Washington Nationals’ prospects; Eastern League All-Stars; Harrisburg Senators’ Taylor Gushue; Kyle McGowin + more...

Adam McInturff of 2080 Baseball provides write-ups and pro-style scouting reports of Nationals prospects named to the Eastern League All-Star Game from the Harrisburg Senators’ roster.

All video is provided by 2080 Baseball.

Name: Dan Gamache | Position: 3B/1B | Age: 27 | B/T: L/R

SCOUTING REPORT: Gamache isn’t a prospect at 27-years-old, but his feel to hit and polished approach are keeping him around. I have long admired his ability to barrel the ball, work counts, and find ways on base. His .275+ batting averages and above-average walk rates the last two seasons for Harrisburg show a hit tool that grades at 50, but there isn’t much power to go along with it. Without much defensive value, Gamache is a corner bat with a hit-first profile, lacking a true carry tool. He shows a level and compact swing from the left-hand side, one that is more geared towards line drives and gap power than lifting the ball. Defensively, Gamache has tried both second and third base. A stocky 5’11’’ and 205-pound frame lacks enough first step for the keystone, and his arm is iffy for the left side of the dirt.

Realistically, Gamache is a Role 20/Role 30 player, one who contributes value in the upper-minors while serving as a warm body to add to the bench in an emergency situation. His strong first half with the Senators netted him an all-star nod, and as a minor league free agent this upcoming winter, he’s a candidate to get a Spring Training invite from a rebuilding club next year.

Name: Taylor Gushue | Position: C | Age: 24 | B/T: S/R

SCOUTING REPORT: Gushue blocks and receives well enough to play a big league catcher, and his average arm is enough for the position. A switch-hitter with raw power—albeit with a fairly slow bat and a likely low-average profile—there’s enough offensive upside paired with a playable glove to profile as a bench catcher.

• Click HERE for my full pro-style scouting report on Gushue for 2080 Baseball.

Name: Derek Self | Position: RH-RP | Age: 28 | B/T: R/R

SCOUTING REPORT: At 28-years-old, Self isn’t truly prospect aged. The minor league veteran has spent his entire pro career in the Nationals’ organization, after they drafted him in 2012’s 9^th round out of Louisville. His future is a 4A profile at best, and at this point in his career he’s a good high-minors depth piece pitching productive innings for Harrisburg. Self has pounded the zone with a below-average stuff mix for a right-handed reliever, getting contact outs and limiting walks. His fastball sits in the high-80s and cracks the low-90s at best, paired with a 86-to-88 mph cutter for a second look. A low-80s changeup with moderate armside dive is the go-to secondary. The righty’s strong first half and subsequent all-star nod comes at a good time for him, as Self qualifies for minor league free agency for the first time after this season.

Name: Austen Williams | Position: RH-RP | Age: 25 | B/T: R/R

SCOUTING REPORT: Williams has had a strong year pitching multi-inning relief stints for the Senators. He throws a lot of strikes with a fringy/playable fastball and slider mix, giving him the chance for 4A/call-up value adding depth off the 40-Man Roster.

• Click HERE for my full pro-style scouting report on Williams for 2080 Baseball.

Name: Kyle McGowin| Position: RH-RP | Age: 26 | B/T: R/R

SCOUTING REPORT: McGowin was a 5^th rounder out of Savannah State (GA) in 2013 by the Angels, coming to Washington as part of a two-prospect package for Danny Espinosa in December of 2016. He was hit hard in the upper minors last season, but has put together a strong first half for Double-A Harrisburg in 2018—good for an all-star nod in the Eastern League.

The lean righty stands 6’3’’ and 185 pounds, getting good extension towards the plate from a semi-windup with crossfire deception. His fastball has running action and sits in the 90-to-91 mph range, reaching a tick higher at best. McGowin is confident in his secondary pitches, mixing a slurvy slider (80-82) and circle-change (82-84) frequently to speed up his fastball. His gaudy 30-percent strikeout rate is more a function of advanced pitchability than pure stuff, as McGowin doesn’t have a dominant pitch that overpowers hitters or misses bats. He throws strikes with three pitches and limits walks well, frequently ahead in counts and able to change speeds.

The 26-year-old has had a nice season for the Senators, but he’s more a high-minors depth prospect than a true future big league regular. All three pitches grade around 45, and they’re tied together by 50-grade control. The strikethrowing over iffy raw stuff gives McGowin the chance to get cups of coffee in the big leagues in a mop-up or spot-starter role.

A native of Washington, D.C., Adam will be periodically contributing scouting pieces on Nationals prospects for Federal Baseball. Currently, he’s the Assistant Director of Professional Evaluation at 2080 Baseball. Previously, Adam worked in the Baseball Operations departments of the Baltimore Orioles and Texas Rangers after serving as a Senior Prospect Writer for Baseball Prospectus. You can follow him on Twitter: @2080adam. Adam can be reached at amcinturff@2080baseball.com for all podcast and media requests.