The Washington Nationals landed three prospects on MLB.com's updated list of the Top 100 Prospects in baseball when it was released last night.
The highest-ranked Nats' prospect is, of course, recently-turned-20-year-old right-handed starter Lucas Giolito, the Nationals' 2012 1st Round pick who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2012, returned to the mound last summer and is now pitching at Low-A Hagerstown, where he's (6-2) with a 2.34 ERA, 3.42 FIP, 25 walks (2.92 BB/9) and 88 Ks (10.29 K/9) in 16 starts and 77 IP so far this this season.
And here's your complete, updated list of @MLB's Top 100 Prospects (http://t.co/Se2ZdbJVJQ), led by these 10 phenoms: pic.twitter.com/Fqmki7prGz
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 28, 2014
Giolito lands at no.11 overall on MLB.com's Top 100, as the second-highest ranked right-hander and starter overall on the list, behind only 21-year-old Seattle Mariners' pitcher Taijuan Walker.
• Here's MLB.com's scouts' report on the 6'6'', 255 lb Nationals' prospect:
"Giolito throws his fastball in the mid- to upper-90s, often reaching 100 mph. He throws a hard, 12-to-6 curveball that is almost as good as his fastball. His changeup isn't as well developed as his other two pitches, but it has the potential to be a third above-average Major League offering."
Next on the Top 100 is 2010 Nationals' 4th Round pick A.J. Cole, who was ranked no.63 overall by MLB.com's scouts.
Cole, 22, started his second season back in the organization after he was dealt to Oakland in the Gio Gonzalez deal in 2012 and reacquired from the A's last season, at Double-A Harrisburg where he was (6-3) with a 2.92 ERA, a 2.61 FIP, 15 walks (1.90 BB/9) and 61 Ks (7.73 K/9) in 14 starts and 71 IP before he moved up to Triple-A Syracuse.
In five starts with the Nationals' top minor league affiliate, Cole is (3-0) with a 2.64 ERA, a 3.39 FIP, three walks (0.88 BB/9) and 24 Ks (7.04 K/9) in 30 ⅔ IP.
MLB.com's scouting report on Cole:
"Cole relies on his fastball, which sits in the mid-90s and reaches 98 mph. He commands the pitch well and isn't afraid to come after hitters with it. Though both his changeup and curveball aren't as advanced as his fastball..."
The final Nationals' prospect to crack MLB's Top 100 is 23-year-old outfielder Michael Taylor, the Nats' 23-year-old '09 6th Round pick, who is currently tearing up the Double-A Eastern League with a .312/.392/.536 line, 17 doubles, two triples, 21 HRs and 30 stolen bases in 95 games and 375 plate appearances with the Senators in his first exposure above A-ball.
Here's part of the scouting report on Taylor:
"Taylor is much more advanced defensively. He has a solid arm and his speed allows him to effortlessly cover ground in center field. If his bat continues to come around, Taylor could become a solid everyday Major Leaguer."
In discussing the Top 100, MLB.com's Jim Callis wrote on Twitter that if 2014 Nationals' 1st Round pick Erick Fedde was healthy, he too might have made the Top 100:
Yes, that's fair to say. @AndrewFlaxTNB: would a healthy Erick Fedde have made it? @MLBDraft
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) July 28, 2014
Fedde, 21, who underwent Tommy John surgery two days before the Nationals took him with the 18th overall pick, landed at no.4 on MLB.com's scouts' updated Top 20 Prospects list for the Nationals' organization.
Some other interesting notes from the organizational prospect list:
- Brian Goodwin's now the third-highest ranked outfielder in the organization behind Taylor and Steven Souza.
- 19-year-old 2013 3rd Round pick Drew Ward is the second-highest ranked infield prospect on the updated Top 20, behind only 24-year-old, 2011 5th Round pick Matt Skole.
- Surging 22-year-old, 2013 5th Round pick Austin Voth is ranked 10th overall in the Nats' system. "He repeats his methodical delivery very well," MLB.com's scouts write, "helping him to pound the strike zone with all of his pitches. His plus control allows his whole arsenal to play up and pile up strikeouts.
- 2014 3rd Round pick Jakson Reetz debuts on the list as the top-rated catcher in the organization at no.11, one spot ahead of 21-year-old backstop Pedro Severino.
- Sammy Solis, who was talked about as a potential option out of the pen at the major league level this season, is the top-ranked left-handed pitcher in the organization, but he's ranked 14th overall after dealing with injury issues all season.