AFL Update: Nats' Skole, Goodwin tearing up
The Washington Nationals have 8 prospects playing in the prospect driven Arizona Fall League. They have 4 fielders and 4 pitchers assigned to the Salt River Rafters. The Rafters sit atop their division at 11-7, a .5 games lead over Scottsdale. So how are the Nats prospects faring?
3B Matthew Skole: Skole is tearing up the AFL, collecting 13 hits in 38 plate appearances for a healthy .342 batting average. Of his 13 hits, Skole has 3 doubles and 2 home runs. He has driven in 7 runs and scored 6. Skole has a .579 slugging percentage and a .468 on base percentage. Skole, a 5th round pick in the 2011 MLB Draft, had a fantastic season at Low A Hagerstown. In 101 games, Skole batted .286 with 27 home runs and 92 RBI. He was promoted to Potomac late in the season. He played in 18 games and batted .314. Overall on the season, Skole batted .291 with 27 homers and 102 RBI. He finished with a combined .559 slugging percentage and a .439 on base percentage.
OF Brian Goodwin. The Nats drafted Goodwin in the second round of the 2011 MLB Draft. Drafted to be a future center fielder, a position of need for the Nationals, Goodwin could be on the fast track to Washington. In 12 games at the AFL, Goodwin is batting .313 and has 15 hits in 48 at bats. 9 of his 14 hits are for extra bases, collecting 4 doubles, 3 triples, and 3 home runs. Goodwin has score 11 runs, driven in 4 runs, and has a whopping .667 slugging percentage with a .400 on base percentage. Goodwin started the 2012 season off injured. He was assigned to Hagerstown and in 58 games, he batted .324 with 18 doubles, a triple, and 9 home runs. Goodwin posted a .438 on base percentage and a .542 slugging percentage. He was promoted to AA Harrisburg and batted .223 in 166 at bats. He added 8 doubles, a triple, and 5 homers. Combined for the season, Goodwin batted .280 with 26 doubles, 2 triples, and 14 home runs.
3B Anthony Rendon. Rendon was the Nationals 2011 MLB Draft top pick. He spent much of the 2012 season injured. In the AFL, Rendon has appeared in 13 games and is 13 for 38 with a batting average of .271. Rendon has added 5 doubles. He has scored 8 runs and driven in 6.
IF Jason Martinson: Martinson has got off to a cold start in the AFL collecting just 2 hits in 22 plate appearances. Martinson was one of the most explosive players in the Nationals system last season. Splitting the season between Hagerstown and Potomac, Martinson batted .245, but added 22 homes runs, 106 RBI and scored a whopping 123 runs.
The Pitchers:
Ryan Perry: Perry has made 4 starts in the AFL and is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA. In 14 innings, he has allowed 7 runs on 9 hits, 4 walks, and 12 strikeouts. He has a WHIP of 0.93.
Paul Demny: Demny has appeared in 6 bullpen appearances and has allowed 3 runs over 8.2 innings for a 3.12 ERA. He has allowed 9 hits, 8 walks and has fanned 5 batters. Demny appeared in 28 games and made 23 starts for AA Harrisburg. He finished 6-8 with a 5.46 ERA. In 123.2 innings, he allowed 61 walks while striking out 97.
Aaron Barrett: Barrett has appeared in 6 games and allowed 2 runs in 7 innings for a 2.57 ERA. He has allowed 11 hits, only 1 walk, while fanning 6. Barrett posted a nice season Between Hagerstown and Potomac. In 42 appearances, Barrett posted a 3-2 record with 17 saves. Combined for the season, Barrett had an ERA of 2.09. In 51.2 innings, Barrett only permitted 14 walks while striking out 73.
Cole Kimball: Kimball was a promising prospect to make the Nats roster last season before undergoing shoulder surgery. He only appeared in 5.2 innings last season. In the AFL, Kimball has appeared in 6 games and has a 3.18 ERA, allowing 2 runs over 5.2 innings.
