The Washington Nationals keep sending prospects up the ladder, and Jarlin Susana is the latest name to join the climb.
The right-hander has been bumped to Triple-A Rochester after an impressive stretch in limited action this season, according to MiLB Central. Rochester still has six games left after the Double-A season wrapped up on Sunday following a rain out that affected Connelly Early’s scheduled rehab outing, so Susana could get his first shot at the level before the year ends.
That first Triple-A appearance would be a new checkpoint for the 22-year-old, who has spent much of the year working his way back from lat surgery. He returned to the mound recently and made enough of an impression to earn the promotion.
Susana’s path to this point has been interrupted more than once. He was tracking toward Triple-A last season before an elbow issue in May knocked him out for two months. After a long rehab assignment in High-A, he managed less than a month back in Double-A before the injury that eventually led to surgery.
Even with the setbacks, the organization clearly views this as a meaningful step. Susana has the kind of electric profile that can play in different roles down the line, whether as a power starter with big-time stuff or as a bullpen weapon who develops into a closer. However it shakes out, he is now just one level away from the majors, which matters for a Nationals pitching staff that still has plenty of openings.
There’s also a good chance he opens next season back in Rochester if he stays healthy.
The raw stuff has never been the question. In Double-A, Susana piled up 100 strikeouts in 15 starts over 58 2/3 innings, even as he continued to work on limiting runs. That strikeout punch is exactly why Triple-A should be a useful next test, and why the Nationals can start thinking seriously about what comes next.
For a franchise that has dealt with too many rough nights on the mound, Susana is part of the new wave trying to change that picture. With this promotion, he’s moved another step closer to making that happen.
In Other News...
Nationals Face A Winter Debate Their Young Lineup Just Created
James Woods reaction to the Nationals trade-deadline selloff landed as a reminder of where this rebuild stands now: firmly in the long view, with young players increasingly driving the conversation. Washington has built real offensive depth, with several promising bats giving the lineup a more stable foundation than it had a year ago. Even with the deadline moves clearing the way for a slower climb, the clubs message has stayed consistent under Paul Toboni - this is about constructing something sustainable, not forcing a shortcut back into the race.
The harder part of that vision is what comes next, because young talent can make the future look brighter without solving every current problem. The Nationals know the bullpen still remains an issue, which is why the winter figures to bring a different kind of debate than the one they had at the deadline. With the lineup now showing signs of life and the front office committed to patience, the question is how aggressively Washington should try to support the core it has already started to assemble. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Suddenly Face A Tough Call On Connelly Early
A rainout has left the Nationals sorting through the next step for Connelly Early, whose scheduled Double-A outing disappeared before he could get a real test in game action. Washington wants him to have some kind of mound work before the end of the season, and the options now on the table are a stop in Rochester or a live session in D.C. as the club tries to keep his buildup moving.
The timing is what makes this tricky. Early would need to come off the injured list and get onto the mound quickly if the Nationals want him available before the schedule runs out, and there is not much margin for error with the season winding down. For a team still trying to map out its late-season pitching picture, a missed start has turned into a small but meaningful decision about how soon Early might be ready for the next level. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Prospects Are Starting To Force A Bigger Conversation
Rochesters comeback win over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre offered another reminder that the Nationals upper minors are starting to push more names into the conversation. The Red Wings dug out of a 6-0 hole and finished off a 7-6 victory, with Riley Adams coming through on the go-ahead RBI single and Chandler Champlain working the start while giving up four runs on six hits over four innings.
Harrisburg added to the buzz with a 9-3 win over New Hampshire, powered by four home runs and strong showings from Jarlin Susana and Luke Young. Between the results in Triple-A and Double-A, theres a growing sense that Washington has more depth moving through the system than it did a year ago, even if the next wave is still sorting out exactly who will force the clubs hand first. [Read more 🡒]