Finally stateside, Vaquero can ascend Nats system quickly

PROSPECT REVIEW: CRISTHIAN VAQUERO

Age on opening day 2024: 19

How acquired: Signed as international free agent, January 2022

Ranking: No. 9 per MLB Pipeline, No. 9 per Baseball America

MLB ETA: 2027
* Projected by MLB Pipeline

Signing bonus: $4.925 million (highest of his class and Nationals record for international prospect)

2023 levels: Rookie-level Florida Complex League and Single-A Fredericksburg

2023 stats: 58 G, 260 PA, 206 AB, 44 R, 52 H, 10 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR, 25 RBIs, 22 SB, 8 CS, 41 BB, 53 SO, .252 AVG, .383 OBP, .359 SLG, .742 OPS

2023 analysis: Vaquero finally made it stateside in 2023 after signing for a Nats club record $4.925 million as the widely considered top prospect of the 2022 international class.

The Cuba native, a naturally left-handed bat who picked up switch-hitting when he moved to the Dominican Republic, slashed .256/.379/.341 with nine extra-base hits and 17 steals in 55 games in the Dominican Summer League in 2022. Some thought that might be good enough for the Nats to bring the teenage outfielder to the Florida Complex League before that season ended.

But the Nats demonstrated patience with Vaquero, finally bringing him to Florida this year and eventually promoting him to Fredericksburg.

In 42 FCL games, Vaquero, who just turned 19 in September, slashed .279/.410/.393 with an .803 OPS, nine doubles, two triples, a home run, 16 RBIs, 15 stolen bases in 23 attempts and 29 walks to 35 strikeouts.

When he joined the FredNats in August, he had a tale of two halves over his 16 games.

Vaquero was great over his first eight games at Single-A, slashing .281/.452/.438 with an .890 OPS, a triple, homer, seven RBIs, three stolen bases in as many attempts and 10 walks to just seven strikeouts.

But his next eight games in September were the complete opposite. He went 4-for-24 (.118) with a .314 OPS, one double, two RBIs and 11 strikeouts to just two walks. The good sign, however, was that he was perfect in his stolen base attempts again, going 4-for-4.

The Nationals had Vaquero playing mostly center field in the DSL and FCL. But he got most of his reps with Fredericksburg in right, with Elijah Green mostly playing center.

2024 outlook: Of all the Nationals’ top outfield prospects, Vaquero is probably the least talked about. And that’s just fine.

He is the youngest and by far the least experienced in the group. He also hasn’t been in the states very long. But he adds incredible depth because of his immense upside.

Vaquero is said to be potentially a five-tool player with a lot of raw strength and power. He's already listed at 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds, and scouts have said he is likely to settle in around 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds when he fully grows into his athletic build.

He brings a lot of speed to the outfield and the basepaths. Entering his signing period, he had been clocked in his 60-yard dash times in the 6.4-6.5 seconds range. Reports say he covers a lot of ground in center field and has a strong arm to have a chance to be a plus defender.

But even with all of that potential, Vaquero’s ETA to the majors is still 2027, the furthest away of any of the Nats’ top 30 prospects. But when he starts his age 19 season at Fredericksburg next year, the Nats will likely have at least one of their top 10 prospects in the outfield of every affiliate.

Vaquero has plenty of time to continue his development, in part thanks to the aforementioned outfield depth and his youth. Scouts and those within the Nats organization are still very high on him and believe he can be a star in the making. It will just take some time.