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January 23, 2009

Future Shock

Nationals Top 11 Prospects

by Kevin Goldstein

top 11 prospects

WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Team Audit | DT Cards | PECOTA Cards | Depth Chart

Four-Star Prospects
1. Jordan Zimmermann, RHP
2. Michael Burgess, RF
3. Ross Detwiler, LHP
Three-Star Prospects
4. Derek Norris, C
5. Jack McGeary, LHP
6. Chris Marrero, 1B
7. Destin Hood, LF
8. J.P. Ramirez, OF
9. Esmailyn Gonzalez, SS
Two-Star Prospects
10. Rogearvin Bernadina, CF
11. Adrian Nieto, C

Just Missed: Garrett Mock, RHP; Colton Willems, RHP; Terrell Young, RHP

Before You Ask: Unsigned 2008 first-round pick Aaron Crow would sit atop this list.

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23 comments have been left for this article.

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Brian Kopec

(12249)

Consensus seems to be that R.Zimmerman has pretty much topped out at the plate. Do you see any room for growth there? I had hopes he would be a perennial .300/.370/500 guy and he is still pretty young.

Jan 23, 2009 09:18 AM

rating: 0

Drew Miller

(22526)

I still see that projection, if he gets healthy.

Jan 23, 2009 09:39 AM

rating: -1

Kevin Goldstein

BP staff

(27460)

It's my opinion that this is what he is -- an 800 OPS Gold Glove third baseman, but I admit I'm in the minority here.

Jan 23, 2009 18:26 PM

Peter Hood

(17991)

What's the outlook on Josh Smoker, P who seems to have disappeared off the radar.His LoA performance in 2008 was certainly not inspiring although he did maintain a pretty decent K rate.

Jan 23, 2009 09:53 AM

rating: 1

Kevin Goldstein

BP staff

(27460)

Certainly wouldn't give up on him. Still athletic and projectable, but hard to have him make this list after last year.

Jan 23, 2009 18:27 PM

Charlie Saponara

(38889)

Does Justin Maxwell have a chance to get back in the mix after his injury? Or is there just no room for him anymore in the Nats OF plans?

Jan 23, 2009 09:54 AM

rating: 2

Domenik Hixon

(3423)

I second that question. Wondering KG's thoughts on Maxwell.

Jan 23, 2009 09:59 AM

rating: 0

Kevin Goldstein

BP staff

(27460)

I think he's a fourth OF type at this point. Nationals brass are still quite high on him.

Jan 23, 2009 18:27 PM

DGBL

(32998)

Certainly not one of the more riveting systems in the game. That being said, bring on the Orioles!

Jan 23, 2009 10:15 AM

rating: -1

DGBL

(32998)

Also, on a more serious note, I was surprised that Zimmermann wasn't a five star guy. Detwiler was a mess for most of the year and Burgess strikes out way too much, though both remain intriguing for various reasons. Zimmermann is more polished than either of them and seems to have fewer questions - all the while having a pretty decent upside. Did Zimmermann get any 5 star consideration?

Jan 23, 2009 10:38 AM

rating: -1

Kevin Goldstein

BP staff

(27460)

He was very very close to 5-star for me.

Jan 23, 2009 18:28 PM

patrickc

(39328)

What's the over-under on the Elijah Dukes-Scott Olsen punchout? May 15? Might be the most exciting thing that happens in Washington all season.

Jan 23, 2009 10:48 AM

rating: 0

John from Bel Air

(22673)

I'll put 100 on the under

Jan 23, 2009 11:05 AM

rating: -1

John from Bel Air

(22673)

This probably goes without saying but I bet Elijah Dukes knocks out Scott Olsen before anybody can break it up

Jan 23, 2009 11:07 AM

rating: -1

jtrichey

(6611)

SInce Jesus Flores came to the big leagues so soon due to the rule 5, we don't really know what kind of plyer he can be. Kevin, what do you hear about Flores long term?

Jan 23, 2009 10:55 AM

rating: -1

shankweather

(1804)

R. Zimmerman overrated? He follows up WARPs of 6.6 and 8.0 (at ages 21 and 22) with an injury-flavored 4.2, and suddenly he's overrated? He's only overrated on fantasy cheat sheets.

Jan 23, 2009 12:55 PM

rating: 0

Moneyball16

(36446)

I agree with this completely. I love Milledge as much as the next guy, but I'm always going to take Zimmerman before him.

Jan 23, 2009 13:24 PM

rating: -1

billm21

(35836)

Leave it to Kevin to come up with odd facts on these players. I would never have guessed that Dwight Gooden and Slim Whitman graduated from the same high school! This type of in-depth journalism just makes me want to yodel.

Jan 23, 2009 13:38 PM

rating: -1

tomterp

(32514)

So Kevin, does McGeary's decision to devote full time to baseball starting this season (as revealed in Will Carroll's interview with Bowden/Rizzo) have implications for McGeary's ranking?

Jan 23, 2009 14:30 PM

rating: -1

reinhartjr

(31785)

Wow, Justin Maxwell just fell off the map. Is that because you are down on his injury history or because he is not the player you thought he was last year?

Jan 24, 2009 12:10 PM

rating: -1

EricSanSan

(31571)

Is it safe to assume that Stephen Strasburg would immediately jump to No. 1 on both the prospect and under 25 list?

Jan 24, 2009 18:44 PM

rating: -1

SC

(27400)

SI is reporting Esmailyn Gonzalez is actually 23, not 19. I'd imagine this changes his prospect status quite a bit, does he even seem likely to have an MLB career considering his age and development?

Feb 18, 2009 06:55 AM

rating: -1

oystertoadfish

(47264)

Time to change "Esmailyn Gonzalez" to "Carlos Alvarez Daniel Lugo" - I think the Post said he's going by the first two of those names, but I don't think anybody's sure quite yet.

I give his fraud team points for coming up with a name like "Esmailyn" - that's "Smiling" filtered through Dominican pronunciation and spelling.

Also time to get him off the list, if you're up for back-editing after the biggest false identity scam to hit baseball in a few years. Any thought on shifting someone else into the Top 11? If so, who?

Feb 19, 2009 09:36 AM

rating: -1

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Transaction Analysis: ... (01/23)

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Prospectus Q&A: John W... (01/25)

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