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Print Well, part two of Keith Law's analysis of the top minor league prospects carries no better news than yesterday's revelation that he ranked the Nats organization 29 out of the 30 Major League teams with regard to prospect depth. It should serve as no surprise then that just one player in the Nats organization, RHP Jordan Zimmermann, cracked Law's Top 100 prospects, at number 42, no less.
He does do Washington the favor of listing their top five prospects though:
1. Jordan Zimmermann, RHP (42th)
2. Michael Burgess, RF
3. Esmailyn Gonzalez, SS
4. Ross Detwiler, LHP
5. Chris Marrero, LF
Zimmermann is also Law's number ten RHP prospect. He is the only Nat prospect to make a top ten positional list as well.
After yesterday's blurb about the team labelling Detwiler and Smoker disappointments for their steps backward, he still has Detwiler listed as the organization's number four prospect. You can question Law's evaluation all you like, but there's no question that he is an independent reviewer for a national publication with a huge audience.
After yesterday's blurb about the team labelling Detwiler and Smoker disappointments for their steps backward, he still has Detwiler listed as the organization's number four prospect. You can question Law's evaluation all you like, but there's no question that he is an independent reviewer for a national publication with a huge audience.
It's troubling as a fan to see that after several years of the major league team being ignored, quality of play deteriorating and the record getting worse, and being promised that if the team sticks to the plan and builds through trades and the draft that things will get better, that independent evaluators don't share in the assessment of the talent that has been amassed.
Failing to sign Aaron Crow was a huge mistake. Not only in evaluation of the system, but in terms of signing next year's two top ten picks. They'll have to shell out (obviously) number one money for the first pick. Then, whoever they take at ten will have them over a barrel, since the Nats won't get a compensatory pick if they fail to sign him. Basically, they have to sign two number one overall picks next draft.
Anyone want to take bets on that?
The Q&As with the front office guys during the Nats caravan and Fan Fest this weekend should be interesting. I know I will be interested to find out what Mr. Kasten and Mr. Bowden think of Keith Law's assessment, and where they think they should rank.
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