To find any ray of light during a painful season, the Nationals often look toward their farm system. But fans hoping for a slew of top prospects to ascend to Nationals Park soon may be disappointed.
Baseball America’s midseason ranking of the game’s top 50 minor leaguers yielded just one Washington player: Derek Norris, a 20-year-old catcher who has dominated the low-A South Atlantic League with Hagerstown — 75 miles and four levels away from the District.
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Norris leads the league in homers (21), OPS (1.008) and RBI (66). But his defense, according to scouts, is still a work-in-progress. No matter. His bat is so advanced the Nats are expected to promote Norris to high-A Potomac soon.
There, he will join a promising group that includes first baseman Chris Marrero, 21, outfielder Michael Burgess, 20, and shortstop Dan Espinosa, 22. Marrero has a .293 average with 12 homers. Burgess, while batting just .238 with recurring strikeout issues (90), is also second in the Carolina League in homers (16) and sixth in RBI (52). Espinosa has a good on-base percentage (.365) and has shown some power in his first pro season (9 HR, 22 doubles).
Triple-A Syracuse has right-handed pitchers Collin Balester, 23, Ross Detwiler, 23, and Shairon Martis, 22, in its rotation. All three players have spent time in Washington over the last 12 months — but each still has work to do to stick in the big leagues. Outfielder Elijah Dukes, 25, is also simmering at Syracuse after his demotion last month. But his swing is quickly coming back (9-for-26, .346, four doubles, HR).
Double-A Harrisburg shortstop Ian Desmond, 23, is off to a good start after missing much of the first half with an injured wrist (.306, 6 HR).
Meanwhile, left-handed pitcher Jack McGeary was battered in 13 starts at Hagerstown (6.79 ERA), but has found a groove in four starts since a demotion to short-season A Vermont (1.27 ERA).
