Pitching Proves Deep in Washington Nationals Updated Top 30 Prospects
The Washington Nationals called up Top 30 prospect and pitcher Orlando Ribalta and he’s the only Nats’ ranked prospect in the Majors.
He’s also No. 29 in the updated MLB Pipeline rankings, which may speak to the depth the Nationals have cultivated of late.
The 26-year-old right-hander was drafted in 2019 and signed for $125,000, a true draft-and-develop story for an organization that now has 13 pitchers among its Top 30 prospects.
The highest-ranked pitcher in the organization is Travis Sykora, last year’s third-round pick who signed for an over-slot price of $2.6 million and is now at Class-A Fredericksburg. It could be a while before the right-hander is ready to help. But he’s having a sharp season.
Three pitchers are at Triple-A Rochester and could be potential call-ups at some point. Right-hander Zach Brzykcy is ranked No. 22 and is working his way back through the system after missing all of 2023 with Tommy John surgery. He could be a closer of the future for the Nats, as he had 14 saves in 2022.
Right-hander Jackson Rutledge is ranked No. 27, followed by right-hander Brad Lord at No. 30. Rutledge, a former first-round pick, has already made his MLB debut but doesn’t have the service time to graduate from prospect rankings.
Lord was an 18th round pick in the 2022 Draft and has progressed fast through the Nats’ system who has a reputation for getting ahead in the count.
Other pitching prospects in the Top 30 include Marquis Grissom, who is at Double-A and is the son of the former Major League position player. He is ranked No. 26.
The system’s two highest ranked players are also the ones most likely to help soon. Outfielder Dylan Crews was the No. 3 prospect in the new Top 100 and could be in line for a call-up when rosters expand next month. He has quickly worked his way up the latter to Rochester after a standout career at LSU that led him to be Washington’s first-round pick last year.
House, another first-round pick, may need a bit more time as he was recently called up to Rochester.
This year’s first-round pick, Seaver King, was ranked No. 5. He was one of six Nationals first-round picks in the Top 30.
Washington Nationals Top 30 Prospects
(ranked by MLB Pipeline as of Aug. 13)
(rank, player, position)
1. Dylan Crews, OF
2. Brady House, 3B
3. Travis Sykora, RHP
4. Jarlin Susana, RHP
5. Seaver King, SS/3B/OF
6. Alex Clemmey, LHP
7. Luke Dickerson, SS
8. Cade Cavalli, RHP
9. Yohandy Morales, 1B/3B
10, Caleb Lomavita, C
11. Cayden Wallace, 3B
12. Daylen Lile, OF
13. Robert Hassell III, OF
14. Kevin Bazzell, C
15. Victor Hurtado, OF
16. Angel Feliz, SS/3B
17. Andry Lara, RHP
18. Jake Bennett, LHP
19. Tyler Stuart, RHP
20. Rafael Ramirez Jr., SS
21. Elijah Green, OF
22. Zach Brzykcy, RHP
23. Cristhian Vaquero, OF
24. Jackson Kent, LHP
25. Kevin Made, SS
26. Marquis Grissom, RHP
27. Jackson Rutledge, RHP
28. Andrew Pinckney, OF
29. Orlando Ribalta, RHP
30. Brad Lord, RHP
MATTHEW POSTINS