Washington Nationals Prospect Spotlight: Jarlin Susana
Joining the organization following the blockbuster trade for Juan Soto, Jarlin Susana was a must have for the organization when negotiating the deal. Now that he is in the farm system, how has he been performing as a National?
CJ Abrams, MacKenzie Gore, James Wood.
When you think of the return the Nationals received for trading future Hall of Famer Juan Soto, those are typically the three names that come to mind first, and rightfully so. Abrams just earned his first All Star nomination while Gore and Wood look like they could follow suit in the not too distant future. Even if you know the full trade like the back of your hand, the next name that comes to mind is likely Robert Hassell III, who was a top 100 ranked prospect in baseball at the time of the trade but has dealt with his fair share of injuries since. With all that being said, it is the fifth prospect involved in that trade that is turning heads recently: Jarlin Susana.
In his last 40.0 innings pitched, Nationals 11th-ranked prospect Jarlin Susana has allowed just seven earned runs while striking out 64 batters, according to baseball-reference.com. Susana's streak of dominance was enough to earn a promotion to A+ Wilmington in early July. An important detail to Susana's success is that he's walked just 14 batters over his last 40.0 innings. Still just 20 years old, Susana's potential is through the roof.
Jarlin Susana (@MLBPipeline No. 11 Nats prospect) ranks FIFTH in @MiLB with 12.89 SO/9IP.
— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) July 22, 2024
He was firing again yesterday (5.0 IP, 7 K, 2 R) and now has 95 K in 66.1 IP this season. pic.twitter.com/TQU2f2uKCd
Acquired in the Juan Soto trade with the San Diego Padres, Susana was just 18 years old, pitching for the Padres' complex team. Standing at 6-foot-6, 235 pounds, and topping at 103mph on the radar gun, it's hard to believe he was the final prospect added in the blockbuster trade. His first full professional season was in 2023, where he posted a 5.14 ERA across 63.0 innings pitched. It was an inconsistent season, but that's expected for such a young pitcher. Jarlin walked 40 batters and struck out just 63, a bit low for his high-octane fastball. He struggled to command his fastball which led to a reliance on his offspeed. Jarlin looked like he was "throwing" instead of "pitching."
It certainly got worse for Susana before the results got better. Early in the 2024 season, he saw his ERA high as 8.89, searching for answers. May 31st, something clicked, because he's been lights out since then. 40.0 innings pitched, 63 strikeouts, and just seven earned runs allowed. Pure dominance from the 20-year-old Dominican Republic native shows why he has the biggest upside of any prospect in the Nationals Minor League system.
A question often arises when discussing Susana, is he a starting pitcher or closer? The Nationals should give Jarlin every opportunity to develop into a starting pitcher. His repertoire is too dominant to move his position this early into his development. It would be a mistake to pivot in Susana's development. If in four years he's still struggling to control his pitches and manage his walks, then a move to the bullpen should be considered. Former Nationals' reliever Hunter Harvey was once a highly touted starting pitching prospect.
It could be a few years before we see Susana in D.C., but he's one prospect you should follow very closely. The potential upside is through the roof and his development will be interesting to watch unfold. It's up to the Washington Nationals development staff to mold a raw flamethrower into an efficient starting pitcher.