Washington Nationals Farm Report - August 2024

The Wilmington Blue Rocks started August just above .500 with a second-half record of 16-15. With their current spot in the South Atlantic League North, the Blue Rocks are very much in the position to make a postseason run, but how are the other teams within the Washington Nationals’ organization doing heading into the final stretch of the season?

Rochester Red Wings (AAA)

The Rochester Red Wings, the Nationals’ Triple-A affiliate, are well above .500 and in the running for the top spot in the International League East.

In July, Travis Blankenhorn led the team in nearly all aspects of offense with 16 runs, 24 hits, eight home runs, and 18 RBIs. The outfielder was called up to the majors on July 30, meaning that the rest of the Red Wings players, who were also hot in July, will have to carry their hot bats into August.

Stone Garrett was the most dependable hitter for the Red Wings last month with .370 average and 1.489 OPS. Drew Millas, Darren Baker and Alex Call, who is also up in the majors, did well in July. Aside from Blankenhorn, Millas led in runs with 13, Baker with 22 hits, and Call with 12 RBIs.

Brad Lord, who began the season with the Blue Rocks, continues to be a valuable member of the Red Wings. In five starts and 25.2 total innings, he recorded 26 strikeouts and a 3.86 ERA in July.

Harrisburg Senators (AA)

Despite finishing the first half of the season seven games over .500, the Harrisburg Senators are struggling in the latter half of the year. The Nationals’ AA affiliate is last in the Eastern League Southwest and well below .500.

Even though they’ve been unable to record the wins they’ve been looking for the last couple of months, multiple members of the Senators have put on shows worth noting.

After spending the first part of the season in High-A with the Blue Rocks, Daylen Lile is now one of the Senators’ leading offensive players. The center fielder led the team with ten runs, 21 hits, four stolen bases, a .263 average, and a .731 OPS in July.

Andrew Pinckney has been the Senators’ most consistently productive bat since April. He took charge of the offense last month after Dylan Crews and Brady House were called to Triple-A, and led the Senators with 12 RBIs last month.

In the bullpen, Marquis Grissom Jr, who spent the start of the season in Wilmington, has been a huge asset to the Senators. The right-handed reliever boasts a 0.00 ERA through a total of nine innings pitched in July. Similarly, former Blue Rock and right-handed reliever Carlos Romero finished July with a 1.08 ERA, one win, and two saves through 8.1 innings.

Fredericksburg Nationals (A)

The Fredericksburg Nationals have continued to dominate the Carolina League North in the second half of the season with a record well above .500.

Elijah Green, one of the top prospects in Fredericksburg, continues to produce a large portion of the team’s offense. In July, he led the team with ten runs, three home runs, 13 RBIs, and a .862 OPS. Throughout the season, he leads Fredericksburg in multiple offensive categories including runs (57) and home runs (11).

Shortstop Everett Cooper and outfielder Brandon Pimentel also put a lot of offense on the board for the Nationals this July. Cooper led with 18 hits, six doubles, and a .300 batting average, while Pimentel recorded 17 hits, 12 RBIs, and a .258 batting average.

Travis Sthele and Marc Davis were reliable pitchers in Fredericksburg throughout the month of July. Sthele finished the month with a .86 ERA and a 3-0 record through 21 innings pitched, while Davis, now in High-A, recorded a .45 ERA and 3-0 record in July.

As the season comes to a close, the members of the Washington Nationals minor league affiliates are giving it all they’ve got.