BA's Washington Nationals Top 10 Prospects List

Aaron Fitt believes in Harper's plate discipline more than many, it seems.



TOP TEN
PROSPECTS

1. Bryce Harper, of
2. Derek Norris, c
3. Danny Espinosa, ss/2b
4. A.J. Cole, rhp
5. Wilson Ramos, c
6. Sammy Solis, lhp
7. Cole Kimball, rhp
8. Eury Perez, of
9. Chris Marrero, 1b
10. Brad Peacock, rhp

BEST
TOOLS
Best Hitter for Average Bryce Harper
Best Power Hitter Bryce Harper
Best Strike-Zone Discipline Derek Norris
Fastest Baserunner Eury Perez
Best Athlete Bryce Harper
Best Fastball Cole Kimball
Best Curveball Brad Peacock
Best Slider A.J. Morris
Best Changeup Josh Wilkie
Best Control Tommy Milone
Best Defensive Catcher Wilson Ramos
Best Defensive Infielder Danny Espinosa
Best Infield Arm Danny Espinosa
Best Defensive Outfielder Eury Perez
Best Outfield Arm Bryce Harper

PROJECTED 2014
LINEUP
Catcher Wilson Ramos
First Base Derek Norris
Second Base Danny Espinosa
Third Base Ryan Zimmerman
Shortstop Ian Desmond
Left Field Jayson Werth
Center Field Eury Perez
Right Field Bryce Harper
No. 1 Starter Stephen Strasburg
No. 2 Starter Jordan Zimmermann
No. 3 Starter A.J. Cole
No. 4 Starter Sammy Solis
No. 5 Starter John Lannan
Closer Drew Storen

My list has Chris Marrero #1 and Harper #3 :?

Jaypers said:

PROJECTED 2014
LINEUP
Catcher Wilson Ramos
First Base Derek Norris
Second Base Danny Espinosa
Third Base Ryan Zimmerman
Shortstop Ian Desmond
Left Field Jayson Werth
Center Field Eury Perez
Right Field Bryce Harper
No. 1 Starter Stephen Strasburg
No. 2 Starter Jordan Zimmermann
No. 3 Starter A.J. Cole
No. 4 Starter Sammy Solis
No. 5 Starter John Lannan
Closer Drew Storen

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Though I don't follow a ton of minor leagues, so I haven't heard anything of Perez, this I would like.

I like Desmond and Espinosa up the middle- not sure if I like Desmond at SS though. They might switch, if neither gets traded.

No Michael Burgess? Hogturds. Eury Perez in top 10? Hogturds. This list is all hogturds

who is this Bryce Harper that is tops? never heard of him.... especially on here..

Burgess tore up AA pitching at 21 years old and his reward? Dropping off BA's top 10 list. Well done BA.

nikateen said:

Burgess tore up AA pitching at 21 years old and his reward? Dropping off BA's top 10 list. Well done BA.

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I have a feeling it wasn't so much his stock dropping as the 2010 draftees' high ceilings (Harper, Cole, Solis) and their rankings that pushed him off the list.

Jaypers said:

Best Changeup Josh Wilkie

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zomg!

My card review of the Nationals top 10 prospects.

http://www.examiner.com/baseball-card-i ... -prospects

Adam (Denver, CO): I'm a bit surprised you have Harper as the top guy in the Best Hitter For Average category when most reviews I've read say he's likely to strike out around 120-150 times a year. How confident are you he'll figure out major league pitching enough to bat above .260 once he reaches the bigs?

Aaron Fitt: We debated that category, because certainly there is a variance of opinion about how much Harper will hit for average. There are certainly scouts who think he'll strike out in bunches and wind up as a .260 hitter, but there are plenty of others who think he'll made adjustments as he matures. Sometimes he does take huge hacks, but there are others when his swing is much quieter and more efficient. His hand-eye coordination is uncanny, and ultimately I think that will make him an above-average hitter. Remember, this guy's work ethic is beyond reproach; he is both intelligent enough to make adjustments and physically able to make adjustments. I really believe he will wind up as a .300-plus hitter with 40-plus home runs -- he's that good. That's an admittedly ambitious projection, but I don't mind being ambitious when it comes to Bryce Harper.

I see Harper in the .290 area from year to year after he matures a bit post-callup.

I don't see Marrero in the 2014 line-up - so what's going to happen to him?

sheetskout said:

I see Harper in the .290 area from year to year after he matures a bit post-callup.

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why? Have you ever seen him play or are you just throwing out random numbers?

TwinGnats said:

My card review of the Nationals top 10 prospects.

http://www.examiner.com/baseball-card-i ... -prospects

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Would you or anybody else mind copying the list you have?

That website is riddled with popups.

Jurgy25 said:

TwinGnats said:

My card review of the Nationals top 10 prospects.

http://www.examiner.com/baseball-card-i ... -prospects

Click to expand...

Would you or anybody else mind copying the list you have?

That website is riddled with popups.

Click to expand...

Bryce Harper (OF): When the Nationals had the second number one pick in the draft in as many years (Stephen Strausburg in 2009) almost everyone knew they would take Bryce Harper. Harper has been on the scene since he received his GED after his sophomore season in high school to that he would be eligible for the 2010 draft. He enrolled at the College of Southern Navada where he broke the school’s home run record with 31 blasts. If collectors didn’t need more of a reason to follow him, Harper hit .319 in the Arizona Fall League in 2010. Harper has a great future but his values already reflect that. Harper would need to have a following like Albert Pujols in order for collectors to really get any good return out of his cards now. For what collectors need to invest in order to acquire good cards of his, the risk is too high with the reward too low. That being said, if the Nationals call him up in 2011, he might go from red hot to white hot. Tread carefully.



* Investment Potential: B
* Accumulate: 2010 Bowman Chrome
* Investment: 2010 Bowman Aflac Autograph



Derek Norris (C): A fourth round selection in 2007, Norris has risen slowly but steadily in the Nationals system over the past four years (promoted to a full year at each level, each year). Norris is a solid hitter with a .261 average but really got on the radar in 2009 when he hit 23 home runs (1 HR/19 AB) for Hagerstown (A) as a 20 year old. With his promotion to Potomac in 2010, his power went back down to his historical performance when he knocked out 12 home runs (1 HR/25 AB) while only hitting .235. Collectors shouldn’t spend too much time watching Norris, Jesus Flores is still coming back from injury and the Nationals traded with the Twins last year to acquire Wilson Ramos. If Norris can somehow get the starting job from two players who are already ahead of him on the depth chart it would be hard for collectors to gravitate towards him with the multiple number of young, power hitting catchers in the majors.



* Investment Potential: C-
* Accumulate: 2007 Bowman Chrome
* Investment: 2007 Bowman Chrome (Low numbered Refractors)



Danny Espinosa (SS): Espinosa had a decent performance in his call up to the Nationals in 2010. He was able to slug out 6 home runs in 103 AB while only hitting.214. He’s a little bit bigger sized middle infielder who could get a strong local following if he keeps his power numbers up. Espinosa averaged one home run per 28 AB in the minors in the last two years. He could be seen as a poor man’s Dan Uggla with less power and more average. Espinosa will probably come up short to collectors nationwide but local dealers and shops would be smart to invest moderately in his nicer rookies. His values are currently very affordable, so the risk side is mitigated.



* Investment Potential: C+
* Accumulate: 2008 Razor Autograph
* Investment: 2008 Donruss Elite Autograph



AJ Cole (RHP): Cole is a tall projectible arm who signed with the Nationals for $2 million in 2010, which was the highest bonus ever given to a fourth round selection (he fell on draft boards due to his contract demands). His fastball has decent movement and gets up to 94 already and he has a power breaking ball (a slurve) which could be both plus pitches. A high school prospect, he will have plenty of time to add a good third pitch (most likely a changeup) to end up as a complete pitcher. Cole is a long term hold but an excellent target, casual collectors will see his fourth round draft status and not think much about him but Cole is a top 10 talent. Donruss Elite seems to be the only decent release with Cole right now, but if collectors can grab his autos on the cheap when they come out they shouldn’t hesitate to do so.



* Investment Potential: B-
* Accumulate: None
* Investment: None



Wilson Ramos (C): The Nationals acquired Ramos in a trade with the Minnesota Twins in 2010. Considered a top catching prospect his game is more on the side of defense with the ability to hit for a decent average. Ramos doesn’t have too much power but should be able to knock out 10-15 home runs a year. He doesn’t seem to have any elite skills other than defense which will stop his name on most collectors want lists. He will have every chance to start and could become a local fan favorite. Local dealers and shops should keep an eye on Ramos and even make a modest buy, collectors outside of Washington can look elsewhere.



* Investment Potential: C
* Accumulate: 2009 Bowman Chrome
* Investment: 2010 Topps Chrome Autograph



Sammy Solis (LHP): A solid college lefthander selected in the second round in 2010, Solis has a great mix of pitches but none that are dominate. His fastball sits in the low 90’s and has plus movement. He also has a decent curve and changeup which he utilizes with excellent control. With the Nationals shaky rotation collectors could see Solis make an appearance as soon as 2010 but if he starts out well they should sell any inventory that they have. Long term, Solis ceiling is a solid third starter who doesn’t do anything exceptionally well.



* Investment Potential: D+
* Accumulate: 2010 Donruss Elite
* Investment: 2010 Donruss Elite Autograph



Cole Kimball (RHP): Kimball is an older prospect who is pitching well below his age. In 2010 as a 24 year old splitting time in A+/AA he pitched well ending the year with a 2.17 ERA and an 11.6 K/9 rate. Due to his age/level these numbers, while they look good, have to be taken with a grain of salt. Kimball has an excellent fastball and is being groomed to be a bullpen arm. Collectors, even local ones do not have spend much if any time watching Kimball, there isn’t anything to get excited over.



* Investment Potential: F
* Accumulate: None
* Investment: None



Eury Perez (OF): Finally cracking A ball after spending three years in rookie ball, Perez had a decent season as a 20 year old in Hagerstown. Perez hit .299 and demonstrated his elite speed with 64 stolen bases. He is playing well below his age and his power is almost non existent even against weaker opposition. Collectors may see Perez suit up for the Nationals at some point but it will be most likely as a fourth or fifth outfielder used as a pinch runner. Collectors do not need to spend any time watching Perez as there isn’t much to hope for.



* Investment Potential: F
* Accumulate: 2010 Topps Debut Patch
* Investment: 2010 Bowman Chrome Autograph



Chris Marrero (1B): Marreroput together a nice follow up season in 2010 after hitting .284 with 17 home runs in 2009. As a 21 year old, playing a full year in AA he hit .294 with 18 HR. He rated a pure 80 on scouts power scale when he was drafted. He hasn’t fallen into the problem of trying to knock everything out of the park to a point where his average gets killed. Marrero is a prospect that is approaching his minor league career properly and a power surge can easily occur as time goes on. Savvy collectors would be wise to keep a close eye on Marrero. With the Nationals trouble at 1B we may see Marrero suit up for the Nationals sooner or later. With his values low, collectors could see a quick return on their investment if he starts out well after he is called up.



* Investment Potential: B
* Accumulate: 2006 Bowman Chrome
* Investment: 2007 Bowmans Best Autograph



Brad Peacock (RHP): Another arm that is playing below his age, Peacock ended the year with a 4.50 ERA and 9.4 K/9 rate splitting time between A+/AA. While pitching as a starter his WHIP rate (1.33) and decent strikeout rates probably puts him into a middle relief role with the Nationals. With little projection to be a closer (even if the Nationals didn’t have Clippard, Storen and Rodriguez) there isn’t much to follow for collectors.



* Investment Potential: F
* Accumulate: 2008 Bowman Chrome
* Investment: 2008 Bowman Chrome (Low numbered Refractors)

Good to see Pujols, make that Marrero, still on this list considering he was drafted 20 years ago.

Probably the only real premium card I have of him is a BC aflac REF PSA 10 I just picked up for about $10.

Quick question, what do you all think of the nats system overall?

It's hit and miss, they have a potential superstar in Harper along with Stars/Regulars with Marrero, Espinosa, Cole and Ramos. The problem is the junk they have three top 10 prospects that may never do anything at all in the MLB worth talking about, not even a dominate reliever. That doesn't bode well for the rest of the system. I do think they're drafting well and are willing to spend money to get good prospects. I think the Nats will be able to contend in the NL east at some point but it still won't be for 3 or 4 years. I just hope my favorite player Ryan Zimmerman will still be there when they start to win.

jeff550 said:

Quick question, what do you all think of the nats system overall?

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Good to see A.J. Cole up there. Along with Solis.