Washington Nationals’ 2021 Preseason Top 50 Prospects

As we prepare for the season ahead, the Pitcher List staff will be creating profiles for every fantasy-relevant player for 2021. Players will be broken up by team and role through starting pitchers, bullpen, lineup, and prospects. You can access every article as it comes out in our Player Profiles 2021 hub here.

The year 2021 is finally here, allowing all of us to collectively wash the stink that was 2020 away and, hopefully, enjoy a much better year to come.

It also officially means we are kicking off our month-long foray deep into the farm systems of all 30 major league teams, as the dynasty staff here at Pitcher List will be ranking the top 50 prospects in every single MLB organization, with one launch per day from now until the end of the month.

In honor of 2020, however, we will start with perhaps the stinkiest of all the farm systems in baseball: the Washington Nationals. A year removed from a World Series victory, and with the window rapidly closing, Washington fans have little to look forward to in the minor leagues.

Dynasty players can more of less ignore this system as well, although like with any system there are certainly a few potential breakout candidates, late-bloomers, pitch change candidates, and so on. Here I break down my ranking of the organization’s top 50 prospects, while looking at how they should be valued in dynasty leagues and when they could make their big league debuts.

Note: These Top 50 lists are all done through a fantasy baseball-focused lens. Many players who are ranked higher or lower on other platforms will get a boost here. For example, players who profile as middle relievers or glove-first infielders likely won’t have much fantasy relevance, so they won’t be ranked as highly. 

 

1. RHP Jackson Rutledge

 

Age: 21

Highest level: A

Jackson Rutledge is the prize of Washington’s stable of power right-handed pitchers. Rutledge joined the Nationals as the 17th overall pick in 2019, where he would have gone much higher had there not been concerns about his medicals. He’s been able to stay healthy so far, and his ridiculous fastball gets up to triple digits with excellent spin. He also has a pair of wipeout secondaries, notably a slider that could be among the best in baseball if he hones in the command.

Rutledge does have command issues, but he was apparently close to getting the call from Washington last year despite just 37.1 pro innings, none above Single-A. I think there’s a chance he is up before the end of the 2021 season, maybe in a relief role, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him sneak onto some top-100 lists in the next year.

ETA: Late 2021

 

2. RHP Cade Cavalli

 

Age: 22

Highest Level: N/A

A lot of what was said about Rutledge applies to Cavalli, Washington’s first round pick in the 2020 MLB draft, who fell to No. 22 overall after concerns about his medicals. Cavalli, like Rutledge, possesses a power fastball from the right side that reaches 98 with ease, as well as a spike curveball that is absolutely nasty and a developing hard slider/cutter that could become a very valuable third pitch. The changeup still needs to show up for him to reach his potential as a frontline starter, but many scouts believe he possesses the arm path to make it work.

The main issue here is the medicals, and I wouldn’t blame anyone from staying away from a 22-year-old with a history of arm injuries who has yet to pitch professionally. The upside is high, but TINSTAAPP is a real thing too.

ETA: 2023

 

3. RHP Cole Henry

 

Age: 21

Highest Level: N/A

Very young, right-handed pitching prospects with little-to-no professional innings are not usually my top dynasty targets, but that’s what makes this Washington system so….blegh. Rutledge, Cavalli and Cole Henry are pretty clearly the top three guys in this system, and while I have nothing against Henry, another power college arm who hits 97 with a plus curveball, I’m weary of young pitchers in general.

Henry has the frame (6’4) and adjusted mechanics to throw deep into games with solid command, which gives him a good chance of sticking as a starter, but I’ll be cautious until we get to see him in game action sometime during the 2021 season—where he will likely start out in Single-A.

ETA: 2023

 

4. 1B Drew Mendoza

 

Age: 23

Highest Level: A

At this point, Mendoza is a pure first base prospect with potential 70-grade power that we have yet to see in game action—primarily because he’s only played 55 total MiLB games, all during the 2019 season at Single-A. Thanks, 2020. Mendoza did have one of the highest average fly ball distances in the league, which could point to more power coming down the line, but the margin for error is pretty high here.

I don’t hate taking a gamble on Mendoza in deeper dynasty formats, but I’ll be far more interested once we see that power show up in game settings.

ETA: 2022

 

5. RHP Mason Denaburg

 

Age: 21

Highest Level: R

Hey look, another injury-prone power right-handed pitcher. In case you weren’t aware, the Nationals very clearly have a type. It’s not my type, at least not from a dynasty perspective, but hey, here we are.

Denaburg was Washington’s first round pick in 2018, No. 27 overall, but he’s only thrown 20.1 innings in his professional career so far – all in rookie ball. So it’s hard to judge him on performance, but we do know the stuff is electric, with a mid-90’s fastball as well as a curveball and changeup that both flash plus. Perhaps no one in Washington’s system was more impacted by a non-season in 2020, as he was finally healthy and ready to take that step forward.

For now, he’s a massive wildcard, albeit one who could still reach his potential as a mid-rotation starter if, and it’s a big if, he can stay healthy.

ETA: 2023

 

6. RHP Andry Lara

 

Age: 17

Highest Level: RHP

The Nationals inked Lara during the 2019 J-2 signing period for a cool $1.25M, apparently believing the primary thing they needed to add to their farm system was a power right-handed pitcher.

Lara has yet to make his stateside debut, but he already gets up to 95 as a teenager with a 6’4 frame and a good feel for his secondary stuff. There’s a lot to like here, but I’ll always be weary of teenage pitching prospects so I have him behind the other power righties… for now. He’s one to keep a close eye on, though.

ETA: 2025

 

7. SS/3B Yasel Antuna

 

Age: 21

Highest Level: A

Antuna is another player who really could have used a 2020 season to rebuild his value, having missed nearly all of 2019 with injuries. He was signed for a whopping $3.9M in the 16-17 signing period, and while scouts aren’t confident he’ll stick at shortstop long-term, he has a well-rounded skill-set that could make him a useful, albeit boring, dynasty asset.

ETA: 2024

 

8. LHP Tim Cate

 

Age: 23

Highest Level: A+

Cate was Washington’s second round pick in 2018, an advanced college arm with (you guessed it) a checkered medical past, having had Tommy John while at UConn.

However, Cate has had the most success, and the most innings, of Washington’s stable of top end pitching prospects, with a 3.59 ERA and 3.08 FIP across 195.2 minor league innings. He succeeds without velocity, sitting in the low-90’s, but instead with a standout curveball and outstanding command, holding hitters to a sub-6% walk rate so far. He doesn’t have the ceiling that the pitchers ahead of him do, but his floor is relatively safe and he is probably a bit closer to the big leagues than every other pitcher ahead of him, save for maybe Rutledge.

ETA: Late 2021

 

9. LHP Matt Cronin

 

Age: 23

Highest Level: A

Cronin is a relief-only pitching prospect, which is a group of players who normally don’t earn spots in the top-10 of dynasty farm system rankings. However, he has the tools to be a potential closer or at least a high-leverage reliever that could be useful in leagues that count holds or K/9.

He’s only thrown 22 professional innings, but his frame and 97 mile-per-hour fastball, mixed with a consistently plus curveball, could make him a quick riser to the big leagues—maybe as soon as 2021.

ETA: Late 2021

 

10. OF Jeremy De La Rosa

 

Age: 18

Highest Level: R

The Nationals are really hoping their acumen in identifying and developing international outfield talent will pay off once again with 18-year-old Jeremy De La Rosa. While he likely won’t reach the ceiling of a Juan Soto, or even Victor Robles, De La Rosa has plus bat speed and barrel control, with scouts believing he could hit for both average and power in time.

We need to see more before we can really nail down what his future fantasy value could be, but in a system devoid of much upside—particularly among hitters—De La Rosa is a name to keep in mind.

ETA: 2025

 

11. OF Roismar Quintana

 

Age: 17

Highest Level: N/A

Quintana secured himself a nice $820,000 payout as a J-2 signing in 2019, and like De La Rosa the Nationals are hoping they found another high profile international outfielder. Quintana performed well in the instructional league, wowing scouts with his physicality and tools on offense and defense.

He’ll need to prove the hit tool can sustain when he comes stateside, but for now he’s another young, toolsy outfielder to keep an eye on.

ETA: 2025

 

12. C Israel Pineda

 

Age: 20

Highest Level: A

Pineda is a bat-first catching prospect who has routinely been given aggressive promotions during his brief time in Washington’s system. His performance was down in 2019, but he was a 19-year-old playing at Single-A with a broken finger. Plus, he had among the highest average fly ball distances in the league, so the potential to be a power-hitting catcher in the big leagues is very high—and those obviously hold a significant amount of fantasy value.

ETA: 2023

 

13. SS Sammy Infante

 

Age: 19

Highest Level: N/A

Infante was Washington’s compensatory second round pick in 2020, and they lured him away from a commitment to Miami by going overslot to sign him. Hailing from the same high school as Red Sox prospect Jeter Downs, Infante will hope to flash the power and hit tool that has Downs among most every major publications top-100 prospects.

Infante looks more like a power-over-hit type prospect, which certainly adds some risk to his profile, but he’s a fun, young hitting prospect to gamble on in a system that lacks a lot of players like that. He seems likely to move to either 2B or 3B, which puts more pressure on the stick, but he’s one of few hitting prospects I’m excited about in this system.

ETA: 2025

 

14. LHP Seth Romero

 

Age: 24

Highest Level: MLB

Romero made his big league debut in 2020, throwing 2.2 innings that resulted in five strikeouts, three walks and four earned runs surrendered. He, like so many others on this list, missed time with an injury – in his case all of 2019 with Tommy John.

Having thrown 2.2 innings in the past two years in game situations, it’s hard to know what to expect from Romero in 2021. I think he has a chance to carve out a role in the bullpen this season, but his fantasy value will be tied to his ability to stick in the rotation and avoid the off-the-field issues that have plagued him since before the draft.

I’m not sold just yet, but he’s worth keeping an eye on.

ETA: 2021

 

15. 2B/SS Viandel Pena

 

Age: 20

Highest Level: R

Pena is a 5’7 switch-hitting infielder the Nationals inked for $150k in 2017. He’s shown an extremely impressive bat-to-ball skill, hitting .359 in the Gulf Coast League in 2019, but he has virtually no power to speak of which will severely cap his fantasy value. He’s a dart-throw middle infield prospect at this point, who could move up this list if he starts to impact the baseball a little more while retaining his contact skills.

ETA: 2024

 

16. RHP Tyler Dyson

 

Age: 23

Highest Level: A-

Dyson was on a Florida team that featured both Brady Singer and Jackson Kowar, and for a time as a freshman he looked easily like the best of the three, even getting some buzz as a potential 1-1 pick. Tremendous inconsistency from that point forward led to him falling into the fifth round and the hands of the Nationals, where he posted a 1.14 ERA in eight starts in short-season, albeit with a 11.9% strikeout rate.

There’s upside if he puts it all together, but there’s a good chance he’s a high-variance middle reliever as well, which holds little to no fantasy value.

ETA: 2022

 

17. SS Jackson Cluff

 

Age: 24

Highest Level: A

A BYU-product, Cluff has consistently been older than his counterparts, which makes him a bit tougher to evaluate. It’s part of the reason he fell into the sixth round in 2019, although a strong performance in Single-A has his stock on the rise.

He looks the part of a speedy utility infielder, with room to grow into a regular if it all clicks.

ETA: 2022

 

18. RHP Joan Adon

 

Age: 22

Highest Level: A

Adon is another J-2 signing who has had some success in the lower levels of the minors. He was a reliever his first two seasons, and while his numbers looked good after a transition into a starting role in 2019, his velocity dipped and his stuff wasn’t as sharp—likely meaning a move back to the bullpen is in his future.

ETA: 2022

 

19. RHP Reid Schaller

 

Age: 23

Highest Level: A

Schaller was a reliever in college at Vanderbilt before the Nationals converted him into a starter. Much like Adon, however, his stuff seems all but certain to push him back into a relief role unless his changeup develops rapidly and his command improves.

ETA: 2023

 

20. LHP Evan Lee

 

Age: 23

Highest Level: A-

Lee was an outfielder at Arkansas who occasionally threw off the bump, but Washington liked enough of what they saw to snag him in the 15th round in 2018 and convert him fully into a pitcher. He rewarded them with 34 strong innings in Single-A, and after a really eye-opening performance at instructs early in 2020, he’s a name on the rise in this system.

ETA: 2023

 

21. C Raudy Read

 

Age: 27

Highest Level: MLB

Read did not make an appearance in the big leagues in 2020, and is now a 27-year-old with just 14 big league games under his belt. He has an offense first backup catcher profile, which likely won’t offer much value in fantasy formats.

ETA: 2021

 

22. C Tres Barrera

 

Age: 26

Highest Level: MLB

Barrera is not all that different from Read, as older backup catcher types who have already made very small big league cameos. Read is more offensive-minded while Barrera is the better defensive catcher—which may help him earn more playing time but obviously provides less value in fantasy.

Neither are strong options unless they step into full-time duty, and even then they don’t profile as super fantasy-relevant hitters.

ETA: 2021

 

23. OF Justin Connell

 

Age: 21

Highest Level: A

Connell is a hit-over-power type with good plate discipline who swiped 13 bags in Single-A in 2019. He also had an above-average fly ball distance, which could make him a slightly more interesting prospect if he’s able to find that power stroke.

Ultimately, he’s likely a 1B/LF corner bench bat type, but one worth keeping an eye on.

ETA: 2023

 

24. RHP Steven Fuentes

 

Age: 23

Highest Level: AA

A heavy sinkerballer with great ground ball rates, Fuentes broke out in a big way as a 22-year-old starter in AA in 2019. His stuff is pretty average, however, and his fantasy value is fairly limited even if he does reach his potential as a No. 5 starter.

ETA: 2022

 

25. 1B/OF Leandro Emiliani

 

Age: 20

Highest Level: R

Emiliani crushed it in rookie ball in 2019, slashing .299/.467/.480 with four home runs in 39 games. The 19.9% walk rate is outstanding but the 25.1% strikeout rate is worrisome, and until that power shows up he will be hard to trust in any dynasty formats.

ETA: 2024

 

26. OF Daniel Marte

 

Age: 18

Highest Level: R

Marte is a really tough player to rank. He’s 18 and had massive plate discipline issues in a 55-game sample at rookie ball in 2019, but he also swiped 10 bases and posted a stellar .190 ISO. If you are in the market for a true dart throw prospect who has the potential to be a solid contributor, this is your guy. But the floor couldn’t really be any lower, so be aware.

ETA: 2025

 

27. RHP Rogelio Armenteros

 

Age: 26

Highest Level: MLB

The Nationals claimed longtime Astros farmhand Rogelio Armenteros off waivers from the Diamondbacks earlier this offseason, and they’ll likely slot him into a bullpen role to start the 2021 campaign.

Armenteros had some command issues as a starter in Houston’s system, but he could be a potential high-leverage arm for the Nationals as soon as this season, and is worth keeping an eye on even in shallower formats.

ETA: 2021

 

28. RHP Jacob Condra-Bogan

 

Age: 26

Highest Level: AA

Condra-Bogan was acquired by the Nationals in the Brian Goodwin trade, and he flashed outstanding command and plus strikeout potential in 62 innings of relief at AA in 2019. He has a fastball that touches triple digits, which is always appealing, but his secondary stuff is basically non-existent.

Until that shows up he’s probably just a middle reliever type, but a few tweaks could make him a potentially late inning hurler and fantasy relevant reliever. He could debut this upcoming season.

ETA: 2021

 

29. RHP Sterling Sharp

 

Age: 25

Highest Level: MLB

Sharp starred in the Arizona Fall League in 2019, leading to the Marlins selecting him the Rule 5 Draft. He appeared in just four games for Miami before he was DFA’d and ultimately returned to Washington, where he will compete for a bullpen role in 2021.

He’s a pitch-to-contact right-hander without a lot of velocity and only a slightly above-average changeup, so it’s hard to get too excited here.

ETA: 2021

30. OF Gage Canning

 

Age: 23

Highest Level: A+

The helium surrounding Canning, a fifth round pick in 2018, has subsided pretty dramatically after a disappointing 2019 season saw him strike out nearly 30% of the time in Single-A and High-A. He’s flashed a little power and speed in the past, hence the helium, but the hit tool is so far behind at this point it’s hard to find anything to get excited about unless something changes here.

ETA: 2022

 

31. 1B KJ Harrison

 

Age: 24

Highest Level: A+

Harrison is almost certainly done as a catching prospect, which severely impacts his dynasty value, but he has flashed solid power numbers and good plate discipline throughout his minor league career, and could carve out a role as a high-OBP, power hitting corner bench bat.

ETA: 2022

 

32. LHP Pablo Aldonis

 

Age: 17

Highest Level: N/A

Aldonis received a $1 million signing bonus as a J-2 pickup in 2019. He hasn’t pitched professionally yet, but he’s a well-built 17-year-old left-hander with good feel for three pitches who the Nationals like a lot.

He’s perhaps the most difficult player on this list to rank, but if you are willing to take gambles rather than safer bets, he’s probably even higher on this list. 2021 will be a big year to see how he has developed in the last year or so.

ETA: 2026

 

33. LHP Ben Braymer

 

Age: 26

Highest Level: MLB

Braymer made his big league debut in 2020, making one start and tossing 7.1 total innings with just one earned run and eight strikeouts, but five walks.

He excelled as a starter in AA in 2019 but got absolutely shelled in the PCL, and looks more like a swingman type than a legit end of the rotation starter. Perhaps his stuff will play better in a short-inning role, but for now there’s little hope that he will hold a lot of fantasy relevance.

ETA: 2021

 

34. RHP Holden Powell

 

Age: 21

Highest Level: N/A

Powell was Washington’s third round pick in 2020, joining them after a stellar career as UCLA’s closer, finishing second in school history in saves. He’s a pure relief prospect that sports a 97 mile-per-hour fastball and a plus slider, so there’s some intrigue here if he can pitch his way into a high-leverage role in a few years.

ETA: 2023

 

35. SS/3B Gilbert Lara

 

Age: 23

Highest Level: A+

Lara blasted 13 home runs in 2019 with abhorrent plate discipline numbers. Until the hit tool ticks up (it’s a straight 20 grade on Fangraphs right now) he’s probably not worth investing in—but his positional versatility and power make him interesting if he ever figures out how to make more contact.

ETA: 2023

 

36. 2B/3B Junior Martina

 

Age: 23

Highest Level: A-

Martina was a 16th round pick in 2019 who tore up GCL pitching in 39 games, posting a 180 wRC+. He takes huge swings despite good plate discipline, which makes him an intriguing young infielder to keep an eye on in deeper leagues.

ETA: 2022

 

37. RHP Jake Irvin

 

Age: 23

Highest Level: A

Irvin was a fourth rounder out of Oklahoma in 2018, and he had himself a really solid season on the bump in 2019 at Single-A. Unfortunately, he recently suffered an elbow injury that requires Tommy John and will keep him on the shelf for the 2021 season, so his big league debut will get delayed at least another year.

ETA: 2022

 

38. 1B/OF Aldrem Corredor

 

Age: 25

Highest Level: A+

Corredor has hit at every single stop of the minors, even making a Carolina League All-Star team in 2019, but his over-the-fence power is pretty limited which caps his value as a 1B-only prospect. If the power starts to show up he could be a late bloomer that you’d want to get your hands on in deeper dynasty formats.

ETA: 2021

 

39. LHP Alex Troop

 

Age: 24

Highest Level: A

The Nationals had Troop serve as a false starter in Single-A in 2019, and the results (30.6% strikeout rate, 1.9% walk rate, and a 2.10 FIP in 44 innings) were outstanding. It’s unclear what they have in store for him going forward, but he has always had good command and strikeout potential, so this is an arm worth keeping an eye on.

ETA: 2020

 

40. 2B/OF Cole Freeman

 

Age: 26

Highest Level: A+

Cole Freeman was the Nationals third rounder in 2017, and he has put together two extremely solid seasons in the lower levels of the minors, swiping 57 bags and scoring 160 runs in 2018-2019, while slashing .311/.394/.404 at High-A in 2019, making the Carolina League All-Star team.

The speed, bat control and plate discipline (he nearly walked as much as he struck out in 2019) is all very nice, but he’s 26 with no experience above High-A. Until we see him hit AA pitching and above, it’s hard to expect much more than a speedy utility infielder profile here.

ETA: Late 2021

 

41. OF Nick Banks

 

Age: 26

Highest Level: AA

After struggling early in his minor league career, former fifth round pick Nick Banks turned things on with a very strong showing in 2019, with 10 home runs and eight steals split between High-A and AA.

There’s definitely fourth outfielder potential here, and if he can tap into even more power he could be fantasy relevant down the line. His age and limited track record, however, suggest caution.

ETA: 2021

 

42. C Jackson Reetz

 

Age: 25

Highest Level: A+

Reetz appeared at High-A for his third straight season in 2019, and while his numbers were very good (13 home runs, .188 ISO, 139 wRC+) it’s hard to get too excited about a 25-year-0ld catcher who hasn’t even made it to AA yet.

He could be a late bloomer, but he has serious third catcher vibes to him—which is unlikely to make him fantasy relevant in the short or long term.

ETA: 2022

 

43. SS Yoander Rivero

 

Age: 19

Highest Level: R

Rivero is a glove-first shortstop prospect who posted very intriguing plate discipline numbers in the DSL in 2019. He has no power to speak of, however, and the bat isn’t expected to carry him into fantasy relevance. Maybe he’s a low-end, glove-first shortstop at his peak, but more likely he’s a handy utility infielder type with a little speed.

ETA: 2024

 

44. OF Telmito Agustin

 

Age: 24

Highest Level: A+

2021 may be the last chance for Agustin, who has been in Washington’s system since 2014 but has yet to advance above High-A, mostly because of plate discipline issues and a lack of over the fence power. He looked better in 2019, however, and he still possesses enough tools to make him interesting—although his time to produce is running out.

ETA: 2022

 

45. 2B/SS J.T. Arruda

 

Age: 23

Highest Level: A-

Arruda was a sophomore-eligible 11th round pick by the Nationals in 2019. He’s shown a good feel with the bat and posted a stellar 13.1% walk rate in Low-A in 2019, but with no power to speak of.

There’s likely not much more than a light-hitting utility infield profile here, but he’s worth keeping an eye on in deeper OBP leagues.

ETA: 2023

 

46. LHP Mitchell Parker

 

Age: 22

Highest Level: N/A

Parker was Washington’s fifth and final pick of the abbreviated 2020 MLB draft. The six-foot-four left-hander hails from the same junior college as Jackson Rutledge. While he doesn’t quite have the stuff Rutledge does, his pitch mix and frame make him an arm worth keeping an eye on when he makes his pro debut in 2021.

ETA: 2023

 

47. OF Yadiel Hernandez

 

Age: 33

Highest Level: MLB

Hernandez is a weird one. He signed with the Nationals as a 29-year-old star out of Mexico, and he predictably performed well in the minor leagues – even blasting 33 home runs with seven steals, a .323 average and a 139 wRC+ in AAA in 2019.

He saw a handful of plate appearances in the big leagues last year, hitting .192 in 12 games with one home run and a 42.9% strikeout rate. He’s probably a bench bat, but his raw power and minor league success make him worth keeping an eye on in deeper and NL-only formats.

ETA: 2021

 

48. RHP Malvin Pena

 

Age: 23

Highest Level: A+

Pena struggled mightily in 2019 at High-A, posting a 6.20 ERA and an 18.2% strikeout rate across 23 starts, but prior to that he had been one of the more promising young arms in Washington’s system. He’s worth watching in 2021 to see if he can rebound and get back on track, although his future is likely in middle relief.

ETA: 2022

 

49. RHP Todd Peterson

 

Age: 22

Highest Level: A-

Peterson was a reliever at LSU who got into the mid-90’s before the Nationals took him in the seventh round in 2019 and converted him into a starter. He had some success in that role in short-season, although his strikeout numbers took a massive tumble.

Still, he is worth watching as he continues to make this change heading into 2021.

ETA: 2023

 

50. IF Jake Boone

 

Age: 23

Highest Level: N/A

The son of Bret Boone, Jake was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Princeton this past season. He is hoping to become a fourth generation big leaguer, following his dad, his grandpa Bob Boone, and his great-grandfather Ray Boone.

ETA: 2024

 

Others given consideration: RHP Jackson Tetreault, RHP Trey Turner, RHP Mario Sanchez, OF Rhett Wiseman, C Brady Lindsly

 

Photo by Cliff Welch / Icon Sportswire | Design by Quincey Dong (@threerundong on Twitter)