The Rochester Red Wings will get back on the field tonight for their second series of the year, after dropping five of six games to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs to start the 2021 season. This is the first year the Washington Nationals have been affiliated with Rochester, after spending the two previous years with Fresno.
While our eyes are following Jackson Rutledge, Cade Cavalli, and Cole Henry, tracking their ascent through the minor leagues, nary a one is in Rochester. Infielders Luis Garcia and Carter Kieboom were regulars a year ago with the Nationals and will be back up at some point this year as well.
Other than that, there isn’t too much to write home about as far as young, Triple-A talent right now.
The Nationals Triple-A team got off to a rocky start to the season, and lack of prospects may be why.
As for Garcia and Kieboom. Garcia is hitting .200 with a team leading two home runs in the early going for the Red Wings. He debuted in the Majors a year ago as a 19 year old and held his own against big league pitching. He’ll turn 21 in a couple of days and with Josh Harrison and Starlin Castro ahead of him, has time to mature in the minors. After a dreadful Opening Day with Rochester, Kieboom has rebounded to bring his average to .263 with five runs batted in. His five hits on the season are all singles, which as you know he’s struggled to hit for power while with the big club.
The hottest hitter at Triple-A right now is Jake Noll. Noll was removed from the 40-man roster during spring training and assigned to Rochester after sliding through waivers unclaimed. He is hitting a team best .353, with two extra-base hits.
There is only one position player in Triple-A who appears on the Nationals Top 30 prospects list. Catcher Tres Barrera is 3 for 13 in the four games he has caught, thus far.
That’s it. There is no youth to speak of at Triple-A right right now, who could have an impact on the Nationals Major League team this year. If the struggles to score runs persist for the Nationals, there isn’t any help at this level of the farm to call up.
Well, they say good pitching beats good hitting, let’s hope the young arms in the Nationals system develop quickly.