Alex

Clemmey

The 20-year-old Clemmey could make last summer’s Lane Thomas deal with Cleveland into a real winner for the Nationals if his control improves with experience. He had a 2.47 ERA and a 113/60 K/BB in 87 1/3 innings for High-A Wilmington.

Clemmey has walked 47 in 69 1/3 innings at low-A Lynchburg this year, but he’s also struck out 97. The 6-foor-6 lefty is just 19, and he could add some velocity to a fastball that already sits in the mid-90s. He was probably a better bet to develop with the Guardians than he will be with the Nationals, but Cleveland had to part with him here for an outfield upgrade.

Clemmey is the headliner; a 2023 second-round pick, he has big-time upside but also some control issues. He’s currently sporting a 4.67 ERA and a 97/47 K/BB in 69 1/3 innings for low-A Lynchburg. Tena is the player here who could help the Nationals in the short term; he might well be a better option than Trey Lipscomb at third base right now.

Clemmey is the classic 6-for-6 projectable prep southpaw that player development staffs dream about refining in their pitching labs. With a fastball that sits in the low-to-mid 90’s and a low-80’s breaking ball, he’s the type of left-hander that teams hope to mold into a future front-of-the-rotation headliner. There’s some risk he winds up in a relief role down the road, but the 18-year-old Vanderbilt commit is the most intriguing prospect to come out of Rhode Island, the smallest state in the nation, since fellow Bishop Hendricken alum – and current Twins manager – Rocco Baldelli two decades ago.