Washington Nationals: Top 40 Prospects

Meet the National’s top 40 prospects.

The Washington Nationals farm system was the 30th ranked system across baseball prior to the trade deadline. Since the deadline, they have moved up on most lists and added some near-ready talent to their pile of high upside very young players that they already had. This farm has the potential to make an impact next year in the bigs as well as another solid impact in the following years. There has been a lot of change recently, but the future is certainly bright in DC.

1. Josiah Gray

You could move the top three around in any order and it would be perfectly reasonable. I put Josiah Gray in the number one spot because he not only has great upside, but he has the highest floor of the three. Gray already debuted for the Nationals going five strong innings giving up only one run. While the strikeout numbers were not that great in his first start in DC he has proven that he can rack up the strikeouts having a K/9 that is almost at 13 in AAA.

The strikeout potential continued to shine in his most recent starts in DC. The reason Gray has the highest floor of the bunch is his ability to control all four of his pitches. A  fastball that sits at 95, a wipeout slider, a spike curveball and a changeup he will need to improve create a solid arsenal already for Gray. In AAA this year he had a walks per nine that was just over one.

Worst case Josiah Gray will be the National’s third starter for years to come. If he is able to improve his change-up and curveball Gray has all the potential to be the Ace in DC. He is one of three prospects in the Nationals’ top 5 that have ace potential and if all goes well will create a three-headed monster for our next run.

2. Keibert Ruiz

The moment the Nationals and Dodgers trade was approved we knew we had a new top position player prospect in Keibert Ruiz. His AAA numbers are great hitting .311/.381/.631 for Oklahoma City this year. Ruiz is a switch hitter with a knack for making contact. Baseball America said

“He has elite hand-eye coordination, can manipulate the barrel to cover all parts of the strike zone and rarely swings and misses. Those traits have long given Ruiz the potential to be a plus hitter, but his quality of contact was often lacking.”

I am glad they made sure to state that it was lacking as he was tied for 6th in Triple-A West in home runs and is slugging .631 on the year. To add to that he homered in his debut for Rochester as well. Something has clicked this year and it has turned his consistent contact into consistent hard contact. Hopefully, this continues when he gets his call to DC in September.

3.Cade Cavalli

While Gray has the highest floor of the bunch Cavalli has the highest ceiling. He currently leads all of minor league baseball with 125 strikeouts this year and his futures game performance had Nationals fans dreaming of a much brighter future. During that game, he was touching 100 with ease, but he normally sits at 98. He pairs that elite fastball with an above-average slider, curveball, and changeup.

His control however forces people to slow down expectations just a little bit. Since being promoted to AA Harrisburg he is walking just over five batters per nine. His last few outings have been much better though only walking less than three in each of those games. He continues to show that he is able to strike batters out and he even struck out 12 in a recent outing. If he can control all four of his pitches more consistently he is going to be an all star pitcher for sure.

4.Brady House

The Nationals drafted Brady House 11 overall in the 2021 draft and he immediately debuted on Baseball America’s top 100 prospects at #90. They gave him a 70 power tool which is categorized as a plus plus tool that could lead to 35+ home runs at the big league level. The Nationals have not drafted a promising offensive prospect like House since Anthony Rendon. In 79 high school games House hit .629 with and an OPS of 1.497. That is absolutely absurd and he could easily be number one on this list come next year.

5. Jackson Rutledge

To round out the future three-headed monster for the Nationals we have Jackson Rutledge. Rutledge is 6 foot 8 and might be the scariest for opposing hitters to face. His height is not the only intimidating part of his game. He also has a fastball that can hit 100 and an absolutely disgusting slider. Pitching Ninja is going to have some fun with Rutledge’s slider once he makes it to the big leagues.

He has stuff that can go toe to toe with both Cavalli and Gray’s, but health is a legitimate concern with Rutledge. Rutledge has been placed on the minor league IL twice. The first stint came at the beginning of the year and was caused by a shoulder injury. The week Rutledge was placed back on the IL, but this time it is a much less concerning blister. If Rutledge can stay healthy he will certainly be a big-league starter and he has the potential to be a 2 or a 3 starter on a solid team.

6.Yasel Antuna

https://twitter.com/wilmbluerocks/status/1422725656388030464?s=21

At this time everyone knows Luis Garcia, but it was actually Yasel Antuna that was the prize of that international signing class for the Nationals. They signed him out of the Dominican Republic in 2016 for $3.9 million. This was at the time a Nationals record for international spending and has since only been tied by a player a little lower on this list. Antuna has been dealt a difficult hand when it comes to injuries and was most recently sidelined due to Tommy John in 2018 and leg issues in 2019.

He seems to be back and he looks to be past his health issues. After a rocky start, he is now hitting .363/.448/.582 over the last month. Due to the injuries, Antuna is still only at High A ball, but he is still only 21 and has one of the best bats in the system. Antuna will not be able to stay at short in the big leagues and it will be his bat that gets him a job likely at a corner infield spot.

7.Andry Lara

Next in the line of very good pitching prospects for the Nationals is also the youngest. Andry Lara is only 18 years old and has a fastball that already touches 96. He was signed out of Venezuela in 2019 and if it was not for the global pandemic Lara may actually be in High-A or AA by now. Lara is racking up the strikeouts as we speak in the Florida Complex league and his ability to live up to expectations comes down to his control. The stuff is already there and at only 18 years old Lara should be able to tame his pitches a little more and help out in DC by 2023.

8.Cole Henry

Henry is the final pitcher in our top 10 and if this farm was not so pitcher heavy he would likely be much higher. Henry was drafted by the Nationals in the 2nd round in 2020 after spending the year being the LSU Tigers Friday night pitcher or ace. Henry relies on a four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball, curveball, and a change-up. Henry’s spot in the Nationals future plans will depend on his ability to stay healthy. He was added to the 60 day IL on August 3rd and will likely miss the rest of the 2021 season. 2021 was looking great for Henry before landing on the IL. Hopefully, he will spend this offseason getting healthy and pick up where he left off.

9.Cristian Vaquero

Okay, I am cheating here as this signing is not quite official yet but I just cannot contain my excitement on this one. It might as well be completely official as Vaquero is already at the Nationals Baseball Academy in the Dominican Republic and practicing in Nationals gear. Vaquero is currently ranked number one on Baseball America’s International Big Board. That list is ranked by expected signing bonus but there is no doubt he is a top 5 international talent.

Vaquero is a center fielder and at 16 years old has all the tools to project to be a legitimate five-tool player. He is already 6’3” with solid speed and a plus arm on the defensive side of things. With the bat, he has an advanced swing on the left-handed side and recently became a switch hitter. Being 16 years old practicing mostly in the DR it is not easy to find much film, but what we have seen so far is promising.

His nickname is the phenomenon and he certainly looks like he will live up to that. I have to mention the possibility that the CBA negotiations could introduce an international draft that could impact this signing. I believe if there is an international draft it will not impact this signing class as the vast majority of the big names are already unofficially committed to a team.

For the Nationals who have done great on the international scouting side since the Smiley Gonzalez incident and the international draft could hurt them in the future.

10.Armando Cruz

Armando Cruz is tied for the biggest international signing bonus in Nationals history with Yasel Antuna. Unlike Antuna, Cruz will almost certainly stay at shortstop. Cruz already has the glove skills at 17 years old to look like he belongs on a major league field. The bat and its improvement over time will determine if he is an everyday starter or a defense-first bench player. I think his bat will come along just fine over time, however, I do not expect him to develop into much of a power hitter. Currently, he just does not have the size to project as a power hitter but he could be an elite fielder and above-average hitter like Andrelton Simmons in his prime.

11.Daylen Lyle

The Nationals picked a top prep bat in the first round and they went that route again in the second round. This time it was Daylen Lyle. Lyle was considered the top high school player in the state of Kentucky and Rawlings named him their National Player of the Year for two years in a row. In his final high school year, he led Trinity HS to a state title and hit .550 with 18 home runs. I fully expect this name to move up the list rather quickly.

12.Matt Cronin

I called Cronin the closer of the future when he was drafted in 2019 with the comp pick received after Harper went to the Phillies. That opinion is still the same, the only difference is now he has some other competition further down this list. He is a lefty with a fastball curveball combo. That fastball reminds me so much of a prime Sean Doolittle. It is a mid 90s fastball that has movement and a high spin rate.

That is exactly what made Doolittle so successful in 2017 and 2018. Cronin also has a 12-6 curveball that he uses as a change of speed pitch to pair with his fastball. The biggest reason I call him the closer of the future is the make up. He closed for Arkansas which is a top-level college program and has not had a k/9 lower than 14.5 in his minor league career to this date.

He sped through A ball with an ERA of 1.23. He has slowed down a little in AA, but he still gives up zero runs more often than not. I would expect to see Cronin as our main lefty at some point in 2022.

13.Roismar Quintana

Another young high upside international player in the Nationals top 20. This time it is Roismar Quintana. Quintana is a stocky 18-year-old outfielder and the key to his success is going to be his bat. At 18 years old Quintana made his stateside debut in the Florida Complex League. He only appeared in three games, but in those games, he had two hits and two RBIs. This is a name to keep an eye on during the 2022 minor league season.

14.Gerado Carillo

This was the third piece the Nationals received in the Max Scherzer and Trea Turner deal. Carillo is one of those names that I expect to compete for high leverage spots in the Nationals bullpen soon. The Dodgers spent 2021 in the minors trying to force him into a starting pitcher role and while that is still a possibility the control just is not there. So far in 2021, he has walked 29 batters over 59 innings. On the other end, he has struck out 70 in the same time frame. He has the stuff to be a starter, a long inning reliever, or even a closer, but his potential is tied to his ability to control all four of his pitches.

15. Donovan Casey

Casey was the final prospect included in the Scherzer/Turner deal. Barley and Casey could be ranked on either side of each other, but Casey takes the back seat here as he is four years older. He is another athlete that needs his bat to be more consistent, but he already has fourth outfielder potential as is.

21. Sammy Infante

Sammy Infante was picked with the 71st overall pick in 2020 as compensation for losing Anthony Rendon in free agency. Infante is still young and will have to find himself as a ball player in the Nationals system. I do not expect him to stay at shortstop, but he could be an above average defender at third.

22. Mason Denaburg

Mason Denaburg is the type of pitcher Mike Rizzo had to reach for with later picks during the team’s most successful years. He was selected with the 27th pick in the first round of the 2018 draft. The potential is certainly there, but he cannot stay healthy. He originally struggled with some bicep tendinitis and now his 2021 season is over due to Tommy John surgery. Hopefully, this is the final step to full health and he can be what the Nationals envisioned in 2018.

23. Tyler Dyson

Right now the Nationals are pushing Dyson as a starter, and he has shown at times in the minors and at Florida, he can do that successfully. He has a plus fastball and a plus slider meaning if he cannot stay as a starter he could have a role as a bullpen pitcher in the future.

24. Mitchell Parker

5th round pick Michell Parker took off in 2021. In Low A he had 85 strikeouts over 57 innings. He has slowed down a little bit since being promoted to Wilmington, but the strikeouts are still there. Not all of these pitchers are going to be top end of the rotation type guys, but this team has not had a lot of pitching depth in years… they do now.

25.Seth Romero

If it’s not injuries it is personal issues for Seth Romero. He has one of the best sliders in the system but he just cannot seem to put it all together. 2021 has been his worst season as a pro and after making his big league debut in 2020 the climb back may be even more difficult. He still has a lot of potential, but a lot will have to go right for him to capitalize on it. First and foremost we hope he is okay personally and then can get back on track pitching.

26. Jordy Barley

SS Jordy Barley was the other addition in the Daniel Hudson trade. He is a lottery ticket type of prospect, but so far he is hitting. In his first four games with the FredNats, the 21-year-old had 4 steals, a home run, and 4 hits. He likely will regress toward what he has been as a hitter so far, but he is an elite athlete and if he can get on base a little more he will find a role with the big league club somewhere.

27. Gabe Klobosits

This relievers stock has shot to the moon the past few years. Klobotsits is 26 but the 6 foot 7, 270-pound relief pitcher gave up two runs total from 2019-2021 in the minors. He is intimidating, to say the least. He uses his 96 MPH fastball along with a solid slider to get hitters out. Klobotsits debuted in the bullpen for the Nationals recently and looks like he will be there to stay.

28. Jake Alu

Alu has been a pleasant surprise this year for the Nationals. He has made hard contact almost all year and played a pretty solid third base as well. He has the pedigree coming from Boston College, but at 24 years old he will have to move a little quicker if he wants to make an impact in the bigs. I expect Alu to head to AAA before the end of 2021.

29. Israel Pineda

Not too long ago the catching depth in the Nationals system consisted of Barrara and Pineda. That is not the case anymore as now those two are just two of many. Pineda was signed in 2016 along with Luis Garcia and Yasel Antuna. Thankfully he was not picked in the Rule 5 draft and hopefully can put the pieces of his potential together for the Nationals. He has yet to show the offensive promise he once had in 2021, but being only 21 years old he has time and the Nationals expect him to continue to grow.

30. Branden Boissiere

Branden Boissiere was drafted out of Arizona in the 3rd round of the 2021 draft. He has spent time at both first base and left field. The promising part of his game is his bat. He consistently hit for a high average at Arizona and in 2021 his power potential started to show. Both he and fellow 2021 draft pick Will Frizzell have good offensive potential but Boissiere gets the nod here as he has less swing and miss in his approach.

31. Drew Mendoza

Mendoza is in a similar vein as many on this list, he is a successful college bat that has yet to have that transfer to the pros. He had a terrible time in AA this year and after moving back to High A Wilmington the struggles have continued for the most part, He has been unable to hit consistently and only shown power here and there. Many had high hopes for the corner infielder, but he will need to improve or risk being a career minor leaguer.

32. Randy Lara

Randy Lara was signed in 2021 and compared to the others that were signed that month he was a relatively quiet signing. Lara made his debut in the Nationals system soon after his signing and has done very well. He has appeared in 4 games and pitched a total of 18 innings. Over that time he has struck out 19 and given up only 3 runs. He was named the Nationals minor league pitcher of the month in July. He might be a little high on this list, but if he continues this success he will continue to rise. The dreams of a Randy and Andry Lara pairing are very exciting.

33. Darren Baker

In 2017 the Nationals drafted Darren Baker in the 27th round out of high school but were unable to sign him as he chose to go to Cal for college. They tried again this year in the 10th round and they were able to sign the son of Dusty Baker. Darren is a toolsy infielder that had a great 2021 at Cal where he hit .327 and stole 28 bags. He is already a part of baseball history as he was saved by JT Snow at home plate of the 2002 World Series, but the Nats hope he can add to that with a Curly W on his chest.

34. Holden Powell

Powell is another guy that has late-inning upside. He was drafted out of UCLA and already has the pitches to be a solid reliever. He has missed most of 2021 due to injury, but if he can stay healthy and master his control he will be a part of the Nationals bullpen someday.

35. Tim Cate

This is a name that is much higher on many lists, but he just does not have the upside that many others on this list have. He has a great curveball and solid control but that can only take him so far. He screams long relief at best to me and each passing start confirms that this year. He has dealt with some health issues and that could be the cause of the steps backward he has taken. He will need to get back on track soon if he hopes to factor into the Nationals rotation any time soon.

36. Joan Adon

Adon is yet another pitching prospect in the Nationals system with good stuff that is just on the edge of putting things together. The Nationals view him as a starter and he has the pitches to be that but he will have to start to see his pre 2021 results soon to have future rotation potential.

37. Drew Millas

It is more of the same with Millas when it comes to his future catching role, he projects as a solid backup catcher. He is slightly younger than Adams, but he is also a few levels behind him in the system. He provides solid defense and some pop as well. I expect one of these two to be traded in the future when the Nationals are ready to make an all-in run again. Good catchers are hard to find and both Millas and Adams have a lot of tools that make a good catcher whether that is a backup or a starter.

38. Ricardo Mendez

Mendez found something in his swing this year and he has done very well at Fredricksburg. He is a talented center fielder that has the speed to stay there. In 2021 he had the longest hit streak in the entire Nationals system and has hit .301/.352/.451 this year. His biggest issue at the plate comes down to pitch selection. He has done better in 2021 making consistent hard contact, but that will need to continue as he moves up the system if he wants to find a role with the big league club.

39. Daniel Marte

Daniel Marte is another young international player for the Nationals. He is 19 years old and although he has yet to show an ability to hit consistently he has a pathway to the bigs. Right now that is as a defense-first 4th outfielder. He has above-average speed and a great arm. In the years to come, he will need to build more of an offensive profile if he wants to be more than that, but a spot on a major league roster isn’t a bad thing no matter how you get there.

40. Jackson Cluff

Jackson Cluff is another player that needs to build up his offensive tools but he can play any infield position well. Give him a glove and he will go out and be a solid infielder. He projects as a bench piece as well and again if he wants to change that he will have to build up his bat.

Honorable Mentions

There is a lot of talent on the list below and they certainly could be higher up on this list come next year.

Viandel Pena

Jake Irvin

Richard Gausch

Will Frizzell

Jackson Reetz

TJ White

Evan Lee

Justin Connell

Junior Martina

Cole Quintanilla

Steven Fuentes