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Associated Press Anthony Rendon should be rated the Nationals' top prospect entering 2013. |
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UPDATE AT 11:30 A.M. -- Baseball America's 2013 top prospects list is now out. The Nats' top 10: Anthony Rendon, Lucas Giolito, Brian Goodwin, Matt Skole, Nathan Karns, Christian Garcia, Eury Perez, Sammy Solis, Matt Purke, Zach Walters.
Here's a link to their full story, though you'll need to be a subscriber to access the full scouting reports on each player.]
It was roughly one year ago when Baseball America deemed the Nationals' farm system as the sport's preeminent assemblage of talent. For Mike Rizzo and his team of scouts and instructors, who for years had worked to rebuild a tattered system, it was the highest praise possible.
Later today, Baseball America will unveil its top 10 list of Nationals prospects for 2013, a list that won't be nearly as deep in talent as last year's was, certainly nowhere close to retaining the crown as the best farm system in baseball.
The Nationals aren't to blame for this drop-off. There are two perfectly good reasons for it: 1) Bryce Harper, Steve Lombardozzi and Tyler Moore are now established big leaguers and no longer considered prospects, and 2) a host of top prospects has since been traded away to acquire more established big leaguers who are
