I had to go through thirty player profiles before I reached the first Washington Nationals' prospect listed on MLB and MiLB.com's list of the Top 50 prospects in baseball.
At #31 OF Chris Marrero, the Washington Nationals' 1st Round draft pick from 2006, 15th overall, who, at seventeen years of age, hit .302 in his first 81 at bats as a professional in '06, with 9 doubles and 16 RBI's in the Gulf Coast League with the Rookie level Gulf Coast Nationals.
At two stops in the Nationals' Class-A system with the Hagerstown Suns in Maryland and the Potomac Nationals in Woodbridge, Virginia, Marrero hit for a combined .275 AVG in 125 games of his second professional season, with 25 doubles, 3 triples, 23 HR's, and 88 RBI's.
MiLB.com's opinion of Marrero:
"The kid can flat-out hit. He can hit for both average and
power and should also draw a fair number of walks with
his excellent approach at the plate, especially for
someone so young."
Before last season, Adam Fitt's Baseball America Scouting Report on the players in the Nationals' system had Chris Marrero 2nd overall, and projected to be starting in right field by 2010. After the '07 season, Mr Fitt had Marrero atop his list of prospects, this time at first base by 2011, at which point the next Washington Nationals' prospect on MiLB.com's Top 50 List...
...Ross Detwiler, the twenty-one year-old left-handed starter, who is found six spots later, #37 overall in baseball according to MiLB.com's calculations, will be Washington's #1 starter.
The Nationals 1st Round Pick of the '07 Draft out of Southwest Missouri State, has just 9 games and 8 professional starts on his arm, and one inning of MLB experience on his resume, but already Detwiler has a chance at a spot in the '08 Nationals starting rotation heading into his first Spring Training.
In the opinion of the writers at MiLB.com:
"He's got outstanding stuff, with four options -- two
fastballs (two- and four-seamers), a curve and a
changeup...While it's unlikely you'll see him in Washington
on Opening Day, a 2008 arrival isn't out of the question."
While Detwiler has a chance of reaching the Majors in 08, I'd have to assume it's unlikely Chris Marrero will be called up for a few years with the recent arrival of Lastings Milledge, and the presence of six other outfielders on the Nationals 40 Man Roster, Marrero, who was drafted as a 3rd baseman, but has been relocated for obvious reasons, should have a few seasons to learn his new outfield position in the Minors.
*MiLB Top 50 Prospects Links*
MiLB.com's Top 50 Prospects:
http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/news/top50/y2008/
#31 on MiLB.com's Top 50 Prospects List, Chris Marrero:
http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/news/top50/y2008/profile.jsp?t=p_top&pid=502029
Chris Marrero's stats at thebaseballcube.com:
http://thebaseballcube.com/players/M/Christopher-Marrero.shtml
#37 on MiLB.com's Top 50 Prospects List, Ross Detwiler:
http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/news/top50/y2008/profile.jsp?t=p_top&pid=446321
Ross Detwiler's stats at thebaseballcube.com:
http://thebaseballcube.com/players/D/Ross-Detwiler.shtml
Baseball America's Aaron Fitt's article, "Top Ten Prospects" profile of the Washington Nationals:
http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/features/265146.html