⚾️⚾️ The Morning Briefing: Day three of the draft is complete
Good Morning Washington Nationals Fan,
Here are the latest headlines and analyses around the Washington Nationals and Major League Baseball for today, July 12, 2023.
I’d like to thank Richard for covering for me the past few days but don’t worry, I am back! I am Haden Raymer and let’s break down this draft!
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Leading today’s Morning Briefing: Nationals finish up a successful 2023 MLB Draft
All in all, this was an incredible draft for the Nationals. They got the consensus top hitter in the draft in Dylan Crews and got another top college bat in Yohandy Morales on day one.
On day two they got another high-profile player, this time prep pitcher Travis Sykora. They reached on outfielder Andrew Pinckney and shortstop Marcus Brown, but both will be solid depth for the Nats farm system. With their last five picks on day two, the Nats took 2B Gavin Dugas, C Ryan Snell, LHP Jared Simpson, RHP Thomas Schultz, and SS Phillip Glasser.
On day three they continued to add talent, taking RHP Gavin Adams, RHP Travis Sthele, LHP Liam Sullivan, OF Elijah Nunez, RHP Mikey Tepper, RHP Austin Amaral, RHP Merrick Baldo, C Nate Rombach, RHP James Ellwanger, and RHP Isaac Ayon.
Adams was ranked 242nd on MLB’s top 250 draft list and Ellwanger was ranked at 107. There are signability concerns with these two, as Adams was taken out of JUCO and Ellwanger out of HS. But if the Nationals make the money work they will be two more great adds.
From the 1st round to the 20th, the Washington Nationals' 2023 draft class is complete.
— Nats Farm (@NatsFarm)
Jul 11, 2023
Why it matters: Like Rich said yesterday, the Nationals’ farm system was left rather barren after nearly a decade of competing and prospects not panning out as planned. That led to the Nationals having to rebuild. This draft though really puts the Nationals back on track. Dylan Crews immediately slots in as the second-best prospect in the system behind James Wood. Yohandy Morales will be in the middle of the top 10, just behind someone like Robert Hassell III. Travis Syroka is a guy who will be a top-10 prospect in the near future once those soon-to-be big-league-ready prospects, graduate.
If Ellwanger and Adams sign you add even more top-end depth to the system. This draft was legitimately franchise-altering, and we still have a trade deadline where the Nationals can add more talent and another draft next year where the Nationals will still get a player from the top half of the first round.
MLB All-Star Game
The National League won the All-Star game 3-2. Elias Diaz, an unlikely All-Star heading into the season, hit the game-winning two-run home run for the NL in the eighth.
The Nats’ very own Josiah Gray threw a scoreless inning in the third, striking out Rangers’ catcher Jonah Heim.
Dealt in his debut 🃏
@JGrayy_ // #AllStarGame
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals)
Jul 12, 2023
Down on the Farm
All of the Washington Nationals farm teams will return to action this weekend after the All-Star break. Here are this weekend’s matchups.
The Red Wings will have a weekend series in Syracuse against the Mets Triple-A team.
The Harrisburg Senators will kick off their post-All-Star break run with a weekend homestand against the Richmond Flying Squirrels.
The Wilmington Blue Rocks will return from their All-Star break by traveling to Aberdeen, MD to face the Aberdeen IronBirds which is the High-A-affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles.
The FredNats kick off their post-All-Star break with a homestand against Lynchburg Hillcats the Single-A-affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. Could we see some new prospects at this weekend’s games? If so, don’t worry we will have you covered.
