Are Nationals looking to build another home run bat in their system?

Since 2010, the Nationals enjoyed a solid run from Tyler Moore, Steven Souza Jr. and Michael A. Taylor, who displayed home run power at the minor league level.

Moore hit 107 homers and drove in 435 RBIs in the minors. Souza crushed 93 homers and had 421 RBIs. Taylor launched 51 homers and had 273 RBIs in the minors. Souza is now with the Tampa Bay Rays after a trade that brought starter Joe Ross and shortstop Trea Turner to the Nationals. Moore has been a solid bench bat for a few seasons now and just had back-to-back games with at least a home run over the weekend.

This season, Triple-A Syracuse's Jason Martinson had 19 homers, Double-A Harrisburg's Matt Skole had 20 homers with two squads, Kevin Keyes had 13 with two teams, Jose Marmolejos hit 11 and four other players had at least eight homers.

But none of the prospects this season reached more than the 20-homer plateau with one team. Souza did it in 2012. Taylor accomplished the feat in 2014. Moore did it twice, an amazing 31 homers in back-to-back seasons (2010-2011).

Is not having a 20-30 home run hitter currently at the minor league level a concern for the Nationals moving forward?

Should they be targeting Paul Bunyan-style home run hitters in the future? Those type players, excuse the pun, don't grow on trees.

The Nationals director of player development Mark Scialabba understands they didn't have the prototypical home run hitter in their system this past campaign because all of their most recent power hitters have moved up to the majors. But they certainly had some guys that made power contact.

"We graduated some players, Michael A. Taylor obviously being one of them recently. (At the) upper levels, you have Jason Martinson and Matt Skole, produced this year with power," Scialabba said. "But for the younger players, really focusing on them being the best hitter they can be.

"Obviously production (from) Marmolejos, had 39 doubles (in South Atlantic League), Osvaldo Abreu had 35 in that league, Wilmer Difo had a combined 28 doubles. Drew Ward's power hasn't really shown yet, but has above average raw power. You look at the hitters and what they're capable of doing."

The 20-year-old Ward hit seven homers and collected 49 RBIs in 2015. He had 19 doubles and three triples, and hit .246 with High Single-A Potomac.

Scialabba said their organizational philosophy isn't necessarily to build a home run hitter but rather a baseball player who makes solid contact up the middle and can drive the ball around the diamond.

"Our development plans for each player are a little differen,t but we want hitters, especially at the young levels, to be the best hitter they can be: use the whole field, stay in the middle of the field, power will develop over time," he said. "For each hitter, it's a little different.

"You go all the way to a Victor Robles (four combined homers, .352 average, .445 OBP) who's coming on the scene now and people are starting to realize who he is. His advanced approach at the plate, and he's got bat speed, strength. His power will continue to grow and evolve as he matures."

Robles was sensational this season. The 18-year-old Dominican outfielder played 61 games at rookie-level Gulf Coast Nationals and short-season Single-A Auburn, combining for a .952 OPS. He had 11 doubles, five triples and 24 stolen bases.

"It's something that is different everywhere. The game has changed a little bit. But obviously you're always looking for power," Scialabba said. "It's a commodity that is extremely valued, and it should be. We're always looking to improve there."

Scialabba said the Nationals' focus is on talent, not just to hit a ball over the fence, but also to be able to move well, show speed, and to have good glove work and ability to make good contact and get on base. Home runs are very good but not the end-all be-all for a prospective major league player.

"We target athletes," Scialabba said. "We want athletes up the middle. "Players that can impact a game on both sides of the ball. Creates more value for the team, more value for the organization. Especially at the younger levels, you're looking at players that are trying to improve in all facets and going back to the approach of going for the ball where it's pitched and using the whole field. Power will develop over time. You learn about yourself as a hitter. We target athletes and we want people that can impact a game in all areas."

Scialabba said that doubles don't necessarily predict future home run power, but over the course of a season, it's one measure to determine who is driving the ball more consistently than others. Marmolejos had 39 doubles, Abreu had 35, Tony Renda had 30, Difo had 28, John Wooten - despite batting injury - had 24, and Darin Mastroianni had 26.

This list demonstrates players who are athletes who can hit extra-base hits and possibly build into showing home run power, too, and maybe not the big, bad football-sized Bo Jackson or Adam Dunn-type hitters of the past. Taylor and the Marlins' Christian Yelich come to mind. Both are long and lanky but very strong hitters who can hit home runs but who also can use their speed to steal bases, move first to third and track down balls hit deep in the outfield.