « **Reply #13 on:** June 07, 2026, 03:39:10 pm »

Fien seems to be an OF’r now.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #14 on:** June 07, 2026, 04:57:04 pm »

Quote from: imref on June 07, 2026, 03:39:10 pm

Fien seems to be an OF’r now.

that's due to the log jam.

welch · « **Reply #15 on:** June 07, 2026, 08:38:04 pm »

Cruz has cooled off. Promote Willits in July.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #16 on:** June 08, 2026, 05:32:25 pm »

Quote from: imref on June 07, 2026, 03:39:10 pm

Fien seems to be an OF’r now.

With Willits out of the way, it'll be interesting to see how the F-Nats split the SS time.
As you note, Fien has onlyl played OF this year.. Carolina player of the week, which I think was noted in his FTP thread.

Coy James has hit well since mid-May and has gotten 60 innings in at SS, but most of his innings were evenly split between 3B and 2B.

Rafael Ramirez has been hitting well too. No time at SS this year. Most innings at 3B (163), with some at 2B (109).

Dickerson has gotten 54 innings in at SS, 197 at 2B, and 92 at 3B. Offensively, Dickerson still hasn't produced a nice couple week stretch.

Just a guess? Fien remains in the OF, James gets most of the time at SS, with Dickerson at 2B and Ramirez at 3B.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #17 on:** June 09, 2026, 12:47:05 pm »

Quote from: JCA-CrystalCity on June 08, 2026, 05:32:25 pm

Just a guess? Fien remains in the OF, James gets most of the time at SS, with Dickerson at 2B and Ramirez at 3B.

Todd Boss has a better take in the comments on this article:
https://nationalsarmrace.com/?p=19624
He'd have Ramirez play most at SS and James at 3rd (he explains his thinking at the link). I guess Willits really was blocking Ramirez at the position because he hadn't gotten an inning there prior to the promotions.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #18 on:** June 11, 2026, 10:59:24 am »

So, Dickerson is getting first dibs at SS, starting the 1st 2 games. Ramirez played 2nd and DH'd. James got one start at at 2nd. Manuel Cabrera has gotten both starts at 3rd. Fien is an outfielder.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #19 on:** June 12, 2026, 12:26:17 pm »

Tracking the infielders at F-burg, James got the SS start with Ramirez at 2B and Dickerson off. Fien in RF and Manuel Cabrera at 3B. Fien / James / Ramirez combined for 2 for 11 with a walk and 4 Ks.