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[ed. note - “With interest in the Washington Nationals’ farm system at a high level, Federal Baseball has begun a series featuring the top 30 prospects in the system as of late last season, according to Baseball America. We will start with No. 30 and work our way to the top over the next few weeks, with one prospect highlighted each weekday.”]
WASHINGTON – The Nationals hope to one day be rewarded for their patience – and in some ways a lack of risk aversion – in the form of lefty pitcher Seth Romero.
Coming with pre-draft baggage from the University of Houston, he was still taken in the first round by Washington in 2017.
The hard-throwing lefty made his Major League debut in 2020 with three relief outings even though there was no minor league season that year.
This season, he was limited to 35.2 innings in the minor league system. Romero was with Triple-A Rochester late in the year and didn’t pitch after August 27 in a season that ended for the Red Wings in early October.
“He was down a little bit with shoulder fatigue; he’s dealing with some shoulder soreness but he’s fine,” Mark Scialabba, assistant general manager, player development, told Federal Baseball in the closing weeks of the Rochester season.
Romero has also been away from the Red Wings for a few days in September after the birth of his first child, according to Scialabba.
Romero, 25, pitched for four teams this year: one game for the Florida Complex League team, three for Single-A Fredericksburg, six for Double-A Harrisburg, and one for Rochester.
Overall, he went 0-2, 4.54 in 11 starts and he’s thrown 35.2 innings, with 55 strikeouts and 15 walks.
He has given up 43 hits, but just two homers, and has a WHIP of 1.63.
Romero made his Major League debut on August 13, 2020 for the Nationals at New York against the Mets.
In 2.2 innings last year for Washington, he had an ERA of 13.50.
Romero returned to the mound last fall in Instructional League to face hitters after he fell and hurt his right hand after making his Major League debut.
“He looked strong, threw strikes and mixed speeds well with his changeup and slider,” Scialabba told Federal Baseball in 2020.
Washington hopes to one day, hopefully in 2022, see the talent back at Nationals Park.