Washington Nationals Farm System Ranked 5th By Baseball America

Earlier this week, the Washington Nationals’ farm system was rated fifth by Baseball America.

Tonight, at 9 PM ET on MLB Network, Baseball America will unveil who their top 50 prospects are in baseball right now. Yesterday, the magazine ranked each organization’s farm system and the Washington Nationals were fifth on their list. This is the highest ranking that the Nats have had since they were ranked as the best in the game in 2012.

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Before that show starts tonight, Baseball America also revealed who were the prospects that were 51-100 on their list earlier today. Two Nationals made that list and both were pitchers. Right-hander Erick Fedde was number 82 on the list and right-hander Reynaldo Lopez was number 92. Fedde moved up eight spots from last year’s list while Loped dropped 43 spot s.

This is the second top 100 list that Fedde has made this offseason. According to MLB Pipeline, Fedde was ranked as the 78^th best prospect in the game. In his first professional season, the 22-year-old went 5-3 with a 3.38 ERA in 14 starts with short-season Auburn (New York-Penn League) and low-A Hagerstown. He had 59 strikeouts in 64 innings and held opponents to a .247 batting average.

As for Lopez, he is coming off playing the entire 2015 season with high-A Potomac. In 19 starts, the 22-year-old went 6-7 with a 4.09 ERA. He had 94 strikeouts over 99 innings, both team-highs. However, he struggled with command of his pitches as his 28 walks were third on the team, trailing only Nick Pivetta (traded to the Phillies for Jonathan Papelbon at the trade deadline last year) and Ian Dickson. In his final three starts of the 2015 season, Lopez held opponents to two runs (one earned run) on eight hits over his last three starts (21 innings pitched).

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The major storyline to watch on tonight’s special from a Nats’ perspective is going to be where right-handed pitcher Lucas Giolito and shortstop Trea Turner end up on the top 50. Giolito and Turner were ranked third and 11^th respectively on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100. Plus, does Victor Robles make the top 50 after a strong season in the Gulf Coast League and the NYPL?

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As for Giolito and Turner, they are the consensus top two prospects in the system and both could play a contribution to the 2016 Nationals as the season goes on. When you look at the Nats’ farm system as a whole, it is deep in pitching with five of Baseball America’s Top 10 prospects in their system system being pitchers. While Giolito will be the star attraction, it will be interesting to watch the other pitchers in the system like Fedde, Lopez, and Austin Both (6-7, 2.92 ERA in 28 games with double-A Harrisburg last season).

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