Down on the Farm: Checking in on the Nationals’ Top-10 Prospects

Jul 14, 2013; Flushing , NY, USA; USA pitcher

throws a pitch during the 2013 All Star Futures Game at Citi Field. USA defeated World 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

No. 2: A.J. Cole, RHP – TBD

The Nationals drafted A.J. Cole in the 4th round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft but traded him to the Athletics after the 2012 season in the deal that brought Gio Gonzalez to the nation’s capital.

When the Nationals traded Cole to Oakland, they knew they were giving up a premier pitching talent that had the potential to become a superstar at the big league level. For this reason, one of the best deals the Nationals have made in recent years is the Michael Morse trade – the trade that brought Cole back to the team that drafted him four years ago.

Cole probably benefited from the trade as much as the Nationals did, given how much he struggled in the Athletics’ farm system. After getting off to a good start with Oakland’s A-ball clubs, he struggled mightily in High-A Stockton, where he went 0-7 with a 7.82 ERA in 38 innings of work.

Once he returned to the Nationals, however, Cole once again became the dominant pitcher the team envisioned when they drafted him at just 18 years old in 2010.

Relying on a powerful fastball that often touches 98 mph, Cole went 6-3 with a 4.25 ERA while striking out 102 batters in 97 1/3 innings for High-A Potomac in 2013. The right-hander was even better after being promoted to Double-A Harrisburg later that year, going 4-2 with a 2.18 ERA and 49 strike outs in 45 1/3 innings for the Senators.

Cole’s dominance earned him an appearance in last year’s Futures Game, and the young right-hander did not disappoint. In front of a packed Citi Field in New York, Cole retired the only two batters he faced and earned the save in Team USA’s 4-2 win. The right-hander was in shut-down mode on the biggest stage of his career thus far, throwing six of his 10 pitches for strikes.

While Cole was dominant in 2013, he was even better in 2014. the right-hander started the season at Harrisburg, where he went 6-3 with a 2.92 ERA in 14 games with the Senators. After a great start to the season at Double-A, Cole earned a promotion to Triple-a Syracuse, where he went 7-0 with a 3.43 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 11 starts.

At just 22 years old, Cole has the potential to develop into a top-of-the-rotation starter at the big league level. With the Nationals’ rotation likely set for 2015, the right-hander will probably start the season back at Syracuse. But if he continues to shine at Triple-A, there’s no reason to believe we won’t see Cole on the mound at Nationals Park sometime next season.