The Nationals’ minor-league system certainly looks more flush than it did at this time last year. With top draft picks Stephen Strasburg and Drew Storen on board, the club can put together a top 10 list with a decent number of legitimate major-league prospects. One of them is SS Ian Desmond, who is now in his sixth pro season since the Nats drafted him out of high school in 2004. Still just 23 – for a few more days at least – Desmond was slowly slipping off the prospect radar. But despite missing a month early in the season with a wrist injury, he has rebounded and put himself in contention for a big-league spot next season.
Desmond hit .354 in 178 at-bats at Triple-A Syracuse. He also posted a nice average (.306) at Double-A Harrisburg in 170 at-bats earlier in 2009. Desmond has excellent range and a strong arm at SS. But he’s also made 28 errors combined in 97 minor-league games. That’s unacceptable for a potential major-league shortstop – especially one with the tools to be a good defensive player. Then again – no one said Desmond was a finished product. The Nats will get a better idea of what they have when Desmond makes his major-league debut tonight in the series finale against the Phillies.
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Manager Jim Riggleman has said repeatedly that he will not play bench players or young prospects down the stretch just to play them. He feels it hurst the competitive balance of the sport. But Riggleman likely will make an exception for Desmond – a young player the Nats want to evaluate and someone who can give hobbled shortstop Cristian Guzman (foot) a break. The lineups from Nationals Park as Washington tries to avoid the sweep and the rainy weather on the way…
Phillies:
Rollins – SS Victorino – CF
Utley – 2B
Howard – 1B
Ibanez – LF
Werth – RF
Feliz – 3B
Ruiz – C
Blanton – P
Nationals:
Harris – CF Orr – 2B
Zimmerman – 3B
Dunn – 1B
Willingham – LF
Dukes – RF
Desmond – SS
Nieves – C
Hernandez – P
