The Nationals employed a very interesting draft strategy this year. Typically, the difference between the good and the great organizations is how they draft in day two and day three, finding upside versus just filling out the system. The Nationals have historically been, well, awful at that, so rather than continuing to try, they did something a little different. After signing Dylan Crews to full slot value with their first pick, they went more than $2 million above slot value with their next to picks, made a couple of slightly below slot signings in the fourth and fifth round, then punted the rest of day two. In rounds six through ten, they spent just $100,000 combined on five players and saved over $1.1 million in the process (nearly $1.4 million if you include smaller discounts in rounds four and five). While there's not much upside after those first few rounds, they did come away with a three headed monster at the top of the draft. Dylan Crews, of course, is a potential superstar with MVP upside, while Yohandy Morales has a good shot to be the team's third baseman of the future and Travis Sykora has massive upside as a high school pitcher touching triple digits. Andrew Pinckney wasn't the same kind of pick, signing for less than 20% of what Morales and Sykora got, but he's off to a hot start and looks like a nice sleeper too. Overall, it was a position player-heavy draft class in the early going then pivoted to pitching later, a strategy I typically like.
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Note that the number before a player's name indicates their draft position. "2-50" would indicate that a player was drafted in the second round with the fiftieth overall pick.
1-2: OF Dylan Crews, Louisiana State {video}
Slot value: $9 million. Signing bonus: $9 million.
My rank: #1. MLB Pipeline: #2. Baseball America: #1. Prospects Live: #1.
I've written a lot about Dylan Crews in the past and I'll write a lot here because there is so much to say about him. First off, I think Mike Rizzo nailed this pick. Crews is the single best hitter I've seen at the college level since I began covering the draft in 2015. That doesn't make him the best prospect, because there are other considerations like speed, defense, etc., but what you do in the box is most of the equation and there's no topping Crews in that regard. Considered a potential first round pick at times during his prep days in the Orlando area, he had an uneven summer before his senior season and never quite got going with the bat before the pandemic shutdown, so he bet on himself and went to LSU rather than sign presumably for second round money. As it turns out, he was right, and his talent showed that he never should have been allowed to step foot on a college campus. He immediately hit .362/.453/.663 with 18 home runs as a true freshman, then kept on rolling by slashing .349/.463/.691 with 22 home runs as a sophomore. Just when you thought he couldn't further exceed expectations, he put together his best season yet in 2023 by slashing .426/.567/.713 with 18 home runs and a 46/71 strikeout to walk ratio over 71 games, winning the Golden Spikes Award and helping LSU to a National Championship along the way. He gets it done with a freakishly explosive right handed swing, showing off some of the best bat speed you'll find. That translates to truly elite exit velocities, and in the dozens of at bats I've watched of his in real time, I've rarely ever seen him hit the ball softly. The ball just screams off his bat with regular deep line drives and scorching ground balls even on his outs. The plus-plus raw power plays down to "just" plus in games because he has more of a line drive approach, but you won't hear me complain there. Beyond the lightning in his bat, Crews is also a plus pure hitter that could make a living with his on-base ability alone. He cut his strikeout rate from 18.2% in 2022 to 13.4% in 2023, meanwhile bumping up his walk rate from 13.7% to 20.6%. He rarely chases and makes adjustments during his at bats like a pro. In one game I watched of his, he got to two strikes in every plate appearance, and if I'm remembering correctly, he still got on base four or five times. The only hole in his offensive profile is that he can swing and miss a bit in the zone, so he'll have to adjust as pitchers attack him more aggressively. Of course, they'll be doing so at their own peril against a kid who hit .380 with 58 home runs in his LSU career. Beyond all that, Crews has turned in some plus run times and is sticking in center field for now. There's a lot of competition for that center field spot in the Nationals system between Elijah Green, Christhian Vaquero, Robert Hassell, and James Wood, and Crews probably grades out middle of the pack with regards to those gloves. His above average arm and speed would make him an above average defender in right field, and given all the competition, it's plausible he could wind up in left field and be a plus defender there. He didn't set the world on fire, but he had a successful pro debut slashing .292/.377/.467 with five home runs and a 38/14 strikeout to walk ratio over 35 games while working his way up to AA Harrisburg.
Slot value: $9 million. Signing bonus: $9 million.
My rank: #1. MLB Pipeline: #2. Baseball America: #1. Prospects Live: #1.
I've written a lot about Dylan Crews in the past and I'll write a lot here because there is so much to say about him. First off, I think Mike Rizzo nailed this pick. Crews is the single best hitter I've seen at the college level since I began covering the draft in 2015. That doesn't make him the best prospect, because there are other considerations like speed, defense, etc., but what you do in the box is most of the equation and there's no topping Crews in that regard. Considered a potential first round pick at times during his prep days in the Orlando area, he had an uneven summer before his senior season and never quite got going with the bat before the pandemic shutdown, so he bet on himself and went to LSU rather than sign presumably for second round money. As it turns out, he was right, and his talent showed that he never should have been allowed to step foot on a college campus. He immediately hit .362/.453/.663 with 18 home runs as a true freshman, then kept on rolling by slashing .349/.463/.691 with 22 home runs as a sophomore. Just when you thought he couldn't further exceed expectations, he put together his best season yet in 2023 by slashing .426/.567/.713 with 18 home runs and a 46/71 strikeout to walk ratio over 71 games, winning the Golden Spikes Award and helping LSU to a National Championship along the way. He gets it done with a freakishly explosive right handed swing, showing off some of the best bat speed you'll find. That translates to truly elite exit velocities, and in the dozens of at bats I've watched of his in real time, I've rarely ever seen him hit the ball softly. The ball just screams off his bat with regular deep line drives and scorching ground balls even on his outs. The plus-plus raw power plays down to "just" plus in games because he has more of a line drive approach, but you won't hear me complain there. Beyond the lightning in his bat, Crews is also a plus pure hitter that could make a living with his on-base ability alone. He cut his strikeout rate from 18.2% in 2022 to 13.4% in 2023, meanwhile bumping up his walk rate from 13.7% to 20.6%. He rarely chases and makes adjustments during his at bats like a pro. In one game I watched of his, he got to two strikes in every plate appearance, and if I'm remembering correctly, he still got on base four or five times. The only hole in his offensive profile is that he can swing and miss a bit in the zone, so he'll have to adjust as pitchers attack him more aggressively. Of course, they'll be doing so at their own peril against a kid who hit .380 with 58 home runs in his LSU career. Beyond all that, Crews has turned in some plus run times and is sticking in center field for now. There's a lot of competition for that center field spot in the Nationals system between Elijah Green, Christhian Vaquero, Robert Hassell, and James Wood, and Crews probably grades out middle of the pack with regards to those gloves. His above average arm and speed would make him an above average defender in right field, and given all the competition, it's plausible he could wind up in left field and be a plus defender there. He didn't set the world on fire, but he had a successful pro debut slashing .292/.377/.467 with five home runs and a 38/14 strikeout to walk ratio over 35 games while working his way up to AA Harrisburg.
2-40: 3B Yohandy Morales, Miami {video}
Slot value: $2.14 million. Signing bonus: $2.6 million ($455,300 above slot value).
My rank: #26. MLB Pipeline: #20. Baseball America: #26. Prospects Live: #29.
It was surprising to see Yohandy Morales still available at the start of the second round, but the Nationals swooped in and signed him for an above slot bonus, roughly the value of the #32 pick. Morales was another famous high school prospect from the Florida prep ranks like Dylan Crews, though his journey has been a bit different. He made a name for himself late in the process when he came out red hot to start his senior season, but the pandemic cut that breakout short and teams weren't ready to bet on him based on that smaller sample size. Like Crews, he jumped into the starting lineup as a freshman but while Crews was a star from day one, Morales has built himself up gradually. After a solid freshman season (.284/.343/.531, 11 HR) and a strong sophomore season (.329/.411/.650, 18 HR), he broke out for a massive junior season in which he slashed .408/.475/.713 with 20 home runs and a 55/30 strikeout to walk ratio over 61 games. First off, he stands out for his power. Morales can put a charge into a baseball with the best of them, with plus-plus raw power that can send a ball out to any field even on his mishits. That said, he's more of a line drive hitter at this point that can elevate when he needs to. At this point, his approach is very raw, with a high chase rate that cuts into his walks and leads to more strikeouts than you'd like to see. Because of his propensity to lose control of the strike zone, he can be very streaky at the plate and go through stretches where he looks lost. However, when he's hot, it's over for opposing pitchers. When he's going right, he looks like a top ten talent and a future superstar, so the Nationals have an interesting case on their hands. They'll look to balance out his approach and get him controlling his at bats a little better, perhaps also finding a way to add more consistent loft to his swing without pushing that whiff rate any higher than it already is. He has the power to hit 30+ home runs per season depending on what kind of hitter he wants to be. Defensively, the Miami native is a good athlete that moves well at third base, where he should be able to stick long term despite a lack of a standout offensive tool. Interestingly, Morales employed a much more hit over power profile in his pro debut, slashing .349/.423/.494 without homering in 42 games while running a 36/19 strikeout to walk ratio and working his way up to AA Harrisburg.
Slot value: $2.14 million. Signing bonus: $2.6 million ($455,300 above slot value).
My rank: #26. MLB Pipeline: #20. Baseball America: #26. Prospects Live: #29.
It was surprising to see Yohandy Morales still available at the start of the second round, but the Nationals swooped in and signed him for an above slot bonus, roughly the value of the #32 pick. Morales was another famous high school prospect from the Florida prep ranks like Dylan Crews, though his journey has been a bit different. He made a name for himself late in the process when he came out red hot to start his senior season, but the pandemic cut that breakout short and teams weren't ready to bet on him based on that smaller sample size. Like Crews, he jumped into the starting lineup as a freshman but while Crews was a star from day one, Morales has built himself up gradually. After a solid freshman season (.284/.343/.531, 11 HR) and a strong sophomore season (.329/.411/.650, 18 HR), he broke out for a massive junior season in which he slashed .408/.475/.713 with 20 home runs and a 55/30 strikeout to walk ratio over 61 games. First off, he stands out for his power. Morales can put a charge into a baseball with the best of them, with plus-plus raw power that can send a ball out to any field even on his mishits. That said, he's more of a line drive hitter at this point that can elevate when he needs to. At this point, his approach is very raw, with a high chase rate that cuts into his walks and leads to more strikeouts than you'd like to see. Because of his propensity to lose control of the strike zone, he can be very streaky at the plate and go through stretches where he looks lost. However, when he's hot, it's over for opposing pitchers. When he's going right, he looks like a top ten talent and a future superstar, so the Nationals have an interesting case on their hands. They'll look to balance out his approach and get him controlling his at bats a little better, perhaps also finding a way to add more consistent loft to his swing without pushing that whiff rate any higher than it already is. He has the power to hit 30+ home runs per season depending on what kind of hitter he wants to be. Defensively, the Miami native is a good athlete that moves well at third base, where he should be able to stick long term despite a lack of a standout offensive tool. Interestingly, Morales employed a much more hit over power profile in his pro debut, slashing .349/.423/.494 without homering in 42 games while running a 36/19 strikeout to walk ratio and working his way up to AA Harrisburg.
3-71: RHP Travis Sykora, Round Rock HS [TX] {video}
Slot value: $1.02 million. Signing bonus: $2.6 million ($1.58 million above slot value).
My rank: #39. MLB Draft: #40. Baseball America: #36. Prospects Live: #52.
The Nationals rounded out their big three with a massive over slot bonus here at pick #71, giving Travis Sykora the same $2.6 million signing bonus as Yohandy Morales, more than double his slot value to sign away from a Texas commitment. The Nationals have a little bit of a theme going, as Sykora actually gives them three alumni of Round Rock High School alongside reliever Mason Thompson and minor league outfielder Jared McKenzie. Sykora, though, could be the best of the three. He is physically gifted beyond belief, standing 6'6" and 230 pounds already with the arm strength to match. The fastball sits in the mid to upper 90's and has touched as high as 101 with some riding life. His hard, short, sweeping slider is getting better and better and leaves hitters looking silly, projecting as a plus pitch. He has also been working in a splitter that makes for one of the better changeups in the prep class, and together it's an electric three pitch mix. What's even scarier is that Sykora still seems to be growing into his extra large frame. The delivery is raw, as he looks a bit stiff up there and seems to be just stepping and throwing at times. I typically don't like stiff deliveries, but in this case, it doesn't seem to be an athleticism issue but rather a matter of him growing into his body. The command is improving but is fringy at this point, so hopefully ironing out his delivery a little more can help him continue to improve in that regard while, and this is the scary part, possibly adding another tick of velocity. It's important to note that the Austin-area native is extremely old for a high schooler, having turned 19 way back in April and really more age appropriate for a college freshman. It takes away a little bit from the projection and it does mean he was beating up on younger competition, but at the end of the day, 101 is 101 and a plus slider/changeup combo is a plus slider/changeup combo. I think Sykora will be a rotation force if the Nationals develop him right.
Slot value: $1.02 million. Signing bonus: $2.6 million ($1.58 million above slot value).
My rank: #39. MLB Draft: #40. Baseball America: #36. Prospects Live: #52.
The Nationals rounded out their big three with a massive over slot bonus here at pick #71, giving Travis Sykora the same $2.6 million signing bonus as Yohandy Morales, more than double his slot value to sign away from a Texas commitment. The Nationals have a little bit of a theme going, as Sykora actually gives them three alumni of Round Rock High School alongside reliever Mason Thompson and minor league outfielder Jared McKenzie. Sykora, though, could be the best of the three. He is physically gifted beyond belief, standing 6'6" and 230 pounds already with the arm strength to match. The fastball sits in the mid to upper 90's and has touched as high as 101 with some riding life. His hard, short, sweeping slider is getting better and better and leaves hitters looking silly, projecting as a plus pitch. He has also been working in a splitter that makes for one of the better changeups in the prep class, and together it's an electric three pitch mix. What's even scarier is that Sykora still seems to be growing into his extra large frame. The delivery is raw, as he looks a bit stiff up there and seems to be just stepping and throwing at times. I typically don't like stiff deliveries, but in this case, it doesn't seem to be an athleticism issue but rather a matter of him growing into his body. The command is improving but is fringy at this point, so hopefully ironing out his delivery a little more can help him continue to improve in that regard while, and this is the scary part, possibly adding another tick of velocity. It's important to note that the Austin-area native is extremely old for a high schooler, having turned 19 way back in April and really more age appropriate for a college freshman. It takes away a little bit from the projection and it does mean he was beating up on younger competition, but at the end of the day, 101 is 101 and a plus slider/changeup combo is a plus slider/changeup combo. I think Sykora will be a rotation force if the Nationals develop him right.
4-102: OF Andrew Pinckney, Alabama {video}
Slot value: $660,000. Signing bonus: $500,000 ($160,000 below slot value).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: #216. Baseball America: #168. Prospects Live: #187.
Already having borrowed $2 million against their bonus pool at this point, the Nationals needed to start saving money and they did so by giving 22 year old Andrew Pinckney a slight discount here in the fourth round. He has steadily improved every season during his time at Alabama, putting it all together for a massive redshirt junior season in 2023 in which he slashed .339/.442/.648 with 18 home runs and a 68/40 strikeout to walk ratio over 64 games. With Pinckney, we're talking loud tools. The Atlanta-area native has a ferocious bat from the right side, showing off plus raw power that he tapped in games in 2023, playing well to all fields. The approach itself is a little raw, as like Yohandy Morales he chases at a very high rate but in this case whiffs even more, especially against offspeed stuff. Interestingly enough, despite his raw approach, the bat has played up against better competition. He held his own in the Cape Cod League last summer (.235/.311/.390) and saw no drop off at all between his overall numbers at Alabama and his SEC-only stats (.330/.434/.652), where he faced better pitching. And to top it all off, in his toughest matchup of his young career against eventual first overall pick Paul Skenes in April, he singled, homered, and singled again to score the team's only run against Skenes (and picked up two more hits against the bullpen to make for a 5-5 day). Beyond the bat, Pinckney is a plus runner and has a howitzer for an arm, helping him play a pretty mean right field. The speed could help him slide to center field if needed, though in this system it probably won't be needed. Whether his bat can continue playing up to his competition despite his egregious swing and miss concerns will be something to watch, but if it can, he has the kind of outlier physical tools to make an impact in DC. He was on my radar but I never quite got around to him in my pre-draft research, which is why he's unranked, but I really like the profile and wish I did. His successful pro debut saw him slash .321/.415/.457 with four home runs and a 38/19 strikeout to walk ratio over 41 games, like Crews and Morales working his way up to AA Harrisburg.
Slot value: $660,000. Signing bonus: $500,000 ($160,000 below slot value).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: #216. Baseball America: #168. Prospects Live: #187.
Already having borrowed $2 million against their bonus pool at this point, the Nationals needed to start saving money and they did so by giving 22 year old Andrew Pinckney a slight discount here in the fourth round. He has steadily improved every season during his time at Alabama, putting it all together for a massive redshirt junior season in 2023 in which he slashed .339/.442/.648 with 18 home runs and a 68/40 strikeout to walk ratio over 64 games. With Pinckney, we're talking loud tools. The Atlanta-area native has a ferocious bat from the right side, showing off plus raw power that he tapped in games in 2023, playing well to all fields. The approach itself is a little raw, as like Yohandy Morales he chases at a very high rate but in this case whiffs even more, especially against offspeed stuff. Interestingly enough, despite his raw approach, the bat has played up against better competition. He held his own in the Cape Cod League last summer (.235/.311/.390) and saw no drop off at all between his overall numbers at Alabama and his SEC-only stats (.330/.434/.652), where he faced better pitching. And to top it all off, in his toughest matchup of his young career against eventual first overall pick Paul Skenes in April, he singled, homered, and singled again to score the team's only run against Skenes (and picked up two more hits against the bullpen to make for a 5-5 day). Beyond the bat, Pinckney is a plus runner and has a howitzer for an arm, helping him play a pretty mean right field. The speed could help him slide to center field if needed, though in this system it probably won't be needed. Whether his bat can continue playing up to his competition despite his egregious swing and miss concerns will be something to watch, but if it can, he has the kind of outlier physical tools to make an impact in DC. He was on my radar but I never quite got around to him in my pre-draft research, which is why he's unranked, but I really like the profile and wish I did. His successful pro debut saw him slash .321/.415/.457 with four home runs and a 38/19 strikeout to walk ratio over 41 games, like Crews and Morales working his way up to AA Harrisburg.
5-138: SS Marcus Brown, Oklahoma State {video}
Slot value: $464,400. Signing bonus: $350,000 ($114,400 below slot value).
My rank: #188. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: #147. Prospects Live: #222.
Continuing with the money saving theme, Marcus Brown is a talented shortstop that has shown flashes of top three rounds talent, but ultimately fell to an under slot deal in the fifth round. He opened eyes with a big sophomore season (.316/.378/.441), but didn't hit for much impact on the Cape (.235/.315/.295) and slashed .273/.360/.469 with nine home runs and a 40/14 strikeout to walk ratio over 60 games. Brown is a glove-first prospect that will keep himself employed based on that alone. He glides around the infield with a slick glove, also showing an above average arm that can make all the necessary throws. While he's not necessarily a walking highlight reel over there, he gets the job done to an extent that you can be confident he'll stick at the position throughout his career, taking pressure off his bat. At the plate, Brown shows strong bat to ball skills by getting his barrel long through the zone, making plenty of contact both inside and outside the zone. He's an aggressive hitter that rarely walks, though he boosted his on-base percentage significantly in 2023 by getting hit by pitches (16) more often than he walked (14). There's not much going on in the power department here. The Northwest Arkansas native is a skinny kid at 6', 185 pounds, with below average exit velocities and real question marks about how much impact he'll be able to generate with wood after he slugged .295 on the Cape. He shows a whippy barrel and his swing works nicely, so he could conceivably get to fringe average power if he tacks on some strength, though the Nationals have not had a good track record with that. Brown most likely profiles as a utility infielder in a Wilmer Difo type of role. He actually walked more in his 30 game pro debut than he did in his 60 games at Oklahoma State, slashing .260/.376/.346 with one home run and a 17/15 strikeout to walk ratio between the Florida Complex League and Low A Fredericksburg.
Slot value: $464,400. Signing bonus: $350,000 ($114,400 below slot value).
My rank: #188. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: #147. Prospects Live: #222.
Continuing with the money saving theme, Marcus Brown is a talented shortstop that has shown flashes of top three rounds talent, but ultimately fell to an under slot deal in the fifth round. He opened eyes with a big sophomore season (.316/.378/.441), but didn't hit for much impact on the Cape (.235/.315/.295) and slashed .273/.360/.469 with nine home runs and a 40/14 strikeout to walk ratio over 60 games. Brown is a glove-first prospect that will keep himself employed based on that alone. He glides around the infield with a slick glove, also showing an above average arm that can make all the necessary throws. While he's not necessarily a walking highlight reel over there, he gets the job done to an extent that you can be confident he'll stick at the position throughout his career, taking pressure off his bat. At the plate, Brown shows strong bat to ball skills by getting his barrel long through the zone, making plenty of contact both inside and outside the zone. He's an aggressive hitter that rarely walks, though he boosted his on-base percentage significantly in 2023 by getting hit by pitches (16) more often than he walked (14). There's not much going on in the power department here. The Northwest Arkansas native is a skinny kid at 6', 185 pounds, with below average exit velocities and real question marks about how much impact he'll be able to generate with wood after he slugged .295 on the Cape. He shows a whippy barrel and his swing works nicely, so he could conceivably get to fringe average power if he tacks on some strength, though the Nationals have not had a good track record with that. Brown most likely profiles as a utility infielder in a Wilmer Difo type of role. He actually walked more in his 30 game pro debut than he did in his 60 games at Oklahoma State, slashing .260/.376/.346 with one home run and a 17/15 strikeout to walk ratio between the Florida Complex League and Low A Fredericksburg.
6-165: OF Gavin Dugas, Louisiana State {video}
Slot value: $357,500. Signing bonus: $20,000 ($337,500 below slot value).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: #415. Prospects Live: unranked.
Here is where the money saving really starts in earnest. Gavin Dugas has played half a decade at LSU, having spent the past three seasons as an every day player. He was at his best in 2023, when he slashed .290/.464/.589 with 17 home runs and a 63/44 strikeout to walk ratio over 68 games, helping Dylan Crews lead the Tigers to their National Championship. Interestingly enough, he also tied with George Mason's Connor Dykstra for the national lead by getting hit by 33 pitches, almost one every other game. Dugas is a stocky kid at 5'10", 205 pounds, packing plenty of strength into his shorter frame to give him above average power from the right side. He gets to it with strong wrists that flick the barrel through the zone with ease, catching the ball out front and driving it well to the pull side. He's a patient hitter that draws a lot of walks but also gets into trouble in deep counts, where his below average pure bat to ball skills cause him to strike out a bit more than you'd like. The southern Louisiana native saw a lot of time in the infield in 2023, but with below average athleticism he'll be forced to a corner outfield role. Already 23 before the draft rolled around, Dugas probably profiles more as organizational filler than as a future impact piece, but the power and the track record of tapping it against good pitching (career .571 slugging percentage at LSU) gives him some upside as a platoon or bench bat. He hit .185/.380/.315 with two home runs and an 18/7 strikeout to walk ratio over 18 games between the Florida Complex League and Low A Fredericksburg, about what should be expected.
Slot value: $357,500. Signing bonus: $20,000 ($337,500 below slot value).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: #415. Prospects Live: unranked.
Here is where the money saving really starts in earnest. Gavin Dugas has played half a decade at LSU, having spent the past three seasons as an every day player. He was at his best in 2023, when he slashed .290/.464/.589 with 17 home runs and a 63/44 strikeout to walk ratio over 68 games, helping Dylan Crews lead the Tigers to their National Championship. Interestingly enough, he also tied with George Mason's Connor Dykstra for the national lead by getting hit by 33 pitches, almost one every other game. Dugas is a stocky kid at 5'10", 205 pounds, packing plenty of strength into his shorter frame to give him above average power from the right side. He gets to it with strong wrists that flick the barrel through the zone with ease, catching the ball out front and driving it well to the pull side. He's a patient hitter that draws a lot of walks but also gets into trouble in deep counts, where his below average pure bat to ball skills cause him to strike out a bit more than you'd like. The southern Louisiana native saw a lot of time in the infield in 2023, but with below average athleticism he'll be forced to a corner outfield role. Already 23 before the draft rolled around, Dugas probably profiles more as organizational filler than as a future impact piece, but the power and the track record of tapping it against good pitching (career .571 slugging percentage at LSU) gives him some upside as a platoon or bench bat. He hit .185/.380/.315 with two home runs and an 18/7 strikeout to walk ratio over 18 games between the Florida Complex League and Low A Fredericksburg, about what should be expected.
10-285: SS Phillip Glasser, Indiana {video}
Slot value: $172,100. Signing bonus: $20,000 ($152,100 below slot value).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: unranked. Prospects Live: unranked.
Phillip Glasser played three years at Youngstown State, then leveraged a strong junior season into an opportunity to transfer to Indiana for the final two years of his college career. He has continued to rake in Bloomington, hitting .352/.443/.500 with ten home runs and a 60/63 strikeout to walk ratio over 110 games in two years, and earned the opportunity to jump on with Washington as a fifth year senior sign, albeit for barely any money. There is not much power to speak of in this profile, with his seven home runs in 2023 representing a career high and just 16 in 228 games for his career, but he does everything else well. Glasser is a very patient hitter that controls his at bats from start to finish, then utilizes a quick, accurate left handed swing to shoot line drives around the field. He can run and has enough speed to leg out some extra base hits. The Akron-area native also plays a strong shortstop and should have enough arm to make it work, further boosting his value. He was already 23 and a half by the time the draft rolled around, so you'd hope that he was an advanced hitter, and he could move up quickly with his speed, on-base ability, and defense. He has the ceiling of a utility infielder due to his lack of power but I like this pick given the minuscule signing bonus. Glasser took well to pro ball, slashing .310/.423/.414 with one home run and a 6/11 strikeout to walk ratio over 18 games between the Florida Complex League and Low A Fredericksburg in his pro debut.
Slot value: $172,100. Signing bonus: $20,000 ($152,100 below slot value).
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: unranked. Prospects Live: unranked.
Phillip Glasser played three years at Youngstown State, then leveraged a strong junior season into an opportunity to transfer to Indiana for the final two years of his college career. He has continued to rake in Bloomington, hitting .352/.443/.500 with ten home runs and a 60/63 strikeout to walk ratio over 110 games in two years, and earned the opportunity to jump on with Washington as a fifth year senior sign, albeit for barely any money. There is not much power to speak of in this profile, with his seven home runs in 2023 representing a career high and just 16 in 228 games for his career, but he does everything else well. Glasser is a very patient hitter that controls his at bats from start to finish, then utilizes a quick, accurate left handed swing to shoot line drives around the field. He can run and has enough speed to leg out some extra base hits. The Akron-area native also plays a strong shortstop and should have enough arm to make it work, further boosting his value. He was already 23 and a half by the time the draft rolled around, so you'd hope that he was an advanced hitter, and he could move up quickly with his speed, on-base ability, and defense. He has the ceiling of a utility infielder due to his lack of power but I like this pick given the minuscule signing bonus. Glasser took well to pro ball, slashing .310/.423/.414 with one home run and a 6/11 strikeout to walk ratio over 18 games between the Florida Complex League and Low A Fredericksburg in his pro debut.
13-375: LHP Liam Sullivan, Georgia {video}
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $150,000.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: #278. Prospects Live: #303.
This is the kind of post-hype, large conference starting pitcher the Nationals like to target. Liam Sullivan showed pretty well over his first two seasons at Georgia, then rocketed up boards with an exceptional run through the Cape Cod League last summer (2.17 ERA, 45/8 K/BB in 29 IP). However, the stuff stagnated in 2023 and he finished with a 5.77 ERA and a 75/33 strikeout to walk ratio over 64 innings for the Dawgs. Sullivan is a big guy at 6'6", 255 pounds, though most of his profile grades out as average. He has touched 96 with his fastball in the past, though it lives closer to 90 most days with some run and ride. He works between a slider and a curveball to miss bats, while his changeup gives him a fourth sneaky solid offering. Nothing stands out in his arsenal, but he missed a ton of bats on the Cape when he was pounding the strike zone and effectively keeping hitters off balance. There's some late jerk in the delivery which can impact his finer command at times, so when he leaves stuff over the plate or gets too predictable, he gets hit. The Nationals will look to get him smoothed out a bit and help him mix his pitches better, in which case he could work his way up as a back-end starter. He posted a 4.96 ERA and a 25/12 strikeout to walk ratio over 16.1 innings between the Florida Complex League and Low A Fredericksburg.
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $150,000.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: #278. Prospects Live: #303.
This is the kind of post-hype, large conference starting pitcher the Nationals like to target. Liam Sullivan showed pretty well over his first two seasons at Georgia, then rocketed up boards with an exceptional run through the Cape Cod League last summer (2.17 ERA, 45/8 K/BB in 29 IP). However, the stuff stagnated in 2023 and he finished with a 5.77 ERA and a 75/33 strikeout to walk ratio over 64 innings for the Dawgs. Sullivan is a big guy at 6'6", 255 pounds, though most of his profile grades out as average. He has touched 96 with his fastball in the past, though it lives closer to 90 most days with some run and ride. He works between a slider and a curveball to miss bats, while his changeup gives him a fourth sneaky solid offering. Nothing stands out in his arsenal, but he missed a ton of bats on the Cape when he was pounding the strike zone and effectively keeping hitters off balance. There's some late jerk in the delivery which can impact his finer command at times, so when he leaves stuff over the plate or gets too predictable, he gets hit. The Nationals will look to get him smoothed out a bit and help him mix his pitches better, in which case he could work his way up as a back-end starter. He posted a 4.96 ERA and a 25/12 strikeout to walk ratio over 16.1 innings between the Florida Complex League and Low A Fredericksburg.
14-405: OF Elijah Nuñez, Texas Christian {video)
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $150,000.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: #493. Prospects Live: #405.
Elijah Nuñez brings a similar profile to Marcus Brown, except that he's an outfielder. He established himself as one of the better prospects in the Big 12 after swiping 31 bags with a .435 on-base percentage in 2022, though he never took a step forward from there and slashed .289/.400/.414 with three home runs, 20 stolen bases, and a 60/36 strikeout to walk ratio over 63 games in 2023. He's an above average runner that plays a strong center field, with great feel for the position to make his speed play up further. As with Brown, that alone gives him a nice floor. Nuñez is a very patient hitter that has run a .405 on-base percentage and a 19.1% walk rate for his career, forcing pitchers to give him good pitches to hit which they did in 2023, leading to a career-high 22 extra base hits (and a career-low 12.5% walk rate). While Nuñez chooses good pitches to hit and his quick hands help him catch up to velocity, he isn't great at picking up spin and therefore swings and misses more than you'd like given his profile, so the overall hit tool may not be better than average. There's virtually no power here, as he's a smaller guy at 5'10" and doesn't look to turn on the ball anyways, with five career home runs in 177 games over three seasons. Power will never be a part of his game, so he'll have to find a way to keep the whiffs down and keep getting on base. The above average speed plays well on the bases too, with 61 career stolen bases further enabled by his strong instincts. He profiles as a fourth outfielder that can fill in anywhere on the grass. He showed exactly the kind of player he is in his pro debut, slashing .281/.412/.303 with 20 stolen bases and a 20/22 strikeout to walk ratio over 26 games between the Florida Complex League and Low A Fredericksburg.
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $150,000.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: #493. Prospects Live: #405.
Elijah Nuñez brings a similar profile to Marcus Brown, except that he's an outfielder. He established himself as one of the better prospects in the Big 12 after swiping 31 bags with a .435 on-base percentage in 2022, though he never took a step forward from there and slashed .289/.400/.414 with three home runs, 20 stolen bases, and a 60/36 strikeout to walk ratio over 63 games in 2023. He's an above average runner that plays a strong center field, with great feel for the position to make his speed play up further. As with Brown, that alone gives him a nice floor. Nuñez is a very patient hitter that has run a .405 on-base percentage and a 19.1% walk rate for his career, forcing pitchers to give him good pitches to hit which they did in 2023, leading to a career-high 22 extra base hits (and a career-low 12.5% walk rate). While Nuñez chooses good pitches to hit and his quick hands help him catch up to velocity, he isn't great at picking up spin and therefore swings and misses more than you'd like given his profile, so the overall hit tool may not be better than average. There's virtually no power here, as he's a smaller guy at 5'10" and doesn't look to turn on the ball anyways, with five career home runs in 177 games over three seasons. Power will never be a part of his game, so he'll have to find a way to keep the whiffs down and keep getting on base. The above average speed plays well on the bases too, with 61 career stolen bases further enabled by his strong instincts. He profiles as a fourth outfielder that can fill in anywhere on the grass. He showed exactly the kind of player he is in his pro debut, slashing .281/.412/.303 with 20 stolen bases and a 20/22 strikeout to walk ratio over 26 games between the Florida Complex League and Low A Fredericksburg.
15-435: RHP Mikey Tepper, Liberty {video}
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $150,000.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: #393. Prospects Live: #469.
The Nationals reached into their own backyard here and picked up an interesting arm, one of my favorites of day three. Originally committed to play near his hometown at Charlotte, he switched gears and wound up at Mississippi State where he struggled with command over two years in the Bulldog bullpen. After putting up a nice showing on the Cape over the summer (4.84 ERA, 15/6 K/BB in 13 IP), he transferred to Liberty and jumped into the rotation, where he put up a 5.23 ERA and a 78/46 strikeout to walk ratio over 65.1 innings. Tepper sits in the low 90's and can reach 96 with riding and running life, playing above its velocity. His breaking ball is still searching for its identity a bit but he can get deep snap on it at times to miss bats, while his changeup gives him a third pitch with promise. The Charlotte-area native has long struggled with control, which may push him to the bullpen in the long run. He has an uptempo delivery and needs to smooth it out a bit if he wants to remain a starter, though the stuff will play well out of the bullpen. Adding a tick of velocity to his fastball and getting more consistent with one of his offspeed pitches would make him a quality reliever, and overall I think there's nice upside here for the kid who's already young for a college junior, turning 21 a month before the draft. He got blown up a bit in his pro debut, posting a 10.13 ERA and a 15/10 strikeout to walk ratio over 13.1 innings between the Florida Complex League and Low A Fredericksburg.
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $150,000.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: #393. Prospects Live: #469.
The Nationals reached into their own backyard here and picked up an interesting arm, one of my favorites of day three. Originally committed to play near his hometown at Charlotte, he switched gears and wound up at Mississippi State where he struggled with command over two years in the Bulldog bullpen. After putting up a nice showing on the Cape over the summer (4.84 ERA, 15/6 K/BB in 13 IP), he transferred to Liberty and jumped into the rotation, where he put up a 5.23 ERA and a 78/46 strikeout to walk ratio over 65.1 innings. Tepper sits in the low 90's and can reach 96 with riding and running life, playing above its velocity. His breaking ball is still searching for its identity a bit but he can get deep snap on it at times to miss bats, while his changeup gives him a third pitch with promise. The Charlotte-area native has long struggled with control, which may push him to the bullpen in the long run. He has an uptempo delivery and needs to smooth it out a bit if he wants to remain a starter, though the stuff will play well out of the bullpen. Adding a tick of velocity to his fastball and getting more consistent with one of his offspeed pitches would make him a quality reliever, and overall I think there's nice upside here for the kid who's already young for a college junior, turning 21 a month before the draft. He got blown up a bit in his pro debut, posting a 10.13 ERA and a 15/10 strikeout to walk ratio over 13.1 innings between the Florida Complex League and Low A Fredericksburg.
16-465: RHP Austin Amaral, Stetson {video}
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $150,000.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: #457. Prospects Live: #268.
Austin Amaral is a fairly similar prospect to Mikey Tepper and I like him too. He's a three year performer at Stetson, holding a 3.15 ERA through 142.2 career innings, and in 2023 he was a full time starter for the full time with a 3.30 ERA and an 82/40 strikeout to walk ratio over 76.1 innings. Amaral sits in the low 90's with his fastball and touches 96 with serious hop, like Tepper's fastball playing above its velocity. He can really rip through a slider, which shows nice late sweeping action to miss plenty of bats. His curveball and a newer splitter don't show up as much in games, and they're a pair of pitches (especially the splitter) the Nationals will want to help along. The 6' righty has a unique delivery with a deep arm plunge where he stabs the ball behind his back, perhaps giving hitters a quick extra look at the grip, and shows fringy command. For a sixteenth rounder, Amaral has a lot going for him between his fastball, slider, and track record of performance. If he can get more consistent with his splitter and/or take a step forward with his command, he could be a back-end starter, or he could work as a fastball/slider reliever with a little extra bump on his stuff in the bullpen. In his pro debut, he posted a 3.38 ERA and a 13/5 strikeout to walk ratio over eight innings for Low A Fredericksburg.
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $150,000.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: #457. Prospects Live: #268.
Austin Amaral is a fairly similar prospect to Mikey Tepper and I like him too. He's a three year performer at Stetson, holding a 3.15 ERA through 142.2 career innings, and in 2023 he was a full time starter for the full time with a 3.30 ERA and an 82/40 strikeout to walk ratio over 76.1 innings. Amaral sits in the low 90's with his fastball and touches 96 with serious hop, like Tepper's fastball playing above its velocity. He can really rip through a slider, which shows nice late sweeping action to miss plenty of bats. His curveball and a newer splitter don't show up as much in games, and they're a pair of pitches (especially the splitter) the Nationals will want to help along. The 6' righty has a unique delivery with a deep arm plunge where he stabs the ball behind his back, perhaps giving hitters a quick extra look at the grip, and shows fringy command. For a sixteenth rounder, Amaral has a lot going for him between his fastball, slider, and track record of performance. If he can get more consistent with his splitter and/or take a step forward with his command, he could be a back-end starter, or he could work as a fastball/slider reliever with a little extra bump on his stuff in the bullpen. In his pro debut, he posted a 3.38 ERA and a 13/5 strikeout to walk ratio over eight innings for Low A Fredericksburg.
18-525: C Nate Rombach, Dallas Baptist {video}
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $150,000.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: unranked. Prospects Live: unranked.
The Nationals didn't sign their last two picks, so they effectively wrapped up their draft with Nate Rombach, who has been around for a while. Rombach, who began his career at Texas Tech, loudly announced his presence with a red hot start to his college career but went into a prolonged slump in his sophomore year and transferred to Dallas Baptist as a junior. The change of scenery didn't do much for him, as he slashed just .229/.332/.535 in his first year in Dallas, and he leveled out with a more balanced senior year in which he slashed .288/.355/.455 with seven home runs and a 41/20 strikeout to walk ratio over 47 games. At this point, Rombach is probably what he is. Power over hit for most of his career, he toned it down a bit in 2023 and dropped his strikeout rate from 29.8% as a junior to 18.8% as a senior, though with it came a drop in ISO from .306 to .167. He's very strongly built at 6'4", using that strength to produce his power more so than bat speed. Because he can be a bit slow getting started in the box, there's swing and miss in his game that gives him a below average hit tool despite a patient approach that keeps him swinging at good pitches. His strong arm is his best asset behind the plate, while his glovework is a bit behind. He profiles as a power hitting backup catcher if he can make enough contact without sacrificing that power.
Slot value: up to $150,000. Signing bonus: $150,000.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: unranked. Prospects Live: unranked.
The Nationals didn't sign their last two picks, so they effectively wrapped up their draft with Nate Rombach, who has been around for a while. Rombach, who began his career at Texas Tech, loudly announced his presence with a red hot start to his college career but went into a prolonged slump in his sophomore year and transferred to Dallas Baptist as a junior. The change of scenery didn't do much for him, as he slashed just .229/.332/.535 in his first year in Dallas, and he leveled out with a more balanced senior year in which he slashed .288/.355/.455 with seven home runs and a 41/20 strikeout to walk ratio over 47 games. At this point, Rombach is probably what he is. Power over hit for most of his career, he toned it down a bit in 2023 and dropped his strikeout rate from 29.8% as a junior to 18.8% as a senior, though with it came a drop in ISO from .306 to .167. He's very strongly built at 6'4", using that strength to produce his power more so than bat speed. Because he can be a bit slow getting started in the box, there's swing and miss in his game that gives him a below average hit tool despite a patient approach that keeps him swinging at good pitches. His strong arm is his best asset behind the plate, while his glovework is a bit behind. He profiles as a power hitting backup catcher if he can make enough contact without sacrificing that power.
UDFA: RHP Anthony Arguelles, Virginia Tech {video}
Slot value: N/A. Signing bonus: unknown.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: unranked. Prospects Live: unranked.
After the draft, the Nationals picked up a Hokie to throw into the system. Anthony Arguelles began his career at Santa Fe JC in Florida, then transferred to Miami where he was a useful arm out of the bullpen for two years. He transferred to Virginia Tech for his grad year, jumping into the rotation and posting a 4.90 ERA and a 64/32 strikeout to walk ratio over 60.2 innings. After the season, he got additional work in the MLB Draft League and put up a 6.75 ERA and a 13/8 strikeout to walk ratio over 12 innings, prompting the Nationals to give him a shot. He's a powderkeg athlete that sits in the low 90's with his fastball, adding a sharp slider as well as a curveball and changeup. He moves well on the mound and repeats his delivery well, though he likely ends up in the bullpen due to fringy command and stuff that's a bit light to get hitters out multiple times through the order. The Miami native got into a couple games, one apiece in the Florida Complex League and for Low A Fredericksburg, not allowing a run or a walk over 1.1 innings while picking up a strikeout.
Slot value: N/A. Signing bonus: unknown.
My rank: unranked. MLB Pipeline: unranked. Baseball America: unranked. Prospects Live: unranked.
After the draft, the Nationals picked up a Hokie to throw into the system. Anthony Arguelles began his career at Santa Fe JC in Florida, then transferred to Miami where he was a useful arm out of the bullpen for two years. He transferred to Virginia Tech for his grad year, jumping into the rotation and posting a 4.90 ERA and a 64/32 strikeout to walk ratio over 60.2 innings. After the season, he got additional work in the MLB Draft League and put up a 6.75 ERA and a 13/8 strikeout to walk ratio over 12 innings, prompting the Nationals to give him a shot. He's a powderkeg athlete that sits in the low 90's with his fastball, adding a sharp slider as well as a curveball and changeup. He moves well on the mound and repeats his delivery well, though he likely ends up in the bullpen due to fringy command and stuff that's a bit light to get hitters out multiple times through the order. The Miami native got into a couple games, one apiece in the Florida Complex League and for Low A Fredericksburg, not allowing a run or a walk over 1.1 innings while picking up a strikeout.
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