Nationals Farm Authority

Confirming news reported by NationalsProspects.com, RHRP Adam Carr has been promoted from Harrisburg to Syracuse. Additionally …

Today RHP Adam Carr has been promoted to Syracuse (AAA) and RHP Brad Peacock and INF Josh Johnson have been promoted to Harrisburg from Potomac.

UPDATE: The backfill is known, Hagerstown MIF Francisco Soriano has been promoted to Potomac and RHP Jimmy Barthmaier has been moved from his rehab in the GCL to Potomac

UPDATE 2: The Hagerstown Suns announced their roster for game one of their doubleheader and 2010 3rd round draft pick Rick Hague is starting at DH. He joins the Suns from the GCL.

As reported in Across the Affiliates this morning, Vermont SS/3B Stephen King has been promoted from Vermont to Hagerstown. It appears that King will be replacing SS/3B Steve Souza who reportedly broke his thumb over the weekend.

Additionally, OF Rick Hughes was sent to the GCL from Vermont

This morning for the GCL Nationals as the DH

Stephen from Space Coast Baseball is back at it again. Click here to see some video highlights of the GCL Nats opener against the GCL Cardinals.

MiLB.com has updated the Nationals’ Gulf Coast League roster. I’m working on updating the Draft Track & Big Board.

Minor League Coordinators

• Field Coordinator: Bobby Henley (GCL manager in 2009)
• Pitching Coordinator: Spin Williams (returns)
• Hitting Coordinator: Rick Schu (new)
• OF/Baserunning Coordinator: Devon White (returns)
• Infield Coordinator: Jeff Garber (also Vermont manager) [returns]
• Rehab Pitching Coordinator: Mark Grater (returns)
• Strength & Conditioning Coach: Landon Brandes (TBD)

Syracuse

• Manager: Trent Jewett (Potomac manager in 2009)
• Pitching Coach: Greg Booker (was scout for Rockies in 2009; previously coach with Indians, Rockies & Padres)
• Hitting Coach: Jerry Browne (Potomac hitting coach in 2009)
• Trainer: Beth Jarrett (returns)

Harrisburg

• Manager: Randy Knorr (Nationals bullpen coach in 2009)
• Pitching Coach: Randy Tomlin (returns)
• Hitting Coach: Troy Gingrich (returns)
• Trainer: Atsushi Toriida (returns)

Potomac

• Manager: Gary Cathcart (coach/manager in Blue Jays organization)
• Pitching Coach: Paul Menhart (returns)
• Hitting Coach: Matt Nokes (new)
• Trainer: Jeff Allred (TBD)

Hagerstown

• Manager: Matt LeCroy (returns)
• Pitching Coach: Chris Michalak (new)
• Hitting Coach: Tony Tarasco (returns)
• Trainer: Alan Wood (TBD)

Vermont

• Manager: Jeff Garber
• Pitching Coach: Franklin Bravo
• Hitting Coach: Paul Sanagorski
• Trainer: Jon Kotredes

GCL

• Manager: Bobby Williams
• Pitching Coach: Joel Sanchez
• Hitting Coach: Sergio Mendez/John Poppert
• Trainer: Wilkin Perez

I have once again updated my best guess of the Nationals hierarchy. There are still some unknown players in the chart (my pet rock of an overseer of the Pacific Rim a prime example).

The next step we have is the announcing of the coaching staffs. To date we have …

Washington

• Manager: Jim Riggleman (returning, had interim tag removed)
• Bench Coach: John McLaren (replaces Pat Corrales)
• Hitting Coach: Rick Eckstein (returning)
• Pitching Coach: Steve McCatty (returning)
• First Base Coach: TBD (replaces Marquis Grisson)
• Third Base Coach: Pat Listach (returning)
• Bullpen Coach: TBD (replaces Randy Knorr)

Overall Minor Leagues

• Minor League Pitching Coordinator: Spin Williams (returning)
• Minor League Hitting Coordinator: Rick Schu (replaces Ralph Dickenson)
• Minor League Field Coordinator: Bobby Henley

Syracuse

• Manager: Trent Jewett (replaces Tim Foli; Jewett was Potomac manager in 2009)
• Hitting Coach: TBD (replaces Darnell Coles)
• Pitching Coach: TBD (replaces Rich Gale)
• John Poppert served as the bullpen coach in 2009, no idea if this role will be retained

Harrisburg

• Manager: Randy Knorr (replaces John Stearns)
• Hitting Coach: TBD (Troy Gingrich in 2009)
• Pitching Coach: Randy Tomlin (returning)

Potomac

• Manager: TBD (replaces Jewett)
• Hitting Coach: TBD (Jerry Browne in 2009)
• Pitching Coach: TBD (Paul Menhart in 2009)

Hagerstown

• Manager: TBD (Matt LeCroy in 2009)
• Hitting Coach: TBD (Tony Tarasco in 2009)
• Pitching Coach: TBD (Franklyn Bravo in 2009)

Vermont

• Manager: TBD (Jeff Garber in 2009)
• Hitting Coach: TBD (Sergio Mendez in 2009)
• Pitching Coach: TBD (Mark Grater in 2009)

GCL

• Manager: TBD (replaces Bobby Henley)
• Hitting Coach: TBD (Paul Sanagorski in 2009)
• Pitching Coach: TBD (Joel Sanchez in 2009)
• Cesar Cedeno was a coach in the GCL in 2009, no word if this position will be refilled

DSL

• Manager: TBD (Juan Bernhardt in 2009)
• Hitting Coach: TBD
• Pitching Coach: TBD

MiLB.com has the news today that Topps and MiLB named their top players for each league and the Nationals had one representative and one huge omission (in my opinion).

OF Eury Perez was named the top player for the Gulf Coast League. The 19-year old Perez led the GCL with a 0.381 BA during a breakout season that saw him hit 381/443/503 with 18/24 SB. He’s one of the more promising bats in the Nationals organization.

More surprising was the lack of a Nationals prospect.

Topps and MiLB named Rockies CA Jordan Pacheco the top player in the South Atlantic League, overlooking Nationals CA Derek Norris. I’m puzzled at this choice because here are Norris’ rankings in the various Sally offensive categories:

• BA: 17th
• OBP: 1st
• SLG: 5th
• H: 13th
• R: 4th
• RBI: 4th
• 2B: 10th (T)
• HR: 2nd

Here are their numbers side by side (or top and botom):

From what I can gather, I believe Pacheco is considered a better defender behind the plate, Pacheco was named the Sally League Most Valuable Player but Norris earned the title of Most Outstanding MLB prospect.

The thing that stood out most to me is their respective ages. Norris played at 20 while Pacheco was 23.

I would be interested to know the criteria used to make the ultimate decision.

Baseball America has begun to release their listing of league top 20s with the Gulf Coast League and the Nationals have two, #8 is OF Destin Hood and #14 is OF Eury Perez.

Here are a couple of highlights:

• Hood … “has tremendous bat speed, giving him above-average raw power, and he has adopted a more balanced approach after getting out on his front too often in his pro debut”
• Perez … “fits the profile of a leadoff man with his plus-plus speed and ability to make contact”

Hat tip to Space Coast Baseball