In consecutive games, James Wood and Robert Hassell III smashed home runs as part of their multi-hit games. Almost across the board, the Washington Nationals top prospects had big nights, and it kept going this morning as Elijah Green started his day with a triple for the FCL Nats on his rehab assignment. For Dylan Crews, Wood, Brady House, and Hassell, they all had two hits each yesterday. Add to that the youngsters at the MLB level, CJ Abrams and Keibert Ruiz had two hits each yesterday. Two’s were wild yesterday, and the Nats put on a power display at all levels. This all happened at the same time that MLB Pipeline finally got their Top-100 published as well as their Top-30 players for each team.
There were several surprises on the MLB Pipeline list, especially when you compare that to Baseball America’s evaluations which are considered to be the best in the business. Sure, you can always debate a few, here or there, but Kevin Made at №15 with Armando Cruz at №27 and T.J. White at №28? Made turns 21 next month and Cruz turned 19 earlier this year. Made did not make Baseball America’s Top-30. He came over to the Nats with LHP DJ Herz in the Jeimer Candelario trade last week. Those are rankings that I don’t agree with — but personally I do not care about prospects that are filler in the minor leagues. Can “filler” move up? Of course, and it has happened. Look at Tanner Roark for an example in the Nats’ system. Sometimes a change of scenery and a new voice can change everything. These are still the best 5,500 baseball players in the world from the DSL to the MLB.
Our compilation of Top-100 rankings has at least full agreement on Crews as a Top-6 player. The Prospects Live site likes the Nats prospects the best, and they were the only one to rank and keep Hassell in the Top-100. All of the other evaluators removed Hassell who had hamate surgery late last year as well as a subsequent wrist injury in Spring Training that set him back. Last year’s 1st round signing, Green, was removed from all of the Top-100 rankings.
Here is MLB Pipeline‘s Top-30 for the team:
You know what’s interesting is that Abrams is younger than 12 players on that list, and Ruiz is younger than several including catcher Drew Millas on that list. The happiest player on this list besides Made, is Daylen Lile, who finds himself at №6.
Here was our Sweet-16:
1. James Wood, OF Double-A
2. Dylan Crews, OF Class-A
3. Brady House, 3B Double-A
4. Cade Cavalli, RHP MLB IL
5. Robert Hassell III, OF Double-A
6. Jake Bennett, LHP High-A
7. Yohandy Morales, IF Class-A
8. Daylen Lile, OF High-A
9. Elijah Green, OF Single-A
10. Cristhian Vaquero, OF FCL
11. Jackson Rutledge, RHP Triple-A
12. Travis Sykora, RHP FCL
13. Jeremy De La Rosa, OF High-A
14. Jarlin Susana, RHP Single-A
15. Trey Lipscomb, 3B Double-A
T-16. T.J. White, 1B High-A
T-16. Andrew Pinckney, OF Class-A
One thing we can all agree on is that the Top-16 is stacked with future MLB talent and some superstar talent. These past 24-hours have provided some great baseball for the future core of the Washington Nationals.
