The Suns finished second in the South Atlantic League overall,but the 2017 season will be most remembered by Suns fans for entering Kannapolis North Carolina with a two-game lead over the Intimidators with less than a week to go in the season, only to lose four games in two days and watch Kannapolis win the first half.
Next to the Bryce Harper-led collapse when the Suns lost a four-game lead with a week to play, this was the biggest late half swoon in the Suns' history.
Hagerstown's hitters were the strength of its ballclub and when I write about the pitchers that will be even clearer, but the Suns do have some interesting prospects that I really liked and will be worth following in the future.
The top prospect of all played in just 23 games, but his bat was so impressive that I think he might have the type of bat that changes franchises in 18-year-old Juan Soto.
Soto was cruising through the SAL (.360,3 HR 14 RBI) when sliding into home plate, Soto injured his ankle and it essentially finished his season, although he did get a few at-bats in the Gulf Coast League.
Soto would have likely been promoted to Potomac in midseason, had he continued at his pace at the plate.
Soto's bat ranks with the best I've seen in Hagerstown and I'm extremely high on him to hit for average and power as he rises.
He's not perfect, he's not exactly fast and defensively, he's not going to remind anyone of a Gold Glove defender, but what a bat.
Two stories on Soto from a member of the Nationals organization that I won't name.
I was talking to this person and they asked me "What do you think of Soto"?
I responded that I was there the night that he got hurt, but before then I was very impressed.
"He's the best young hitter I've ever seen".
Really, even better than Harper?
"Oh yes, definitely"
A different conversation with the same person talking about Victor Robles, a former Sun and currently making an MLB cameo, after a discussion about Robles...
How does he compare to Soto?
"No comparison"
In what way?
"No comparison, it's not even close, Soto's much better".
Highly touted prospects have failed before and they will fail again, but Juan Soto has the potential to have Nats fans, not miss Bryce Harper, should he leave after 2018-he has the potential to be that good.
Soto may return to Hagerstown since he played so few games, but it would not surprise me if they challenged him with an assignment to High-A Potomac since he dominated the SAL in his brief stint.
2016 first round shortstop Carter Kieboom also impressed as he fought through injuries that cost him much of the middle of the season.
Kieboom's 297/6/26 earned him a spot on the SAL all-star team before the injury and he would have likely been promoted to Potomac without the injury.
I can see Kieboom having a chance to develop 20 homer power with a high average and I would bet that he could switch to either second or third if the situation required it.
I still wonder about contact at higher levels (40 K's in 179 at-bats), but we'll see how that plays out.
Defensively, Kieboom needs some work, but he's not a sieve at short and I think he has a shot at staying there, which often isn't the case for such prospects.
Kieboom almost definitely will be assigned to Potomac.
The surprise star of the season was outfielder Daniel "D.J." Johnson, a fifth-round pick in 2016 out of New Mexico State,
Johnson hit .300 in Hagerstown with 17 homers to go with 12 steals in 88 games before a promotion to Potomac saw Johnson produce similar numbers in Woodbridge.
The surprise was the increase in power as Johnson had hit just one in 2016 in Auburn, which makes one wonder-was this power an aberration (remember Bryan Meija for one example) that won't be repeated?
In any case, Johnson strikes out a bit too much (100 between the two levels) but puts the ball in play to go with good speed and it'll be interesting to see just how highly the Nationals value Johnson.
If Washington assigns Victor Robles to start next season with AAA Syracuse, they could start Johnson with AA Harrisburg...
Sheldon Neuse looked like another college bat that would be starting lower than he should when he became a Sun.
The second rounder from Oklahoma hit well, but not outstanding in Hagerstown hitting .291 with 9 homers and 51 RBI as he spent time playing both second and third base.
Neuse was then traded to the Oakland Athletics in a trade that netted the Nats Sean Doolittle for their bullpen and with Oakland assigning him to their High-A affiliate in Stockton caught fire.
Neuse hit .386 with seven homers in only 22 games in Stockton before being promoted to AA Midland (and joined another former Sun Max Schrock) and smacked out a .373 average in 18 games there.
Neuse is being played at third base full-time in the A's system and profiles best there.
Neuse's glove is a question mark, but I think at worst he profiles having a chance to be a bat-first utility player.
Neuse is likely to start at AA Midland in 2018, but since Oakland clearly has him on the fast track, has a small chance of beginning with AAA Nashville.
Tres Barrera is an interesting catcher with intriguing numbers.
The Nationals have usually made some head-scratching decisions with their catchers as far as playing time goes and this season was no exception with Barrera hitting .278 with 8 homers in 67 games as the Suns used five different catchers.
Of the five, I liked Barrera the best (liked the 18 doubles) and although he was a little old for the level (23), I'll be interested in seeing his 2018.
Considering his age, I'd figure he'd start in Potomac, but don't rule out a Hagerstown return.
The Nationals like to have catchers that were the backup (Barrera played the most games, but when Jakson Reetz was around, Reetz played more) in Hagerstown return as the starter the following year.
Jakson Reetz returned for a second year in Hagerstown and received most of the playing time after he arrived in early May.
Unfortunately, Reetz's stat line didn't improve any from 2016 and his numbers in Hagerstown in 37 games (.238/2/11) were almost identical to his numbers after a surprising (by the numbers) callup to High-A (.236/2/11) that was forced by injuries that trickled down through the system.
Reetz turns 22 in January, but at this point has to be considered a disappointment after a large bonus out of high school as a third rounder in 2014.
Reetz will be back with Potomac for 2018.
Telmito Agustin was a player that I liked last season with the Suns after an interesting half season in 2016 and he improved on those numbers in 2017 (.277/9/37) in his return.
Agustin's return came after a slow start to the season in 33 games with Potomac, so the rebound was something to watch how Agustin handled adversity.
I like Agustin's tools a lot, but there are questions to be answered- contact (74 K's in 80 games), speed (he has plus speed, but stole just nine bases) and a slight build that might be an issue in staying healthy.
Even so, he played the season at 20 and I still consider him a prospect to keep tabs on.
Jake Noll hit 16 homers in his 400 at-bats and led the team in RBI with 67 before an August promotion to Potomac.
Noll was solid, but not outstanding and again as a college product (Florida Gulf Coast) was old for the level (23) before struggling in his Potomac cameo.
Noll might wind up being an AA hired gun in the long term, but in the short term will return to Potomac where again, he's a little old for the level, but will provide some power for the P-Nats.
Venezuelan first baseman Aldrem Corredor made the SAL all-star team with a strong first two months (.308) but fell off dramatically thereafter finishing at .261 with just one homer (of five) after June.
Between that drop in production and striking out over 100 times, there are red flags for Corredor as I wonder which player is actually Corredor.
He'll be 22 next season in Potomac...
Former second-rounder Blake Perkins had some encouraging notes in Hagerstown in 2017.
Perkins improved his average 22 points over his average at Auburn in 2016, showed increased power with eight homers, stole 31 bases and covers a ton of ground in the outfield.
Perkins looks the part athletically and boosted his numbers, so what's not to like?
A team-high 118 strikeouts and the boosted average still resided at a pedestrian .255, so despite the tools, Perkins has some ground to make up,but he played the season at 20, so if he can make a similar jump in production next season and get a better grasp of the strike zone (as in what he swings at), Perkins still has a chance.
I think he'll move to Potomac, but I'd consider trying to boost his confidence with a Hagerstown return and hopefully in a month, he'll be ready for High-A.
Nick Banks was a little disappointing with a .252/7/58 on the season, which was decent, but with a pedigree from Texas A&M, I expected a little more.
Banks reminded me a little of a less dynamic Andrew Stevenson and might be one of those guys that hit better as he rises through the system.
Banks will be at High-A Potomac in 2018.
Anderson Franco struggled much of the season, but was young for the level (turned 20 in August) and showed power with 11 homers.
The rangy 6'3 third baseman struggled to stay above the Mendoza line before finishing at .201 in his first full season of baseball.
Franco had issues with the glove (24 errors) and contact with the bat (100 whiffs), but consider the age factor and initial season in non-complex ball (only 11 games in Auburn in 2016) before giving up on the power with the 11 homers and 23 doubles.
I'd bring Franco back to Hagerstown...
The remainder of the position players either I don't list as prospects due to struggles or small sample size.
Three catchers each saw limited action.
Jorge Tillero returned for ten games and 38 at-bats in which he hit .421 and was rewarded with a move to the restricted list after Jakson Reetz returned from injury.
Tillero was later released.
26-year-old Adderling Ruiz is simply a backup mitt and when he played, it showed as one game it seemed like the backstop wore a glove rather than Ruiz.
Matt Reistetter caught eleven games after being dropped from Potomac when Barrera and Reetz were out of the lineup.
The good? Reistetter hit two homers in those games
The bad? Reistetter had only three other hits.
He might stick around if one of the teams needs a backup mitt, but at 25 has become an organizational soldier.
21-year-old outfielder Oliver Ortiz (that's four words in a row that started with O) hit well in Auburn, but couldn't top the Mendoza line in Hagerstown hitting .199 in 41 games.
Ortiz did finish with ten extra-base hits (4 homers) in his 136 at bats, so I suppose I'm not quite ready to throw him on the scrap heap, but with 41 strikeouts, Ortiz will need a fast start in Hagerstown next season...
Branden Boggetto hit over .300 in Auburn and came to Hagerstown for the final 15 games of the season.
Small sample size, so hard to grade his .231 average.
Boggetto turns 24 before 2018 begins, so if the Nationals like him as a prospect, they'll start him at Potomac...
Angelo LaBruna hit a David Masters like .218 with no punch (0 homers in 248 at-bats), but can play all four infield spots in a pinch, always hustles and is one of those "locker room guys".
I can see LaBruna in Potomac (they did move David Masters there as a similar player), back in Hagerstown or even start in the real world to make money if Angelo wishes.
2016 college draftees Tyler Beckwith (.218, 2 homers with the Suns in 30 games) and Paul Panaccione ( .202, 2 homers in 33 Hagerstown games) are cut from the same mold- light hitting can play multiple positions and scrappy play that fans like.
If one or the other has an edge to stick around, it might be Beckwith, a local product from Mt.Airy MD.
Hope you enjoyed the look at the Suns position players and gave you food for thought.
With football coming up over the weekend, I would guess the pitchers will be sometime in the early to middle part of next week...
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