Ranking Nationals' Top 10 Prospects After the 2013 Minor League Season

While the MLB season is heading down the home stretch, the minor league season has already crossed the finish line.  

Four of the Nationals' six minor league affiliates made their respective playoffs, with three of these teams advancing to their league championship series and one of these teams winning their league title. All in all, it was a successful season for the Nationals' farm system. 

But what about the individual prospects? How did they perform this season? And how do the individual performances of the 2013 minor league season affect the rankings of the Nationals' best prospects?  

Here now is a ranking of the Washington Nationals' top 10 prospects after the 2013 minor league season. Each player is listed with the final level he completed during the 2013 minor league season, along with season statistics, a brief analysis and his estimated time of arrival in MLB. 

Note: All statistics courtesy of MiLB.com unless noted otherwise. 

10. CF Billy Burns: Double-A

2013 Stats: 

.315 AVG, .425 OBP, .383 SLG, 12 2B, 9 3B, 37 RBI, 96 R, 74 SB, 7 CS

Overview: 

This speed demon is finally getting noticed. 

Already considered the fastest baserunner in the Nationals' system by Baseball America, Billy Burns was recently named the Minor League Player of the Year in the Nationals' organization. 

Pretty good for a player not listed among the Nationals' top 20 prospects, according to MLB.com. 

MLB ETA:

September 2014

9. SP Matt Purke: Single-A Advanced

2013 Stats: 

18 GS, 6-4, 3.80 ERA, 25 BB, 82 K, 90.0 IP

Overview: 

Matt Purke completed his first full season as a professional in fine form. 

The left-hander began the season with the Single-A Hagerstown Suns on May 27 after recovering from offseason surgery on the shoulder of his throwing arm, according to Byron Kerr of MASNSports.com. Purke was then promoted to the Single-A Advanced Potomac Nationals after making only six starts in Hagerstown. 

Purke showed progress this season, but is still relatively new to professional baseball. He must continue to grow and learn in the minors before receiving his call-up to the Nats. 

MLB ETA: 

September 2015

8. OF Jeff Kobernus: Triple-A

2013 Stats: 

.318 AVG, .366 OBP, .388 SLG, 19 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 36 RBI, 59 R, 42 SB, 9 CS

Overview: 

Jeff Kobernus has moved himself up the organization's outfield depth chart, which remains relatively deep. Holding his own while coming off the Nationals' bench has certainly helped. 

The 25-year-old should receive frequent call-ups again next season, just as he did this year. However, he may once again struggle to find a permanent home with the Nationals.  

MLB ETA: 

May 2014

7. SP Robbie Ray: Double-A

2013 Stats: 

27 GS, 11-5, 3.36 ERA, 62 BB, 160 K, 142.0 IP

Overview: 

Robbie Ray pitched at two different levels this season and excelled at both. 

Ray tied for first in the Carolina League with three complete games, despite making only 16 starts for the Potomac Nationals at Single-A Advanced. 

After being promoted to Double-A, Ray was one of several notable pitching prospects who had a strong campaign for the Harrisburg Senators. Ray threw a complete-game shutout in one of his 11 starts and helped lead the Senators to the Eastern League Championship. 

MLB ETA: 

June 2015

6. SP Nathan Karns: Double-A

2013 Stats: 

23 GS, 10-6, 3.26 ERA, 48 BB, 155 K, 132.2 IP

Overview: 

Nathan Karns may have been only mildly impressive in his short stint with the Nationals this season, but he was a dominant force while pitching for the Double-A Harrisburg Senators. Among Eastern League starters, Karns was tied for first in ERA, first in complete games, second in strikeouts and third in WHIP. 

Despite this performance, Karns may be the odd man out in the battle for the last two spots in the Nationals' rotation during 2014 spring training. Even so, he will definitely be with the club in some capacity next season, quite possibly as a middle reliever. 

MLB ETA: 

April 2014

5. SP Taylor Jordan: Double-A

2013 Stats: 

14 GS, 9-1, 1.00 ERA, 15 BB, 72 K, 90.1 IP

Overview: 

Taylor Jordan was a revelation for the Nationals' organization this season.

Jordan went from the forgotten man among Washington's pitching prospects, to a candidate for the starting rotation in 2014 after an impressive major league call-up, to the Nationals' Minor League Pitcher of The Year. 

All before reaching his inning limit as part of his recovery from Tommy John surgery. Not too shabby. 

MLB ETA: 

April 2014

4. CF Michael Taylor: Single-A Advanced

2013 Stats: 

.263 AVG, .340 OBP, .426 SLG, 41 2B, 6 3B, 10 HR, 87 RBI, 79 R, 51 SB, 7 CS

Overview: 

Michael Taylor did it all for the Potomac Nationals this season, ranking third in the Carolina League in RBI and second in total bases with 217, while also totaling the second-most stolen bases in the league. 

Drafted straight out of high school, Taylor is still only 22 years old. He can continue to season in the minor leagues as he waits his turn to be the next Nationals outfield prospect to make his MLB debut. 

MLB ETA: 

September 2015

3. SP Lucas Giolito: Single-A Short Season

2013 Stats: 

11 GS, 2-1, 1.96 ERA, 14 BB, 39 K, 36.2 IP

Overview: 

Like Matt Purke, Lucas Giolito completed his first full professional season in 2013. But while Purke was good, Giolito was downright sensational. The 19-year-old phenom even earned himself a promotion to Single-A Short Season for three starts after beginning the year in the Rookie League. 

Last July, I wrote that injury was the only obstacle to success for Giolito. His torn Ulnar Collateral Ligament did create quite the obstacle. But Giolito's recovery from Tommy John surgery has been successful so far, and now he is meeting with success. There's plenty more where that came from. 

MLB ETA: 

June 2015

2. CF Brian Goodwin: Double-A

2013 STATS: 

.252 AVG, .355 OBP, .407 SLG, 19 2B, 11 3B, 10 HR, 40 RBI, 82 R

Overview: 

Brian Goodwin adjusted to Double-A while playing 122 games in Harrisburg during the 2013 season after struggling in 42 games there in 2012. The 22-year-old ranked third in the Eastern League in runs and first in triples. 

Goodwin was rated No. 1 among the Nationals' top 20 prospects during the 2013 season, according to MLB.com. However, Goodwin achieved this rank only after Anthony Rendon became ineligible due to prolonged MLB service. After the 2013 season, Goodwin is once again being eclipsed by another star in the Nationals' constellation—at least according to this ranking. 

MLB ETA:

September 2014

1. SP AJ Cole: Double-A

2013 Stats: 

25 GS, 10-5, 3.60 ERA, 33 BB, 151 K, 142.2 IP

Overview: 

AJ Cole is such a prized pitching prospect that Nationals GM Mike Rizzo made sure he reacquired the 21-year-old when he traded Michael Morse in the offseason, as he told Holden Kushner and Danny Rouhier of 106.7 The Fan in DC on January 18 (transcript via FederalBaseball.com). Rizzo said that "the main reason to move Michael Morse was the players we got back in return," adding that, "when we got a frontline prospect like A.J. Cole, [he] was going to be the center piece of the deal."

Cole did not disappoint, as he pitched well at Single-A Advanced to begin the 2013 season. That was progress in and of itself, as Cole had struggled at the Single-A Advanced level in the Oakland Athletics' organization last season. 

But Cole pitched even better when he moved up to Double-A, his first foray to that level in his professional career. If this top-of-the-rotation starter continues pitching like this, he will be earning an even bigger promotion in the very near future. 

MLB ETA: 

June 2014