No. 3 Nats prospect: Juan Soto

No. 3 Nats prospect: Juan Soto
We hear a ton about Victor Robles, but there are more and more Dominican players that the Nationals are building who are going to start making names for themselves each passing season. This season that breakout player could well be outfielder Juan Soto. Soto absolutely tore through the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and then didn't miss a beat with an outstanding showcase week with the short-season Single-A Auburn Doubledays. Baseball America also noticed the work of Soto, as he is in their...

No. 5 Nats prospect: Andrew Stevenson

No. 5 Nats prospect: Andrew Stevenson
The Nationals have continued to build outfield depth in their system over the past few seasons. One example is former LSU standout Andrew Stevenson, who had a very nice 2016 campaign. In the list of Baseball America Nationals top 10 prospects, Stevenson comes in at No. 5. No. 5: CF Andrew Stevenson His NCAA and College World Series experience demonstrated how far along he was compared to other candidates and Stevenson culminated a great season with impressive play in the Arizona Fall League,...

No. 6 Nats prospect: Koda Glover

No. 6 Nats prospect: Koda Glover
Right-hander Koda Glover made one of the more astonishing moves in one season when he jumped from high Single-A Potomac to the Nationals in a matter of four months last summer. Glover, 23, out of Oklahoma State, pitched for Potomac, Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Syracuse from April to August. During that span, Glover went 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA in 40 games, striking out 66 and walking only 14. He was promoted to D.C. in July and made two appearances, on July 20 and 21. He arrived back again...

No. 7 Nats prospect: Luis Garcia

No. 7 Nats prospect: Luis Garcia
For the most part, those on the Baseball America top 10 Nationals prospects list have played at least one season in the organization. However, No. 7 prospect Luis Garcia is starting his first season with the Nationals after signing as an international free agent in July. This Garcia is a 16-year-old shortstop out of the Dominican Republic, and not the pitcher of the same name in the Phillies organization. The Nationals signed him for $1.3 million. No. 7: SS Luis Garcia "He was ranked our No. 3...

No. 8 Nats prospect: Carter Kieboom

No. 8 Nats prospect: Carter Kieboom
The Nationals were thrilled to be able to grab shortstop Carter Kieboom in the first round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft. The club had been well acquainted with his brother, catcher Spencer Kieboom, and in their times scouting him got to see Carter work, as well. Carter Kieboom turned down a full scholarship at Clemson University to go pro with the Nationals. Carter, 19, was assigned to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Nationals on June 24. He played 36 games with them, hitting .244...

No. 9 Nats prospect: Pedro Severino

No. 9 Nats prospect: Pedro Severino
The Nationals lost starting catcher Wilson Ramos to a devastating ACL injury at the very end of the 2016 regular season. Ramos is recovering well and was signed by the Tampa Bay Rays to a two-year deal. The Nationals quickly re-signed veteran backstop Jose Lobaton and reacquired Derek Norris, who began his career as a Nationals draft selection in 2007 and went on to success with the Oakland A's and San Diego Padres. But in 2016, the Nationals also got a chance to see the potential of catcher...

No. 10 Nats prospect: Austin Voth

No. 10 Nats prospect: Austin Voth
Accelerating thanks to an incredible end to his Arizona Fall League play, right-hander Austin Voth comes in at No. 10 on the recently released released Baseball America Nationals top 10 prospects list. No. 10: RHP Austin Voth Voth tossed 15 scoreless innings to wrap up his season with the Glendale Desert Dogs. Teddy Cahill, Baseball America's national writer, said Voth's overall numbers this season in the Nationals system, plus his ability to accumulate a ton of innings, gives reason to...

A look at the Orioles' 2016 draft with Baseball America's John Manuel (video)

A look at the Orioles' 2016 draft with Baseball America's John Manuel (video)
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - Baseball America has given the Orioles solid reviews for their 2016 draft, which featured three pitchers from the Midwest as their top three picks: Cody Sedlock, Keegan Akin and Matthias Dietz. This morning at the Winter Meetings, I interviewed Baseball America editor in chief John Manuel to get his thoughts on the Orioles' draft. "First, I like that Cody Sedlock has a fairly fresh arm," Manuel said. " I like that profile - big, physical, Midwest arm, fairly fresh. I...

Talking Orioles prospects with Baseball America's John Manuel

Talking Orioles prospects with Baseball America's John Manuel
Not only is catcher Chance Sisco the Orioles' new No. 1-ranked prospect according to Baseball America, but he is likely headed for the top 100 national prospects list, as well. Baseball America editor in chief John Manuel told me Monday that he now projects Sisco as a top 100 prospect, and that he personally would rank him in his top 30. The Baseball America top 100 list comes out in February. More on that in a moment. The Orioles' new top 10 prospects list was released by Baseball America...

Baseball America's top 10 Orioles prospects: Chance Sisco is No. 1

Baseball America's top 10 Orioles prospects: Chance Sisco is No. 1
After he was drafted in the first round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, right-hander Dylan Bundy became the Orioles' No. 1 ranked prospect at the end of that season. And Bundy stayed as the club's top-ranked prospect every year after, even as he underwent Tommy John surgery in 2013. But with Bundy no longer eligible for prospects lists, there is a new Orioles No. 1. Catcher Chance Sisco's steady move up the rankings has led him to the top spot. When Baseball America released its latest...

A look at some inaccurate PECOTA projections for the Orioles, plus other notes

A look at some inaccurate PECOTA projections for the Orioles, plus other notes
When Baseball Prospectus released its latest PECOTA projections for the 2016 season, it basically predicted a strong race in the American League East this year - but not one that will include the Orioles. PECOTA, which stands for Player Empirical Comparison and Optimization Test Algorithm, is Baseball Prospectus' proprietary system that projects player performance based on comparison with historical player seasons. There are three elements to PECOTA: * Major league equivalencies, to allow the...

Baseball America pitches a shutout: No Orioles on the top 100 list

Baseball America pitches a shutout: No Orioles on the top 100 list
It may be Valentine's Day, but Baseball America did not show the Orioles any love on Friday. When it released its latest list of the game's top 100 prospects, not a single Oriole was on the list. Baseball America has released 27 such lists since its debut top 100 ranking in 1990. The only other time the Orioles were shutout on a top 100 was in 2003. I went through all 27 lists since 1990. In that span, there were 17 times the Orioles had at least three players on the list. They've had four...

O's fans take to Twitter to analyze every aspect of Yovani Gallardo's pitching

O's fans take to Twitter to analyze every aspect of Yovani Gallardo's pitching
Sometimes we just overanalyze baseball players. That might be what it truly comes down to. When I wrote an article yesterday with the headline of "As Yovani Gallardo's strikeout rate decreased, so did his ERA," that was a headline but also an indisputable fact. But some fans were coming at me fast and furiously yesterday on Twitter. A good ERA is fine with some, but not with all. What about his FIP, his strikeout rate, his velocity, his second half? Heck, I was surprised his choice for lunch...

Baseball America No. 1 Nats prospect: Lucas Giolito

Baseball America No. 1 Nats prospect: Lucas Giolito
The image of top prospect right-hander Lucas Giolito pitching in a Nationals uniform could become even clearer this summer. Giolito paved the way to that end with a very positive 2015 campaign in which he pitched in 21 games, 19 of them starts, for 117 innings. He fired 131 strikeouts and only 37 walks. As expected, Baseball America has him as its top Nationals prospect. No. 1 Lucas Giolito Baseball America editor-in-chief John Manuel says Giolito has a very good shot of pitching for the...

Nats prospect watch Part II: Jose Marmolejos

Nats prospect watch Part II: Jose Marmolejos
Almost making it into Baseball America's list of the top Nationals prospects was Jose Marmolejos, who smashed the baseball in 2015. The first baseman slashed .310/.363/.485 in 124 games for the low Single-A Hagerstown Suns. He hit 39 doubles, five triples, 11 homers and 87 RBIs. Marmolejos was so good he was honored as the Nationals organizational Offensive Player of the Year. Baseball America editor-in-chief John Manuel said his publication likes what they see from him offensively, but want...

Baseball America No. 3 Nats prospect: Victor Robles

Baseball America No. 3 Nats prospect: Victor Robles
Being selected as one of the top three prospects in Nationals organization puts a player in elite company. Outfielder Victor Robles, 18, displayed his talents for the short-season Single-A Auburn Doubledays, slashing an impressive .343/.424/.479 in 38 games, drawing praise from scouts, managers, players and baseball publications. Baseball America believes he is one of the best prospects in the minor leagues. No. 3 Victor Robles Baseball America editor-in-chief John Manuel said recently his...

Baseball America No. 4 Nats prospect: Erick Fedde

Baseball America No. 4 Nats prospect: Erick Fedde
Right-hander Erick Fedde, 22, made a solid return from Tommy John surgery to pitch well for 60-plus innings in the Nationals system in 2015. The 2014 first-round selection went 4-1 with a 2.57 ERA in eight starts for short-season Single-A Auburn. He also made six starts for low Single-A Hagerstown. The Nationals measured his work, keeping him at 64 combined innings just over a year removed from the procedure. All indications point to Fedde making the next step in the system, similar to what top...

Baseball America No. 5 Nats prospect: Reynaldo Lopez

Baseball America No. 5 Nats prospect: Reynaldo Lopez
There is still a good buzz around right-hander Reynaldo Lopez, who accelerated onto the scene the last two seasons by displaying a 95-plus mph fastball from his 6-foot frame. Coupled with the 6-foot-6 Lucas Giolito, they provided a lethal one-two punch in the Nationals system. A slight back injury slowed Lopez down a bit as the 2015 season wore on, but he is still considered a hot commodity and is No. 5 in Baseball America's ranking of top Nationals prospects. No. 5 Reynaldo Lopez Lopez...

Baseball America No. 6 Nats prospect: Wilmer Difo

Baseball America No. 6 Nats prospect: Wilmer Difo
It was unfortunate to see second baseman Wilmer Difo go down with a hand injury in his first professional start when the Nationals took on the Mets in the final weekend series at Citi Field in 2015. Difo broke his left hand in the third inning of Max Scherzer's second no-hitter of the season and a Nationals 2-0 win. The 23-year-old Difo underwent hand surgery three weeks later and is expected to make a full recovery for the 2016 campaign. The 6-foot, 195 lbs., Dominican Difo played 106 games...

Baseball America No. 7 Nats prospect: A.J. Cole

Baseball America No. 7 Nats prospect: A.J. Cole
Right-hander A.J. Cole went 13-3 with a 3.16 ERA in 25 starts in 2014 with the Nationals organization. He then stepped up for his first major league start, which did not go well in Atlanta on April 28. He lasted two innings as the Braves pounded out nine hits and scored nine runs, with only four of those earned runs. He had only one strikeout, walked one and had one intentional walk. On May 15 against the Padres, he bounced back to record his first major league save. Then, Cole allowed two runs...