http://farmauthority.dcsportsnet.com/?p=812 by Brian J Oliver Now that the US-based Fall/Winter leagues are coming to a close, Baseball America has ranked their top 20 Arizona Fall League (AFL) and top 15 Hawaii Winter Baseball (HWB) prospects. The Nationals place two players on the list, 3B/OF Kory Casto as #14 in the AFL and RHSP Marco Estrada as #10 in HWB. Casto is the organization’s back-to-back minor league player of the year. The 24-year old Casto shifted back to LF from 3B in 2006 after the Nationals acquisition of 3B Ryan Zimmerman. Casto spent his entire season in AA Harrisburg where he batted 272/379/468 over 140 games. Casto started off red hot in the AFL before a two-week break to get married and go on his honeymoon. His final AFL numbers were 302/471/434 in 15 games for the Peoria Saguaros. He showed a solid eye at the plate where he walked 17 times while only striking out 12 times in 53 at-bats. While Casto played the majority of his games in the field in left, his final few games saw him shift to center. Jim Bowden has said Casto would be given an opportunity to compete for the 2007 starting job in leftfield, assuming free agent Alfonso Soriano signs elsewhere as is expected. Estrada’s placement is a pleasant surprise. A separated shoulder delayed his 2006 season. But, once he got started in the Gulf Coast League, Estrada opened some eyes The 23-year old righthander impressed in five appearances (four starts) with 23.67 innings, an ERA of 1.52, 0.84 WHIP, 10.3K/9, 2.3BB/9, and a 0.165 opponents batting average against (OppBAA). He has a repertoire of a low-90s fastball, low-80s curveball, and a developing changeup. His performance earned him a jump up to Savannah where after initially struggling, he finished the year acceptably. In 8 games in Savannah (all starts), Estrada compiled 37 innings with a 5.59ERA, 1.57WHIP, 7.1K/9, 3.4BB/9, and a 0.301 OppBAA. While pitching for the Waikiki BeachBoys, Estrada put up an 0-2 record in 8G(7GS) through November 16 with an 1.32ERA, 1.21WHIP, and 0.192 OppBAA. In 27.33 innings pitched, Estrada has struck out 32 hitters while walking 14. Baseball America compared Estrada favorably to New York Yankees 2006 1st rounder Ian Kennedy, stating that Estrada compared in stuff/profile to Kennedy without the pedigree. Given his off-season performance, the Nationals may want to challenge Estrada with a 2007 placement in Harrisburg’s starting rotation to see how he reacts. --

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