Pinckney adds another experienced college bat and outfield depth to Nats system

PROSPECT REVIEW: ANDREW PINCKNEY

Age on opening day 2024: 23

How acquired: Drafted in fourth round in 2023 from University of Alabama

Ranking: No. 19 per MLB Pipeline, NR per Baseball America

MLB ETA: 2026
* Projected by MLB Pipeline

Signing bonus: $500,000

2023 levels: Rookie-level Florida Complex League, Single-A Fredericksburg, High-A Wilmington and Double-A Harrisburg

2023 stats: 41 G, 188 PA, 162 AB, 39 R, 52 H, 8 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 20 RBIs, 11 SB, 3 CS, 19 BB, 38 SO, .321 AVG, .415 OBP, .457 SLG, .872 OPS

Quotable: “You got a big physical guy out of Alabama. Great ability. Big guy. Huge tools, huge power. Really showed his stuff at the SEC. He had a tremendous year this year. Very intelligent kid. And we were super pleased to have landed him. Very, very, very talented. A few swing adjustments and you could have just a huge impact with this guy. … Plus runner, probably a seven arm, huge power potential. And like I said, just maybe a few little tweaks offensively, you could really have something big here.” – Mark Baca, assistant director of amateur scouting

2023 analysis: Pinckney was ranked as MLB Pipeline’s No. 216 draft prospect coming out of Alabama. The Nationals grabbed him with the 102nd overall pick to start the fourth round.

As a 22-year-old playing the SEC, he slashed .339/.442/.648 with 12 doubles, three triples, 18 home runs, 58 RBIs, eight stolen bases, 40 walks and a 1.090 OPS in 64 games with the Crimson Tide en route to being named second-team All-Southeastern Conference while also being selected as the SEC Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Not to mention he went 3-for-3 with a home run against LSU's Paul Skenes, the No. 1 overall pick, in April.

At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, his advanced collegiate bat did not need to spend too much time in the FCL, going 2-for-4 with two walks in six plate appearances over two games.

Then it proved to be too much for Single-A as well. In 17 games with the FredNats, Pinckney slashed .329/.402/.534 with a .937 OPS, six doubles, three home runs, 15 RBIs, six stolen bases and four walks. He was named Carolina League Player of the Week on Aug. 7 after going 10-for-20 with three doubles, one homer and six RBIs in his first week in Fredericksburg. He was the first of three straight 2023 Nats draft picks to receive the honor (Dylan Crews and Yohandy Morales).

Pinckney made it to Wilmington by Aug. 22 and proceeded to slash .324/.446/.412 with an .858 OPS, three extra-base hits, four walks, three stolen bases and 13 walks to 18 strikeouts in 18 games with the Blue Rocks. And that came with him playing 12 of his 18 games in Wilmington’s pitcher-friendly home ballpark.

The Nats moved Pinckney up to Harrisburg before the season ended, joining Crews and Morales as the three members of this draft class to reach Double-A. He only played in four games but went 4-for-17 (.235) with three runs scored and a stolen base.

Coming out of college, Pinckney played more right field than center for the Crimson Tide, which remained true in the Nats system. He only made six appearances in center (five with Wilmington and one with Harrisburg) but recorded a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage over those 53 innings. He had a .943 fielding percentage and four errors over 266 ⅓ innings in right.

2024 outlook: Pinckney came into this draft as one the best all-around players in college baseball. He became more disciplined at the plate with a quick and strong right-handed swing over his last three years at Alabama and showed he can use the entire field with solid power from gap to gap.

His 60 run grade helps him in the outfield and on the basepaths. He reportedly can go from home to first in less than four seconds on a drag bunt and stole 43 bases in 49 attempts over his last three years in college. When he reached the pros, he stole 11 in 14 attempts.

Although he projects more as a right fielder long term, he has the range, arm and instincts to play center.

Pinckney’s all-around tools and experienced college bat (in the country’s best conference, by the way) helped him elevate through the Nats system quickly. But of course, he is blocked by some top outfield prospects ahead of him.

Whether he is long for this system or not, the Nationals need to show that they can draft and develop beyond top pick Crews. If Pinckney becomes either a contributor or a trade piece, the Nats would be proven successful.