Infamous Washington Nationals Prospect Named One of 'Most Intriguing Additions'
As the Washington Nationals close out this season fully embracing their young roster, the September call-up period has allowed them to promote two more youngsters who they want to see get Major League action for the first time.
After undergoing a rebuild, this farm system has been stocked with tons of talent that is starting to reach the MLB at the same time.
Notably, C.J. Abrams, Luis Garcia Jr., and Mackenzie Gore were the first crop of prospects to hit The Show, but this year, the Nationals also decided to promote James Wood and Dylan Crews, both of whom were their No. 1 ranked prospects at one point this season.
For the most part, Wood and Crews have looked like they will become the future cornerstones of this franchise that Washington desperately needs.
However, it's their most recent promotion that has caught the eye of R.J. Anderson at CBS Sports.
When putting together his list of "Most Intriguing Additions" that have come from the September call-ups, he ranked Darren Baker at No. 8.
Much of that has to do with the infamy the 25-year-old has had throughout his life, being the son of legendary baseball figure Dusty Baker and having a bat-boy rule named after him following an incident in the 2002 World Series where he was almost trampled.
But outside of all that, the infielder is a good player in his own right.
That was on display during his Major League debut on Sunday when he recorded his first MLB hit on the very first pitch he saw.
With his dad in the stands to witness it, the moment became viral in the baseball world as someone who has been around the game his whole life has finally reached the pinnacle of the sport by getting called up to the big leagues.
It will be interested to see how Baker fares during the final month of the season.
He's proven to be a solid hitter throughout his minor league career, posting a slash line of .286/.348/.354 with 138 RBI in 1,360 at-bats despite not having a power element to his game.
The left-handed hitter will probably be solely used when facing right-handed pitchers to help ease his transition, but if he is able to prove he can be productive at this level, then there's a chance he could find himself in the mix for years to come.
Baker can play in the infield and outfield, making him an intriguing defensive option who could become a superutilityman.
He'll have a month to adjust to Major League Baseball as he makes his case for why he should be part of this roster moving forward.
BRAD WAKAI