Baseball America Nats No. 1 prospect: 3B Carter Kieboom

Baseball America Nats No. 1 prospect: 3B Carter Kieboom
No. 1 Carter Kieboom With All-Star Anthony Rendon moving on to the Angels this offseason, top Nationals prospect Carter Kieboom has an opportunity to take over at third base in 2020. Baseball America Nats correspondent Lacy Lusk said prior to spring training that Kieboom has demonstrated he is worth the risk at that important spot. "I think he's certainly worth giving a chance," Lusk said. "But it's good to have that buffer with Asdrúbal Cabrera, sharing time at third. If that's the...

Baseball America Nats No. 2 prospect: SS Luis Garcia

Baseball America Nats No. 2 prospect: SS Luis Garcia
No. 2 Luis Garcia Baseball America Nats correspondent Lacy Lusk says shortstop Luis Garcia didn't get off to the best start last season, but then was able to hit better as the year progressed. Garcia hit .241 with no homers and 12 RBIs in the first half of 2019. In the second half, he hit .272 with four homers and 18 RBIs. He was able to drop his strikeout total in the second half from 47 to 39. Lusk says Garcia is a top-notch prospect, but said she would not put him in the elite category just...

Baseball America Nats No. 3 prospect: RHP Jackson Rutledge

Baseball America Nats No. 3 prospect: RHP Jackson Rutledge
The Nationals' core prospect structure is based around starting pitching, and that is exemplified in the selection of right-hander Jackson Rutledge with their first-round draft pick from 2019. Rutledge arrived after a solid season at San Jacinto Junior College in Texas, and fires to the plate from a 6-foot-8, 250-lb. frame. Baseball America has the big right-hander locked in as the Nats' No. 3 prospect for 2020. No. 3 Jackson Rutledge "He's a huge guy," said Baseball America Nats...

Baseball America Nats No. 5 prospect: LHP Tim Cate

Baseball America Nats No. 5 prospect: LHP Tim Cate
The Nationals have a talented left-handed pitcher in Tim Cate, who continues to get notice in the Baseball America Nats top 10 in 2020. The southpaw showed well last season for high Single-A Potomac and comes in at No. 5 this season. No. 5 Tim Cate Baseball America Nats correspondent Lacy Lusk said the University of Connecticut product demonstrated he belonged in the Carolina League with some solid pitching in 2019. Cate started 13 games at low Single-A Hagerstown before moving up. "He looked...

Baseball America Nats No. 6 prospect: 3B/1B Drew Mendoza

Baseball America Nats No. 6 prospect: 3B/1B Drew Mendoza
First base is a coveted spot in the Nationals organization, especially with Ryan Zimmerman not an everyday player anymore and the club using the likes of veterans Howie Kendrick and Eric Thames at that spot. Former Florida State standout Drew Mendoza has a shot to turn some heads in the near future and become that top candidate for a corner infield spot, similar to the track Carter Kieboom is hoping to attain at third base this season. Baseball America Nats correspondent Lacy Lusk says the Nats...

Baseball America Nats No. 7 prospect: RHP Andry Lara

Baseball America Nats No. 7 prospect: RHP Andry Lara
This should be the year Nationals fans can track the progress on the field of the No. 7 prospect in the system, according to Baseball America, right-hander Andry Lara. Lara just turned 17 on Jan. 6)and is a hard-throwing starter who is not afraid to go after hitters. The Coro, Venezuela, native is expected to get some work in the Nats' Rookie-level system. Baseball America's Nats correspondent, Lacy Lusk, said Lara appears in the Nats Top 10 because the right-hander is versatile for his...

Baseball America Nats No. 8 prospect: RHP Mason Denaburg

Baseball America Nats No. 8 prospect: RHP Mason Denaburg
The Nationals would like to see 2018 first-round selection Mason Denaburg build innings this upcoming season after battling through nagging injuries in 2019. The 20-year-old starter dealt with a shoulder issue that prevented him from enjoying most of his 2019 campaign. Baseball America Nats correspondent Lacy Lusk agrees this is an important year coming up for Denaburg. The right-hander is locked in as Baseball America's No. 8 prospect in its latest Nationals Top 10. No. 8 Mason Denaburg "The...

Baseball America Nats No. 9 prospect: SS Yasel Antuna

Baseball America Nats No. 9 prospect: SS Yasel Antuna
At No. 9 on the Baseball America top 10 Nationals prospects list is 20-year-old shortstop Yasel Antuna. Antuna is from Peravia, D.R., and is a switch-hitter who battled injuries in 2019, which held him to only three games for the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Nationals. In 2018, Antuna played in 87 games for Single-A Hagerstown. The infielder slashed .220/.293/.331 with 14 doubles, two triples, six homers, eight stolen bases and 27 RBIs. Baseball America Nationals correspondent Lacy Lusk says...

Baseball America Nats No. 10 prospect: LHP Seth Romero

Baseball America Nats No. 10 prospect: LHP Seth Romero
Counting down the Nationals' top 10 prospects in 2020, according to the latest Baseball America list, we begin at No. 10 with southpaw Seth Romero, the club's first-round selection in 2017. Romero worked his way back from Tommy John surgery last season and is expected to make his first appearance in minor league play since 2018. I caught up with him in last year's spring training to see how well his rehabilitation from the injury was going. 10. LHP Seth Romero The 23-year-old Houston native...