Matt Skole: Checking in on the Nationals’ No. 6 Prospect

Mar 6, 2014; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; Washington Nationals third baseman Matt Skole (63) misses a throw at first base in front of Atlanta Braves left fielder Joey Terdoslavich (25) in the ninth inning as the Braves beat the Nationals 3-2 at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Manning-USA TODAY Sports

One of the benefits of the offseason is that it gives us the opportunity to reflect on last season and look forward to next year and beyond – a future that will undoubtedly be shaped not only by the team’s current big league stars, but also by the youngsters that are working their way up the minor league ladder.

Over the next couple of weeks, we will be counting down the Nationals’ Top-10 prospects (as ranked by MLB.com) and breaking down what they have accomplished so far in their young professional careers. We will also predict if and when they will be ready to contribute at the big league level and where we expect to see them in 2015.

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Some of these names are well-known throughout the baseball world, while others are players that you may never have heard of before. Regardless of how prominent these players are in the ever-evolving world of the game’s rising stars, all of them will have an impact on the future of the Nationals and it’s important to monitor their progress as they continue on their path to the big leagues.

Last week, we continued our series with third baseman Drew Ward and outfielder Brian Goodwin, the team’s No. 8 and No. 7 prospects, respectively. Next up on our list is Washington’s No. 6 prospect, first baseman Matt Skole.

The Nationals selected Skole in the fifth round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft and the young infielder wasted no time in showing his talents at the plate.

In 2011, Skole hit .290 with 48 RBIs, five home runs and 23 doubles in 72 games with Low-A Auburn. But it wasn’t until 2012 – his first full season as a professional – that fans and analysts alike started thinking of Skole as one of the team’s most promising prospect.

That year, Skole was named the Nationals’ Minor League Player of the Year after batting .291 with 27 home runs and 104 RBIs in 119 combined games with Class A Hagerstown and High-A Potomac. Skole continued to impress in the Arizona Fall League later that year, posting a .305/.419/.525 line with four doubles, three home runs and 14 walks in 17 games.

After his incredible 2012 campaign, many believed Skole was on the fast-track to the big leagues. The Nationals thought so too, and they promoted him to Double-A Harrisburg to start the 2013 season.

But, instead of continuing his climb up the Nationals’ farm system, Skole was involved in a nasty collision while making a defensive play at first base just two games into the season. Skole tore the UCL in his non-throwing elbow and underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery.

While the injury was definitely a speed bump for the first baseman, he recovered nicely from the surgery and returned to Harrisburg in 2014. Skole had yet another solid season with the bat, hitting .241 with 14 RBIs and 29 doubles in 132 games.

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While Skole, 25, will likely start the 2015 season with Harrisburg or Triple-A Syracuse, it may not be long before we see him make his major league debut. If Skole can stay healthy, he should continue to develop into a power-hitting first baseman and we could see him on the big league roster in 2015 when rosters expand in September.

The Nationals have many promising prospects to keep an eye on, and Skole is definitely one of them. Check back here later this week as we continue our series with a player who is already well known to most Nationals fans – No. 5, Steven Souza Jr.

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