District on Deck’s 2012 Top 15 Nationals Prospects: #5 Brian Goodwin

Name: Brian Goodwin

Date of Birth: November 2, 1990

Bats/Throws: Left/Left

Height: 6’1″

Weight: 195

Goodwin was originally drafted by the Washington Nationals in 2011. He was the 34th selection in the 1st Round (supplemental portion) out of Miami Dade South Community College (Miami, FL). The pick Washington had received as part of the compensation for losing Adam Dunn the previous winter through free agency. Miami Dade hasn’t produced a Major Leaguer since the 1990 draft – a few months prior to when Goodwin was born – but their alumni include former pitcher Alex Fernandez, outfielder Orlando Palmeiro, and one Ozzie Canseco (who was drafted as a pitcher by the Yankees in 1983).

Goodwin was set to begin his sophomore season at the University of North Carolina this past January, but due to academic reasons he would have been suspended for the entirety of the 2011 season. Instead of serving the suspension and waiting another full season before being eligible for the MLB Draft, Goodwin instead opted to transfer to Miami Dade (as players can be drafted anytime out of Community Colleges) and it would seem the gamble paid off.

Like fellow 2011 draftees Matt Purke and Alex Meyer, Goodwin did not sign until just before the August deadline ($3 Million bonus). Goodwin also failed to appear in any games before the end of the 2011 season, as a result of signing so late.

Top Prospect Rankings

Baseball America (Top 10): 5th

MLB.com (Top 10): Unranked

FanGraphs (Top 15): 5th

Seedlings to Stars (MLB Top 100): Unranked

DoD Editor Aaron Somers (Top 15): 6th

DoD Staff Writer Michael Natelli (Top 15): 11th

DoD Staff Writer Andrew Flax (Top 15): 4th

Scouting Report

Thanks to Marc Hulet at FanGraphs:

"Goodwin is known for having good (not great) speed on the basepaths and he could also add power to his attack once he matures as a hitter. He shows signs of being a good fielder but he’s more likely to end up in left field than center.Goodwin has the potential to be a five-tool player if everything clicks. He’s a toolsy player that still has work to do on his defense and it remains to be seen if his power will develop as expected."

The Positives

As Hulet states above, Goodwin has the potential to develop into a five-tool talent. He possesses a strong on base ability, getting on at a .409 clip during his freshman year of college. He’s got a good eye at the plate and shows solid plate discipline. As he continues to develop and mature, the speed will become an asset in the field and on the bases.

The Not-so-Positives

Goodwin has to do some work defensively. He’s got a decent glove and a respectable arm, but he doesn’t get quick reads on the ball which limits his range and anticipation – part of the reasoning behind speculation that he may not stay in center field longterm.

2012 and Beyond Expectations

Considering he spent the 2011 season playing at a Community College level instead of NCAA Division I and the fact that he signed too late to appear in any minor league games, it won’t be a surprise to see the Nationals start him off slowly in 2012. However, should he perform up to expectations he could move relatively quickly through the organization’s minor league system – in part due to the lack of quality outfield talent in the team’s upper minor leagues. Playing time may prove to be the best thing for Goodwin right now, as he needs to be on the field consistently in order to continue his development.