Notes of spring: Robles, Fedde should impact Nationals’ plans again in 2018
By Sam Dykstra/MiLB.com
WEST PALM BEACH, Florida — It’s a year to go all-in in the nation’s capital.
Nationals stars Bryce Harper and Daniel Murphy are set to become free agents after the 2018 season, and Anthony Rendon will do the same after 2019. Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg are both locked into long-term deals and coming off some of the best seasons of their respective careers, but Washington won’t want to let their peaks go for naught. The Nationals’ window is open, but after falling out of the National League playoffs in the Division Series for the fourth time in six seasons last year, the organization may want all hands on deck in D.C. this summer.
That could be good news for two of the Nationals’ top prospects.
Victor Robles and Erick Fedde are both slated to begin 2018 at Triple-A Syracuse after spending at least part of last season in the Major Leagues, and with Washington expected to make another big push this season, they could be back to help the big club this summer.
Robles was aggressively called up to the Majors in early September after starting his age-20 season at Class A Advanced Potomac and getting only 37 games at Double-A Harrisburg. But MLB.com’s No. 6 overall prospect showed an impressive glove in the outfield, making a few outstanding catches, and plus-plus speed during his short stint in the Majors. That skill set allowed him to make the playoff roster before heading to the Arizona Fall League.
The Nats haven’t been shy about keeping Robles around again this spring. He’s starting in center field and batting seventh in Thursday’s game against the Astros, marking the 17th time he’ll appear in a Grapefruit League game this spring, his first on the 40-man roster. That experience has been bolstered by the fact that expected starters Michael A. Taylor and Adam Eaton are missing time with injuries. Both are expected back by Opening Day. But Robles is also one of the toolsiest prospects in baseball, and it makes sense that Nationals Major League brass, headed by new manager Dave Martinez, want to give him a long look.
“Obviously, a super athletic center fielder with a ceiling to be an impact player all over the field,” said Nationals director of player development Mark Scialabba. “He’s got Gold Glove-type actions in center, a very consistent swing and bat-to-ball skills that will hopefully have him hit at the top of the lineup for a long time. At this point in his development, he hasn’t had a full year of development at Double-A or Triple-A, so better exposure to breaking balls, having consistency from at-bat to at-bat, having discipline as a hitter, I think some of those are what we’ll see offensively. … That’s part of the developmental process for a young hitter. That’ll certainly happen somewhere. We’ll see where that is, but it’s a good thing that young hitters are developing so quickly and you want so much out of them that you have to remember it’s a difficult process. He’s a special talent that will hopefully get more time to develop into what he can be.”
The next part of Robles’ game that could take a jump in 2018 is his power. The right-handed hitter eclipsed double-digits in home runs for the first time in 2017 with 10 in 114 Minor League games. That might not sound like much, but he showed good pop to the corners with 37 doubles and 10 triples as well. The Nats are telling Robles to just focus on his overall hit tool for now, but Scialabba said the organization could ask him to add leverage to his swing when they feel he’s ready to really tap into his power.
“It’s something we know he has the chance to develop,” said the exec.
Fedde may not be as hyped as Robles, but the Nationals’ No. 4 prospect could make as big an impact in the big leagues in 2018.
The 2014 first-rounder began last season as a starter at Double-A Harrisburg but was shifted to the bullpen to hasten his road to the Majors in an organization that boasted Scherzer, Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez and Tanner Roark. Though there were signs of solid performance that continued after a promotion to Triple-A Syracuse, the right-hander went back to a starting role in early July. It was as a starter that Fedde eventually made the jump to the Majors, but the results weren’t pretty in three spot starts in which he allowed 16 earned runs in 15 1/3 innings. In early September, Fedde went on the 60-day disabled list with a right forearm flexor strain.
Now fully healthy, the UNLV product has made four appearances this spring and should expect to be a rotation candidate again early in 2018, if not right away.
“Spring’s been great,” he said. “I feel healthy, I feel fresh. I love being a starter. It’s for sure what I prefer to do, so I’m excited to get back stretched out and go out to battle for six, seven innings.”
Despite the rough results in the Majors, the Nats remain optimistic that Fedde has the toolset to bring that career ERA to a much more comfortable level.
“He’s got a great arm,” Scialabba said. “He’s got four pitches that he can throw in the strike zone. He’s got plus pitches in the fastball and slider. The changeup’s becoming a weapon as well. He’s going to continue to develop that more. The curveball is something he can use to get over for a strike and develop his repertoire. Really though, it’s him learning how to pitch and commanding the fastball and just gaining more reps, setting up hitters, learning swings and working with the catching staff. He’ll continue to develop and be a big part of the future in our rotation.”
That last statement would seem to close the door on the Fedde bullpen experiment, but the pitcher himself said he’d be open to trying again should the Nats need him to in their chase for their fifth NL East division title in seven seasons.
“One-hundred percent,” he said. “I would do anything to pitch in the big leagues. Everyone knows this team is pretty special. Wherever they need be, I’d be happy to fill that role.”
Scialabba was much more curt. There’s one role and one role only for Fedde at this time.
“He’s a starter,” he said.
MORE NOTES FROM NATIONALS CAMP
— The Nationals will face Astros prospects Thursday on the backfields of FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. It’ll be the first time this spring that Nats Minor Leaguers will compete against some other than themselves in intrasquad games.
— Scialabba declined comment on No. 5 prospect Seth Romero’s situation and said general manager Mike Rizzo would be dealing with that. Romero was sent home from camp early last week for violating undisclosed team rules and was still not back with the club Thursday. Rizzo told reporters on the Major League side, including MLB.com’s Jamal Collier, that Romero “has to prove he has earned the chance before he’s invited back.” The 21-year-old left-hander was kicked off the team at the University of Houston a year ago because of rules violations before being taken 25th overall in the 2017 Draft.
— The Nationals director of player development noted that Nos. 5 and 6 prospects Luis Garcia and Yasel Antuna have enjoyed impressive springs. The infielders, who both saw time at shortstop in the Gulf Coast League last summer, have the potential to be above-average hitters with impressive speed and could head to full-season Class A Hagerstown to start the year.
