Breaking down the Nats...

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Breaking down the Nats...

Post by Yankees »

Pitching:
Jed Bradley
Jose Campos
Leonel Campos
Miguel Castro
Daniel Corcino
Edwin Escobar
Max Fried
Victor Gonzalez
J.R. Graham
Daniel Hudson
Jake Johansen
Dace Kime
Jose Ramirez
Aaron Sanchez
Alberto Tirado
Vincent Velasquez
Allen Webster
Matthew Wisler

Outlook:
This group is strong on strong. It features top of the rotation stuff with questions (Sanchez, Fried, Webster), high mid-rotation pitchers with high floors (Wisler, Graham, Velasquez, Escobar), arms to dream big on (Tirado, Bradley, Castro, Campos, Ramirez, Gonzalez, Corcino), a fallen but recovering star (Hudson), and a couple newbies (Kime, Johansen). While it features incredible depth, it lacks someone to sit atop that rotation at the moment. Leonel Campos is a dynamic relief option...but that bullpen is a lonely place right now.

Grade:
B+ - It's as good as can be, but can't be an A without an Ace.
Last edited by Yankees on Tue Jan 14, 2014 11:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Yankees »

Catcher:
Reese McGuire
Austin Romine
Andrew Susac

Outlook:
The worst of the group is Romine, who played above average defense with a .750 ops over the 2nd half of last season at the MLB level...and that includes a horrible September. Susac is a player who has legit MLB C chops, but features a power bat with patience...too. He has the upside of a first division starter. Speaking of first division starters, that might be the floor for Reese McGuire if the reality of his bat is anywhere near what he showed in 2013.

Grade:
A - Many teams would kill to have that roster of C's right now.
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CIF:
Stetson Allie
Allan Dykstra
Miles Head
Mitch Nay
Matt Skole

Outlook:

So I am the guy who traded Maikel Franco. That hurts for sure, but the questions that surround his bat and glove utility were legitimate. Unfortunately the loss of Franco leaves a largely unproven reality. Allie, Dykstra, and Head all have first base profiles...but have legit first base profiles. While they may never be franchise players, they all have the capability of being first division 1b starters. Skole, with Zimmerman and Rendon aboard in Washington, is being groomed for 1b. It's easy to see why they would want to keep his patience and power around...but the man can play a legit 3b. Nay is the "GUY" here. He has plus actions at third, and legit plus potential on his hit and power tools. I'm placing a lot of faith in camp Nay...

Grade:
C- - It's just not good enough. While there is potential and upside for this to move over a letter grade next year, I would feel way more comfortable with more options at 3b.
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MIF:
Arismendy Alcantara
Sergio Alcantara
Franklin Barreto
Stephen Bruno
Thairo Estrada
Stephen Lombardozzi
Addison Russell

Outlook:
I think this is the deepest and best area of my team. It features two of the top players at their positions in baseball (Russell - ss, Alcantara - 2b) who both project as dynamic MLB-ers without having to dream much at all. S. Alcantara, Barreto, and Estrada are all players who are far away from being a starting MLB SS, but each has that type of profile to dream on. Lombardozzi crushed MiLB pitching, so while he may be an "is what he is" at the MLB level...he has the capability for more. Bruno is a young player who has absolutely raked at every level, and while featuring a limiting 2b profile, it could be an MLB above average one with his hit tool.

Grade:
A - The combination of high ceiling/high floors with Russell and A. Alcantara, and the high ceilings of basically the rest of the system should make this the envy of any rebuilding squad in baseball.
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Post by Yankees »

COF:
Yasiel Balaguert
Josh Bell
Jaff Decker
Natanael Delgado
Roger Kieschnick
J.D. Martinez
Alexander Palma
Stefen Romero
Domingo Santana
Mac Williamson

Outlook:
It's a deep group that features strong ceiling bats who are breaking out (Bell, Santana, Williamson), intriguing older players still with upside (Decker, Kieshnick, Martinez), and a group of players that are anyone's guess (Romero, Palma, Delgado, Balaguert). I should be able to find starter in left and right out of this group, but I don't think there's any real impact players here.

Grade:

B- - It's a deep group of talented players, but all have very clear flaws. A best case for me would be to see Dahl transition to a corner in the future. The lack of COF depth at the MiLB level does give me some comfort in this group.
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Post by Yankees »

CF:
David Dahl
Albert Almora
Slade Heathcott
Teoscar Hernandez
Terry McClure
Rafael Ortega
Eury Perez
Luigi Rodriguez

Outlook:
I lied at MIF. I'm sorry. This is the deepest and best position on my team. Dahl and Almora will finish '14 as two of the best prospects in baseball, much less at CF (hopefully Dahl actually plays some games). After those two potential impact studs, we have a nice split of high ceiling/low floor players (Heathcott, Hernandez, McClure), and low ceiling/high floor players (Ortega, Perez, Rodriguez).

Grade:

A- - While Almora and Dahl both have incredibly high, impact ceilings, they still have to get to the advanced levels that Russell/Alcantara have in the MIF. Once they succeed there, this grade will skyrocket from it's already high position.
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