Wire Taps: Washington Nationals’ top prospects; Tanner Roark love + more....

What will Mike Rizzo and Co. in the Nationals’ front office do next? Where will a Tanner Roark replacement come from and how will Washington fill out the back of the rotation? What’s up with second base? Why was Rizzo on the Hill? Catch up on the last 24 hours in Nats news as we wait for the next big move...

NATS BEAT:

The Nationals become younger, more athletic with offseason roster reboot - (NBC Sports Washington)
"[Mike] Rizzo wasn’t going to tolerate anything perceived or real which put his first-year manager, Davey Martinez, in a player-generated negative light."

In appreciation of Tanner Roark - (MASN)
"Consider this, then, one final acknowledgement of Roark’s career in Washington. Because it was significant, it was very good at times and it may not be as easy to replace as some would like to believe."

Thursday morning Nats Q&A - (MASN)
”There are a few more shopping days until Christmas, so perhaps the Nats could get something done before everyone breaks for the holidays.”

NATIONAL(S) BEAT:

Ranking The 10 Best MLB Rookies In 2018 - (Baseball America)
"Injuries previously kept [Juan] Soto off the field and made it hard to get a true read on his talent. He stayed healthy in 2018 and showed he was better than anyone could have dreamed..."

Top 22 Prospects: Washington Nationals - (FanGraphs)
"If not for a hyperextended elbow that shelved him for several months in 2018, Robles wouldn’t be on this list."

Top prospects traded during offseason - (MLB.com)
"Traded by the Reds to the Nats for Tanner Roark, Rainey's fastball-slider combination is plenty good enough to pitch in the back of a bullpen, with command his main impediment."

MLB announces deal with Cuban Federation - (MLB.com)
"Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) jointly announced today an agreement with the Cuban Baseball Federation (FCB) that will provide Cuban baseball players with a safe and legal path to sign with a Major League Club."

$11 million was too steep for Reds to sign Harvey - (Cincinnati.com)
"To reduce to the simplest numbers, consider this: Tanner Roark, who the Reds traded for from the Washington Nationals, had a 3.4 WAR (Wins Above Replacement), according to baseball-reference.com. Roark is arbitration-eligible for the third time. The Reds expect him to make about $10 million."

The worst free-agent deals for all 30 MLB teams | MLB | Sporting News
"So we come to [Jason] Marquis. In his first year with the Nationals, the right-hander posted a 6.60 ERA in 13 starts. He was better in 2011 (3.95 ERA) and was traded to Arizona."

NL EAST UPDATES:

Phillies take a peek at no-risk, high-reward candidate Troy Tulowitzki - (NBC Sports Philadelphia)
"The Phillies, along with at least 10 other MLB teams, were in Long Beach Tuesday to watch Troy Tulowitzki work out, according to Yahoo! Sports."

Fantasy Relievers on Non-Contenders: Marlins - (Fangraphs.com)
"Though Conley is a lefty, and he was notably more effective against left-handed batters in 2018, his splits against righties were perfectly fine (.228/.291/.396)."

What Mets may do next after Van Wagenen's NL East boast - (New York Post)
"The pronouncement this week from Brodie Van Wagenen that his Mets can already be viewed as the team to beat in the NL East might not be a positive development for those expecting another splash or two this winter by the general manager."

Braves reassess after Michael Brantley deal - (MLB.com)
"Given they seem unwilling to make the long-term commitment Bryce Harper is seeking, the Braves had been evaluating Andrew McCutchen and Michael Brantley -- a pair of free agents who have since filled another team's need for an outfielder."