Posted on 13 January 2009
H/W: 5-10 185 lb. B/T: L/L DOB: 9/29/89
It's not every day that a 2nd Team All-American prep outfielder falls into your lap in the 15th round, but with $1 million in hand, the Nationals successfully plucked the young Texan from his commitment to Tulane. Ramirez responded well in his brief GCL stint gathering 4 hits, 4 walks, and 8 RBI in just 11 AB's as he continued to put to rest the murmurs that his small stature would be exploited at higher levels. His sturdy build and sweet left-handed swing allows him to make consistently hard contact with just about every ball he swings at and he effectively utilizes the entire field from foul line to foul line. Ramirez has an advanced feel for the strike zone which should help him limit his strikeout totals and hit for a high average. Defensively, Ramirez has an average arm and good range that should allow for him to play either CF or LF at the major league level. Ramirez has decent speed, but not the impact speed that will result in high stolen base totals.
2009 Projection: Ramirez should get his first sniff of full season ball this season at Low-A Hagerstown. The challenge for J.P. will be to show that he can generate enough pop to be considered as a starting outfielder. He is close to maxed out physically which limits his upside. Ideally, he is a solid #2 hitter with 10-15 HR power and a batting average that hovers around .300. Watch his doubles totals this season, if he cracks more than 30, there is a good chance that he could produce the kind of pop that belies his size. He was able to do this as a prep player, but wooden bats seem to weed out the pretenders from the contenders.
Key J.P. Ramirez Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/719
- 2008 Razor Signature Series Auto #/1199
- 2008 Upper Deck Team USA
Posted on 11 January 2009
H/W: 6-2 200 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 5/23/86
The 67th overall pick of the 2007 draft put together a fine first full season for the Nationals organization going 10-3 with a 2.89 ERA and a 39 BB/134 K ratio in 134 IP between High-A Potomac and AA-Harrisburg. The Wisconsin native struggled a little early on after his promotion before picking up speed in July and August going 5-0 with a 2.14 ERA and 61 K's over his final 10 starts. Zimmerman has good movement to his low-90's fastball and his 12-6 breaking curveball made significant strides last season to become another potential plus pitch. Zimmerman's command is a key component to his success as he does a good job of keeping balls down in the strike zone to force groundball outs (1.36 GO/FO in '08) and he uses both sides of the plate to get hitters out (.215 BAA). Though his curve and change have become vastly improved, there is still work to be done with these pitches and some scouts feel that he does not have the stuff to be a frontline pitcher down the road.
2009 Projection: The hot streak that Zimmerman was on at the conclusion of the '08 season should vault him to Washington's new AAA affiliate Syracuse for the start of the '09 campaign. The Nationals have fast tracked Jordan through their system and, to his credit, Zimmerman has exceeded all expectations. AAA should provide a thorough test for the young righthander, though, and it will bear watching to see if he can continue to keep his K rates up and WHIP numbers down. The Nationals are a franchise that is on the rise, as they have made some strategic maneuvers in acquiring MLB ready personnel and have done a much better job of restocking their farm system over the last couple of seasons. Look for Zimmeman to get an opportunity to start with Washington at the back end of the '09 season.
Key Jordan Zimmerman Baseball Cards:
- 2007 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/469
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Prospects Auto
- 2008 Bowman Sterling Auto
Posted on 11 January 2009
H/W: 6-3 210 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 7/2/88
A devastating slide into homeplate ended the former first round pick's 2008 season in late June as he broke his fibula and tore ligaments in his right ankle. Up to that point, Marrero bat was just beginning to heat up after a slow start in April. Marrero ended up hitting .250 with 11 HR and 38 RBI in 70 games. When healthy, Marrero has a quick swing with good balance and leverage that produces light tower power that could translate to 30-40 HR potential in the major leagues. He has been lauded as being a hard worker and intelligent hitter who is always seeking to make adjustments. Marrero chased fewer pitches out of the zone last season, cutting back his strikeout rate, though he still needs to hone his ability to work counts and draw bases on balls. Marrero's slow foot speed and marginal athleticism forced the Nationals to shift him to 1B last season and, while it does not effectively utilize his strong arm, it seems to be an appropriate destination for him.
2009 Projection: The injury derailed Marrero's fast track progress, but don't be surprised to see him begin the '09 season with AA Harrisburg. Reports from Nationals camp regarding Marrero's recovery are quite positive and things seem to be all systems go for him this spring. Nevertheless, his health should be monitored closely as this was a major injury. Beyond that, take notice of how Washington decides to address their void at 1B. As it stands now, Nick Johnson is the opening day 1B, but there have been murmurs that the Nats would like to make an upgrade with a free agent who provides more power than Johnson. If they go that route, Marrero's path to the major leagues will be delayed. If not, he has an outside shot of being a September call up.
Key Chris Marrero Baseball Cards:
- 2006 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2006 Bowman Heritage
- 2007 Bowman's Best Auto
Posted on 31 December 2008
H/W: 6-1 180 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 4/3/90
The Nationals have taken big strides over the last couple of seasons in stocking their once desolate farm system with toolsy, high upside prep athletes. Destin Hood turned down a full scholarship to play wide receiver for the University of Alabama to play baseball for the Nats. Hood was solid in his 25 game stretch at the Nationals' GCL affiliate hitting .256 with 13 RBI 5 SB and 18 runs scored. A gifted athlete, Destin has tremendous raw power that he exhibits in batting practice but has not found a way to replicate in games. Naturally, as a football star, Hood has top notch speed, but he is still unrefined as a baserunner. Defensively, Hood has the ability to play CF, though he has been used as a LF as a pro. Hood is an unpolished gem who is a long way from reaching his ceiling as a professional. How his career takes shape is, indeed a big question that will only be answered over time.
2009 Projection: Hood didn't get much of a taste of short season ball, which makes it a probability that he will work in extended spring training before joining either Washington's GCL team again or rookie league Vermont. There is a high level of uncertainty in evaluating Hood's future. He is strong enough to be a middle of the lineup hitter, but also has the speed to be an above average basestealer. Keep an eye on all of his numbers this year. A high amount of doubles is indicative of power to come. Of course, the other big thing to watch with high-upside, raw athletes is the BB/K ratio. Last season's 8 BB/19 K's was decent, but too small a sample size to get a true bearing on his plate discipline. This season should give a better look at where Hood is at and where he could eventually be.
Key Destin Hood Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Razor Signature Series Auto #/699
- 2008 Razor Exclusive Auto
Posted on 16 December 2008
H/W: 6-0 200 lb. B/T: S/R DOB: 11/12/89
Concerns about a previous elbow injury and a commitment to South Florida University kept this AFLAC All-American on the board until the 5th round in the '08 draft. The Nationals snatched him up and paid him double slot bonus money just before the August deadline. Nieto has a muscular build and smooth swing from both sides of the plate that should develop 10-15 HR power as he matures. He has solid arm strength and a very good competitive makeup that will serve him well as a MLB signal caller. Some scouts feel that Nieto is not very mobile behind the plate and could be a defensive liability. Additionally, he is thought to have a strong but not very athletic body which could lead to injuries and decreased production down the road.
2009 Projection: Nieto's GLC debut offered too small a sample size to see where he is at from a developmental standpoint. Expect the Nationals to work with him diligently at their extended spring training camp before sending him off to short-season Vermont Lake. Nieto needs more pop and better defense to be considered a noteworthy catching prospect. The Nats also have Derek Norris in their system who provided a stellar showing in "08 at Vermont Lake. Nieto is at least two steps behind him and will need to make marked improvements in his defense and power to push for more notoriety within the organization.
Key Adrian Nieto Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/521
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft
Posted on 01 November 2008
H/W: 5-11 205 lb. B/T: L/L DOB: 10/20/88
Burgess started the season at Low-A Haggerstown before earning a promotion to High-A Potomac. As advertised, the super-strong Burgess produced big power numbers at each location. Burgess has very good hand-eye coordination and a quick bat that can hit 30-plus HR at the major league level. Defensively, he has the athleticism to play CF but his strong, accurate arm is more geared for RF. The one impediment to Burgess' game is his strikeout numbers. Burgess punched out 162 times in 131 games while walking 55 times. Given his young age and power potential, the strikeout totals are not catastrophic, though it would be nice to see him convert 20-30 of those K's to walks as he matures.
2009 Projection: Overall, Burgess will likely begin the season at Potomac again with a fast track promotion to AA being a distinct possibility if he can make strides in his plate discipline. Expect him to struggle to hit for a high batting average (.250-.260) but for the HR totals to be 25-30 with 80-100 RBI.
Key Michael Burgess Rookie Cards:
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Draft Auto
- 2007 Bowman Sterling Auto
- 2007 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/672
- 2008 Donruss Threads Gold Signature Auto #/25
2009 Projection: Ramirez should get his first sniff of full season ball this season at Low-A Hagerstown. The challenge for J.P. will be to show that he can generate enough pop to be considered as a starting outfielder. He is close to maxed out physically which limits his upside. Ideally, he is a solid #2 hitter with 10-15 HR power and a batting average that hovers around .300. Watch his doubles totals this season, if he cracks more than 30, there is a good chance that he could produce the kind of pop that belies his size. He was able to do this as a prep player, but wooden bats seem to weed out the pretenders from the contenders.
