We already ran down the top 100 prospects in baseball, so now it's time go deeper by division, starting with the NL East. First up are the Braves, followed by the rest of the division.
To jump to the other teams, click here -- Marlins | Mets | Phillies | Nationals
Division overviews: NL Central | NL West | AL East | AL Central | AL West
Editor's note: Age is the player's age as of July 1, 2018. Players with experience in foreign major leagues such as Japan's NPB or Korea's KBO -- think Shohei Ohtani -- are ineligible for these rankings.
Atlanta Braves
I'm fairly certain this is the first time a team's entire top 10 has made my top 100. Atlanta can certainly draft themselves some pitchers.
1. Ronald Acuna, OF (ranked No. 1)
2. Kyle Wright, RHP (ranked No. 26)
3. Ian Anderson, RHP (ranked No. 48)
4. Luiz Gohara, LHP (ranked No. 50)
5. Cristian Pache, OF (ranked No. 57)
6. Michael Soroka, RHP (ranked No. 60)
7. Bryse Wilson, RHP (ranked No. 68)
8. Max Fried, LHP (ranked No. 77)
9. Touki Toussaint, RHP (ranked No. 90)
10. Joey Wentz, LHP (ranked No. 96)
Non-top 100 prospects
Kolby Allard (11) made the top 100 the past two offseasons but slipped off the list and behind several other pitchers in their system, as working every fifth day in pro ball has led to some regression in his stuff. He still has that plus curveball but is often in the upper 80s, just touching 92, without a big frame for a ton of projection. He still projects as a starter, but maybe a back-end guy or someone who pitches with above-average results over a shorter workload. Kyle Muller (12) pitched in extended spring training and then in Danville, both to manage his innings and to avoid a logjam in low-A. He's still a horse with league-average upside, with now stuff but work to do on command. Patrick Weigel (13) would have almost certainly made the top 100 had he stayed healthy all year, but he had Tommy John surgery in late June and might miss all of 2018, although I'm hopeful he'll pitch in the Arizona Fall League if all goes well.
Austin Riley (14) cleaned up his body and improved his defense at third base by at least a full grade last year; he has raw power but slider bat speed that led to trouble his second time around high-A last summer. Lefty AJ Minter (15) has a devastating one-two punch in his fastball and slider/cutter, with tremendous strikeout rates in the minors when he's healthy. He had Tommy John surgery in 2015, missed time last spring because of irritation in the same elbow, and then hit the DL because of a groin injury in April. He could be a top-shelf reliever if he can stay on the mound, but his track record there is spotty.
Lefty Ricardo Sanchez (16) made some quiet progress last year and pitched in high-A at age 20, still showing a plus fastball and above-average changeup, with enough improvements to the curveball to lead to hope it'll be an average pitch and keep him a starter. Travis Demeritte (17) is a plus-plus defender at second base with bat speed and power, but there's still too much swing and miss here (even with a reduced strikeout rate from 2016) and not enough on-base skills to profile as a regular yet. Alex Jackson (18) returned to his natural position behind the plate and responded with a career-best 19 homers. His swing has improved and he's not leading with his elbow the way he used to do. His defense behind the plate remains rough in receiving and blocking, although he still has a plus arm. Drew Waters (19) was the team's second-round pick in 2017 and was one of the players involved in the scandal that led to the suspensions of multiple team executives and the loss of several international players. Seen as a bat-first prospect in high school, Waters didn't impress scouts in pro ball, with several commenting to me that he "can't hit." Outfielder Dustin Peterson (20) flopped in Triple-A with a .248/.318/.318 season and only one homer in 87 games, but he missed the first two months after surgery to remove his left hamate bone, an injury that can often sap a player's power for a year afterward, so I'm inclined to give him a mulligan.
Lefty Tucker Davidson (21) comes from a high three-quarter slot with a four-seamer at 91-94 and two potential average secondary pitches in his curveball and action changeup. He could be a fourth or fifth starter if those two pitches come along. Freddy Tarnok (22) was a two-way player in high school who preferred hitting to pitching, but Atlanta took him on the mound, where he shows arm strength and athleticism but a stiff delivery with no present breaking ball. Catcher William Contreras (23), the younger brother of Cubs catcher Willson, has excellent bat-to-ball skills and a plus arm, with potential average overall defense at the position and some power upside as he fills out. Their 11th-round pick in 2017, catcher Drew Lugbauer (24), has huge left-handed power but is rough behind the plate and could end up at first. Shortstop Derian Cruz (25) struggled at two levels as an 18-year-old last year, although his defense was much improved and he looks as if he'll have the hands and footwork to stick there. Right-hander Huascar Ynoa (26) came over in the Jaime Garcia trade; he pitched at 19 in the Appy League last summer and will pitch in the low- to mid-90s with a potential above-average to plus breaking ball, with the size and delivery to stay a starter if he finds a third pitch and improves his command.
2018 impact: Ronald Acuna will probably get time in the majors this year at one of the outfield spots, although I expect Atlanta to hold him down for a few weeks or even months to manipulate his service time. Gohara should start the year in the Braves' rotation, with Fried also competing for a job, while Minter seems locked into a bullpen spot if he's healthy. I wouldn't count out a call-up for Peterson if he regains his hand strength this offseason.
Sleeper: William Contreras might be a bit far away to jump on to the top 100 next year, but catcher is so thin around the minors -- only four made my top 100, two near the very end -- that it wouldn't be surprising to see the industry jump on board his bandwagon if he hits in low-A the way he did in short season.
The fallen: Atlanta lost 13 prospects when the commissioner's office found evidence of rules violations, mostly in the international amateur market, including former top 100 prospect Kevin Maitan. Maitan subsequently signed with the Angels, but if there's a silver lining for Atlanta fans, it's that Maitan's pro debut went poorly, with scouts criticizing his weight, his defense at third, and especially his left-handed swing. The team also released its third-rounder from 2015, Anthony Guardado, who threw just 8.2 innings in the minors after suffering a shoulder injury in high school.
Miami Marlins
The system might have ranked dead last in baseball, but the Marlins acquired a few prospects in their salary-dump trades this winter that elevated them out of the bottom spot -- especially in their return from the Brewers for outfielder Christian Yelich.
1. Lewis Brinson, OF (ranked No. 32)
2. Monte Harrison, OF (ranked No. 85)
3. Sandy Alcantara, RHP (ranked No. 87)
4. Magneuris Sierra, OF
5. Isan Diaz 2B
6. Jorge Guzman, RHP
7. Brian Anderson, 3B
8. Braxton Garrett, LHP
9. Trevor Rogers, LHP
10. James Nelson, 3B
Non-top 100 prospects
Magneuris Sierra came over in the Marcell Ozuna trade. He's a plus runner with a chance for plus defense in center, boasting a decent eye at the plate but below-average power that limits his ceiling. Isan Diaz tried to play through a broken hamate bone for part of the year, had surgery at the end of August, and started to swing the bat well again in the Pan Am Under-23 tournament this fall, where he played for the bronze medal-winning Puerto Rico team. The power he seemed to lose in 2017 should return now that his wrist is healed, but without it he's probably not an everyday player at second. Jorge Guzman has a huge fastball, often 98-100 as a starter, with fringy to below-average offspeed stuff and no deception in his delivery. If he starts, he could be a mid-rotation guy, but there's probably an 80 percent or better chance he ends up in the bullpen. Brian Anderson has become a solid-average defender at third with a chance to end up a 55 there, showing average power and some plate discipline, enough to think he might be a solid regular.
Braxton Garrett was their first-round pick in 2016 but didn't debut until 2017 and then made only four starts before having had Tommy John surgery in late June that will probably keep him out until instructs. Trevor Rogers was their first-round pick in 2017. He didn't throw a pitch all summer because of soreness that didn't require surgery, and didn't get to pitch in instructional league because the Marlins cancelled it because of Hurricane Irma.
James Nelson, the nephew of former first-rounder and Rockies infielder Chris Nelson, hit .302/.354/.456 in low-A at age 19 last year, with power projection from the swing and body, and shows the athleticism and arm to profile as adequate on defense at third. If he shows more patience and comes into some of that power, he could be an everyday player. Brian Miller (11) was the team's second pick this year, 36th overall, and is a plus defensive center fielder and 70 runner who has good bat-to-ball skills but lacks power and has had trouble with lefties. Edward Cabrera (12), signed for just $100K as an amateur, hit 101 mph during short-season Batavia, and shows the makings of a future-average breaking ball, with a starter's build. But he's still just 19 and a few years away, boasting a big ceiling if he progresses. Nick Neidert (13) came over in the Dee Gordon trade, profiling as a fifth starter with maybe a fourth starter ceiling, showing good command of average stuff but lacking a swing and miss pitch.
Right-hander Jordan Holloway (14) was in the midst of a breakout season when he blew out his elbow mere days after Garrett's injury. Lefty Dillon Peters (15) broke his thumb early in the year but still managed to reach the majors for a six-start stint. He struggled with walks in the majors but is normally a command lefty with average velocity and good feel for his breaking ball. Outfielder Isael Soto (16) missed the year after a freak foot injury suffered in the outfield in minor-league camp; he has power and can turn on a fastball but needs work on his off-speed recognition, so the lost year of at-bats is troublesome. Right-hander Zac Gallen (17) is a control guy with average stuff and maybe a little better life on his fastball, profiling as an up-and-down starter or reliever. Right-hander Merandy Gonzalez (18), acquired from the Mets for A.J. Ramos, will touch 93 but works mostly with an 89-90 mph cutter, throwing a ton of strikes but not missing many bats; he might be really intriguing as a reliever who tries to get ground balls and breaks bats with the one pitch. Shortstop Chris Torres (19) is a true shortstop with an idea at the plate but not much sock, so even if he puts the ball in play often enough it might not come with hard contact, making him a potential bottom-of-the-order bat who'll need to become a plus defender to profile as a regular.
Braxton Lee (20) can run a little but has fourth-outfielder upside due to his lack of power, although his defensive skill should get him some big-league time.
2018 impact: Lewis Brinson and Magneuris Sierra could be in the Miami outfield at any point in 2018. Alcantara pitched briefly in the St. Louis bullpen last year, but he should go to Double-A and continue to develop as a starter. Peters might be in the Marlins' rotation. Lee could end up getting some big-league time this summer.
The fallen: Tyler Kolek, the second overall pick in 2014, missed 2016 because of Tommy John surgery, and came back with something close to the yips, walking 14 of 31 batters he faced in 3.2 innings along with three hit batsmen and nine wild pitches.
Sleeper: I'm cautiously optimistic on James Nelson, as he has the raw tools and makeup to become a pretty good overall player on offense and defense if he tightens up his approach -- and he has already shown some bat to ball skills for a player who was among the youngest in the Sally League last year.
New York Mets
I hear from Mets fans who think their farm system has been a problem, but the team's 2011-13 drafts have already produced 22 big leaguers plus a few other players they traded for major-league value, and the system still has a lot of potential in starters and up-the-middle position players.
1. David Peterson, LHP (ranked No. 58)
2. Andres Gimenez, SS
3. Justin Dunn, RHP
4. Peter Alonso, 1B
5. Mark Vientos, SS
6. Anthony Kay, LHP
7. Thomas Szapucki, LHP
8. Desmond Lindsay, OF
9. Ronny Mauricio, SS
10. Jordan Humphreys, RHP
Non-top 100 prospects
Andres Gimenez spent most of the year in low-A at age 18, holding his own at the plate, showing plus running speed and above-average defense thanks to his strong instincts and good first step. He has good feel to square up the ball but probably projects to below-average power. Justin Dunn was their first-round pick in 2016, a college reliever turned starter near the end of his junior year at Boston College, but wasn't ready for high-A last year and struggled badly in the St. Lucie rotation. His stuff was still there, 95-97 with a promising slider and curveball, but left-handed hitters smoked him because his four-seamer is too straight and he doesn't have an average changeup yet. He's an outstanding athlete and his delivery works, but he just isn't as advanced as a pitcher as the typical college first-round arm.
Peter Alonso played only 82 games in the high-A Florida State League but finished second in homers and 11th in doubles, while his triple-slash stats would all have ranked in the top five if he'd qualified. He destroyed southpaws but has some work to do against right-handed pitching. His defense at first is fringy but there is a good contact/power upside here to make a potential regular. Mark Vientos was one of the youngest players in the 2017 draft, just 17 1/2 on draft day, a month younger than the No. 2 overall pick, Hunter Greene. Vientos has good feel to hit already with plus raw power; he's a shortstop now, but it's probably 50-50 that he moves to third base, where his hands and arm should make him at least an above-average defender.
Anthony Kay was badly overworked at UConn as an amateur and needed Tommy John surgery when the Mets signed him, but he was back for instructs in the fall, touching 95 in short outings with a plus changeup and average breaking ball. He could be primed for a big jump with a healthy 2018. Thomas Szapucki was No. 60 on my top 100 last winter but had Tommy John surgery in July after only six starts in 2017. If his stuff comes back, he'll be a candidate to return to the list once he's pitching again, which might not be until instructs.
Center fielder Desmond Lindsay was the team's first pick in 2015 but hasn't been able to stay healthy in pro ball. He got new goggles to address a vision issue in May, hit .322/.372/.575 in 94 total plate appearances in June and July, but had elbow surgery before the trade deadline that ended his season. He should be back for spring training but needs to get a full season in, as he has all of 535 pro PA in two and a half years since he signed. Ronny Mauricio was their big bonus baby in the latest July 2 signing period, a switch-hitting shortstop who looks like an impact defender who could hit for high averages, but with power a question mark and a body that is still a few years away from starting to fill out.
Jordan Humphreys has a high spin-rate fastball in the 92-94 range, punching out nearly a third of batters he faced in low-A, but blew out his elbow and had Tommy John surgery at the end of August, probably knocking him out until 2019.
Chris Flexen (11) struggled in his big-league debut, especially with the lower seams on the major-league ball, but before that had been 93-95 in the minors with above-average secondary stuff and very good control. He still looks like a potential fourth starter if he can adjust to the different baseball. Gavin Cecchini (12) looks like a tweener now, as he has struggled enough with throwing that he can't handle short but hasn't hit for enough power or gotten on base enough to profile at second, leaving him in utility-land unless his glove or bat show another gear of improvement. Luis Guillorme (13) is an 80 defender at short with maybe a 40 bat. He walked 72 times last year and posted a .376 OBP, but scouts question whether that'll hold up because he has 20 power and pitchers aren't likely to pitch around him at all.
Marcos Molina (14) didn't get all his stuff back post-TJ surgery, and the low-slot right-hander might benefit from a shift to the bullpen. Right-hander Tyler Bashlor (15), an 11th-round pick in 2013, missed two full years after Tommy John surgery but saw his stuff tick way up last year, sitting 95-97 and touching 100 with big-time spin, improving his strikeout rate as the season went on. After three straight disaster outings at the end of June, he struck out 35 of 71 batters the rest of the way but often pitched on more than normal rest. He's an intriguing arm given his limited experience, and his slider, average now, has some promise, too.
Tomas Nido (16) looks like a classic backup catcher with good catch-and-throw skills and some power but a below-average hit tool. Jhoan Urena (17) can swing and miss a little too often but has evolved into a more disciplined hitter, and the ball flies off his bat when he squares it up; he led the Florida State League with 34 doubles and was second with 47 extra-base hits in a league that's tough for home run power. Patrick Mazeika (18) is the better hitter between him and Nido, but Nido is a better receiver, and there's some distrust that Mazeika's unorthodox swing will continue to work at higher levels. He has hit everywhere he has played to date. Quinn Brodey (19) was on my top 100 for the 2017 draft and the Mets nabbed him in the third round at pick No. 97. He's a contact hitter with a decent eye and a little pop but might not have the speed to play anywhere but left field.
Third baseman David Thompson (20) continues to show solid right-handed power but not much average, with the tools to be an adequate defender at third but not above average. Corey Oswalt (21) is a strike-throwing right-hander with three average-ish pitches and a little room left for growth, probably ending up a fifth starter. Gerson Bautista (22), acquired in the trade for Addison Reed, will pitch in the upper 90s with below-average secondary stuff, but did miss a ton of bats in high-A last year. He came along with two other right-handers, Jamie Callahan and Stephen Nogosek, who both project as major-league middle relievers, Callahan boasting a good cutter, Nogosek coming from a funky delivery that fools right-handed batters. Shortstop Gregory Guerrero, cousin of Blue Jays' prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr., has size, athleticism, and bat speed, but he just hasn't produced at all yet and remains entirely projection at this point.
2018 impact: Chris Flexen could get another shot in the big-league rotation this year, especially given how injury-prone some of the Mets' starters have been. Some of the relievers, like Callahan, could show up this summer at Citi Field. Bashlor might get a shot if he keeps striking out batters at this rate.
Sleeper: I'm a Mark Vientos fan, but I really am optimistic about Anthony Kay now that he's back and healthy; he was a potential first-rounder before he was so overworked in college, and the reports on him from instructional league were very promising.
The fallen: Shortstop Luis Carpio made my top 10 two winters ago and was my sleeper pick for the system, but he hurt his shoulder shortly afterward and his power hasn't returned since he had surgery to fix it.
Philadelphia Phillies
There's just so much depth in this Phillies system right now. While the criticism you hear in the industry that they lack high-upside guys -- potential superstar position players or No. 1 starters -- is fair, whoa boy do they seem to have a lot of future big leaguers here.
1. J.P. Crawford, SS (ranked No. 10)
2. Sixto Sanchez, RHP (ranked No. 23)
3. Scott Kingery, 2B (ranked No. 33)
4. JoJo Romero, LHP (ranked No. 59)
5. Jhailyn Ortiz, OF (ranked No. 83)
6. Jorge Alfaro, C (ranked No. 98)
7. Adam Haseley, OF
8. Ranger Suarez, RHP
9. Adonis Medina, RHP
10. Mickey Moniak, OF
Non-top 100 prospects
Adam Haseley was the team's first-round pick in 2017, a smart, instinctive player who had a strong career at the University of Virginia. The hope is that he stays in center field and makes enough hard contact to profile as an above-average regular, although I think the on-base skills here probably make him at least an everyday guy unless he just has no power at all (which I doubt). Ranger Suarez took a big step forward physically last year, jumping a few better-known pitching prospects in the system; he has a starter's build and delivery, is very athletic, and has a good repertoire, with a fastball up to 95 and feel for three offspeed pitches already. Adonis Medina might have the best pure stuff of all of their starter prospects, 91-96 with a curveball that's above average to plus and good action on his changeup; his velocity is easy, but his command lags and he can fly open in his delivery. There's still huge upside there.
Mickey Moniak was the first overall pick in 2016 but struggled way beyond expectations in low-A last year, although he was just 19. He played high school ball in Southern California and was thought to be an advanced hitter but didn't pick up spin at all last year, and lefties destroyed him (.179/.236/.248). You can't just write him off, not at his age or given his athleticism. Center fielder Roman Quinn (11) did what he does every year: get hurt. He's a tremendous athlete, an 80 runner with a 70 arm, but played just 45 games before he was shut down because of a UCL sprain in his non-throwing elbow. He played 88 games for Clearwater in 2014 and hasn't played in more than 77 games in any season since. He has, or had, the potential to be a Billy Hamilton type of player in center, maybe with more bat and a little less range, but I can't project health on a kid who hasn't been healthy and has just missed so much development time over the past four seasons. He's supposed to be ready for spring training.
Right-hander Seranthony Dominguez (12) came in hot to start the year, running it up to 96-98 in a few outings before he was shut down because of a flexor injury that didn't require surgery. He has had injury issues before and is now 23 with only 62 innings above low-A, with some thought he'll head to the bullpen to try to reduce his workload. Right-hander Franklyn Kilome (13) has easy velocity on his four-seamer, 92-96 when I saw him, with a late-breaking power curveball that is wildly inconsistent and a hard change with some splitter action. He doesn't miss as many bats as he should with that stuff, probably the result of below-average command and the fact that his fastball rides but doesn't really break or tail. He still has starter potential and if he gets better coordination of his 6-foot-6 frame he could be an above-average rotation member.
Right-hander Edgar Garcia (14) pitched in both roles last year but projects better as a fastball/slider reliever; he started last year in part to get him to work more on pitching with his fastball. Second baseman Daniel Brito (15) was in Lakewood at 18 last year and looked physically overmatched, although he has a good swing and seemed as if he could recognize some pitches. He's an average to above-average runner and should be a good defender at second, but he has to get quite a bit stronger to impact the baseball. Cornelius Randolph (16), the team's first-round pick in 2015, was supposed to be a pure bat without a position, yet he hasn't hit like that in pro ball, .250/.338/.402 as a 20-year-old in high-A (so a little young for the level), while also playing below-average defense in left. His swing works, but he doesn't work the count like a "pure bat" sort of player would, and he's not hitting line drives like a young Howie Kendrick type where the counts don't matter.
Dylan Cozens (17) has huge raw power but fell off at the plate once he was out of the hitter's park in Reading, hitting .210/.301/.418 in Triple-A, striking out 39 percent of the time against southpaws. Lefty Elniery Garcia (18) missed the first half of the season with a PED suspension and then had a minor injury while he was in the penalty box; his velocity was above average before the suspension, just average afterward, and 2017 was pretty much a lost year for him, with 19 walks and 13 strikeouts in his 30 innings.
The Phillies' GCL club was solid as well, with three prospects of particular note. Right-hander Francisco Morales (19) is 6-4 with broad shoulders, up to 94-95 with some angle on the pitch, a slider that flashes above average but that he throws too often, and a changeup that's still a work in progress. The Venezuelan just turned 18 in October and has mid-rotation upside. Shortstop Jonathan Guzman (20) can really play defense, future plus or better, and he can barrel up the baseball but not do much with it because he's still so slight, listed at 6-foot, 156 pounds. Outfielder Simon Muizziotti (21) is an above-average defender in center with a little speed, lacking size and strength right now to give him everyday upside. Scouts love how he plays and his instincts, although his hand-eye is so good that he tends to put the first fastball he sees in play, rarely striking out or walking. Right-hander Spencer Howard (22), the team's second-round pick in 2017, has some back-end starter potential with two average pitches but needs to throw more and better strikes.
Right-hander Thomas Eshelman (23) has a very low upside, working with a 45 and sometimes a 40 fastball, but he does throw a ton of strikes and probably will pitch in the majors this year. Lefty Jhordany Mezquita (24) was the fun story from this year's Phillies' draft class. They signed him as a Dominican amateur, but the deal was voided when MLB found out he'd attended high school in the U.S., so they had to wait until June and draft him. All's well that ends with a 0.89 ERA in the GCL, though. He has been 92-94 with feel for a breaking ball, lacking much of a change, although he faced 90 percent right-handed batters in the Gulf Coast League and had no problem with them. Six-foot-11 lefty Kyle Young (25), from Syosset on Long Island, has three pitches and enough coordination in his delivery to execute it repeatedly, throwing everything for strikes but just lacking enough stuff right now to put him in this org's top 20.
Some more odds and ends: Eliezer Alvarez came over from St. Louis after the Phillies signed Juan Nicasio and traded him away a few days later; Alvarez missed two months because of an ankle injury and didn't hit at all in Double-A last year, but it was a two-level jump for the 22-year-old second baseman, who projects as a utility infielder. ... Lefty Cole Irvin had a strong first full year back from Tommy John surgery, throwing 151 innings in high-A and Double-A. He's a finesse/command guy who got victimized by Reading's homer-friendly home park, giving up eight homers in 44 innings there, which might be a harbinger of trouble when he gets to the majors. ... Enyel de los Santos, acquired from the Padres in the Freddy Galvis trade, worked in the mid-90s with above-average control but a below-average breaking ball and short stride that point to a relief role. ... Jose Taveras doesn't have overwhelming stuff, working 87-92 with an assortment of averages, but locates what he does have and racked up 140 strikeouts in 154 innings across three levels, including Triple-A, last year. ... The Phils also signed catcher Abrahan -- yes, with an 'n' -- Gutierrez, one of the Atlanta prospects made a free agent in September; he's a good catch-and-throw prospect whose bat remains a question mark. ... Kevin Gowdy, one of their over-slot guys from the 2016 draft class, had Tommy John surgery and won't be back until 2019. ... Grant Dyer, taken in the same year, had the surgery after 2016 and should be back for this upcoming season.
2018 impact: J.P. Crawford should be the Phillies' opening day shortstop. Kingery is ready for a major-league job and might just be waiting for a trade of Cesar Hernandez to open up a spot. Eshelman, Cozens, or Taveras could get cups of coffee.
Sleeper: Ranger Suarez is the most likely non-top 100 guy here to end up on next winter's top 100, although Medina and Kilome have good cases as well. All three are probable starters with above-average upside.
The fallen: The Phillies' third-round pick in 2013, Cord Sandberg brought athleticism and power to the baseball diamond after a two-sport career in high school, but he just hasn't hit in pro ball, with a .268/.309/.431 line at three levels last year, including 30 K's and three walks in Double-A.
Washington Nationals
The Nationals pick low in the first round when they pick at all, but they still find value wherever they pick, while their international scouting staff has landed a number of extremely high-ceiling prospects who now rank in the team's top five.
1. Victor Robles, of (ranked No. 4)
2. Juan Soto, of (ranked No. 42)
3. Carter Kieboom, ss
4. Seth Romero, lhp
5. Yasel Antuna, ss
6. Erick Fedde, rhp
7. Wil Crowe, rhp
8. Blake Perkins, of
9. Andrew Stevenson, of
10. Luis Garcia, ss
Non-top 100 prospects
Carter Kieboom missed most of the year because of a hamstring injury, but he showed some real promise when he did play, with a good eye at the plate and extra-base power to all fields. There's substantial upside here, even though he's very likely to move to third or second, because he has some on-base and power potential that could put him in the middle of a lineup. Seth Romero was their first-round pick in June after a tumultuous career at Houston that saw him kicked off the team. But when he's not suspended or otherwise in trouble, he's up to 95 with a plus changeup -- maybe even a 70 -- and a good enough breaking ball to get left-handed hitters. If the makeup wasn't such a huge concern, he might have been a top-10 pick, even with some injury and delivery concerns, because the stuff is that good.
Yasel Antuna hit .301/.382/.399 as a true 17-year-old in the GCL last year, his pro debut after the Nationals signed him for $3.9 million in 2016, and has the biggest upside in the system of anyone after the top two. He's a shortstop who can play just about anywhere, and has a smooth swing with an advanced approach and even some breaking ball recognition, with plenty of power projection to come. Erick Fedde, their first-round pick in 2014, had a disastrous debut this fall, but still has back-end starter upside and probably more value in relief. He's a sinker/slider guy with a changeup that still needs some separation from his fastball, and he has had trouble turning over lineups in the high minors. Will Crowe was one of the top college seniors in the 2017 draft class and should move quickly through the low minors as a strike-thrower with four pitches and good feel. He had Tommy John surgery in college and has had knee problems that led teams to shy away from him out of high school.
Blake Perkins led the low-A Sally League in walks at age 20 in his first full season switch-hitting. He's a plus defender in center with plus speed, and hit fairly well left-handed, although all of his homers came from his natural (right-handed) side. Andrew Stevenson had trouble making hard contact in Triple-A and the majors; he can play center, and does put the ball in play a lot, giving him a fourth outfielder probability with some starter upside that he might never fulfill in this organization. Luis Garcia, who signed for $1.5 million the same summer that Antuna signed, is probably more of a second baseman than a shortstop because of his stockier build. He's a plus runner with good hands but lacks polish at the plate and on the bases.
Outfielder Daniel Johnson (11) was old for the low-A Sally League and saw his production drop a bit after a late promotion to high-A. He can show a plus arm and above-average speed (more on defense than out of the box), and has pull power, but is too much of a fastball hitter right now and needs a better approach, including using the opposite field. One big positive from his 2017 season: He didn't have trouble with left-handed pitching at any of his three stops, including the Arizona Fall League. Right-hander Luis Reyes (12) has an extremely high spin rate on his curveball to go with a low-90s sinker and a promising changeup, which sounds like the makings of a very good starter if he can get to even average control. Kelvin Gutierrez (13) missed more than half of the season after a brutal leg injury, losing a lot of development time he needed at the plate. He has a rifle of an arm with good hands, but his swing doesn't use his lower half much so he has been a light-contact hitter so far. The Nationals added catcher Raudy Read (14) to their 40-man roster this winter after he nearly doubled his previous high in homers, hitting 17 with 25 doubles at Double-A Harrisburg. He's a dead-pull hitter with chronically low OBPs, but a catcher with his kind of power and a plus arm can still be valuable, more so if he improves his receiving.
Jackson Tetrault (15) was the Nats' seventh-round pick in June out of a Florida junior college, a very projectable right-hander with a live arm who's still raw as a pitcher. Third-rounder Nick Raquet (16) will show two above-average pitches from the left side, but his command and control point to a likely relief future. Jefry Rodriguez (17) was popped for 80 games after a positive PED test; he was 90-95 before the suspension, with a too-hard changeup and inconsistent curveball that would flash plus up to 81 mph.
Catcher Jakson Reetz (18) seems as if he has been in the system forever but will play all of 2018 at age 22; he has improved behind the plate and is making better quality contact, just not enough of it. Gabe Klobosits (19) was the Nats' 36th-round pick out of Auburn and punched out 29 percent of batters in his pro debut; the 6-7, 250-plus pound right-hander works in the mid-90s with a good slider and split. Right-hander Tomas Alastre (20) won't turn 20 until June, and works with a low-90s fastball with good feel to spin his breaking ball. He's projectable, with a 6-4 frame that could take a lot more muscle, and the Nats praise his cerebral approach. Jose Sanchez (21) played in the GCL this summer at 16 -- he turned 17 on July 12, so yes, he was born in the year 2000 -- and is a gifted defender at any infield spot, with some feel for the bat right now, but as you might expect he's not physically mature just yet.
2018 impact: Victor Robles is ready if and when there's a spot in the Washington outfield. Fedde could help the team this year out of the bullpen or as a swingman.
Sleeper: Yasel Antuna might be two years away from top-100 status rather than one, but his upside is enormous and he already has an aptitude for baseball beyond that of most 17-year-olds.
The fallen: Joan Baez was No. 10 on my Nats list last year, but his control just fell apart last season, with 66 walks in 79 innings for high-A Potomac. He's up to 97 with a promising curveball, but he might have to go to the bullpen to salvage his career and my chance to work song titles into future columns about him.