Nats prospect watch: Victor Robles

Outfielder Victor Robles continues to progress well after fall instructional league last month in Florida. I got an update on one of the more talked about Dominican prospects in the Nationals system this week.

The 18-year-old Robles has displayed advanced batting skills at a young age. Nationals minor league hitting coordinator Troy Gingrich was impressed with Robles from the first time he saw the youngster swing.

"The first time I saw him was two years ago at the (Nationals) Dominican academy," Gingrich said. "When I saw him there, I knew there was something kind of special about him. He is just advanced for his age, the things he does, how he gets to position, how he gets the barrel to the ball. In all aspects of his swing, he's well advanced in that area."

The Nationals have been batting Robles first so he gets more looks per game.

"He's leading off for us a little bit," Gingrich said. "He's working on just kind of getting more pitches in his zone. He attacks the ball. He's ready to hit as soon as he steps into the box, which I love."

At instructional league, the Nationals worked with Robles on his pre-swing and how much he cocks his bat before he swings through.

"The only thing he was really working on is he wraps the bat a little bit too much, so we're kind of working on shortening down that wrap a little bit to help him be on time a little bit more. But other than that, just the things that he does in his approach at the plate is good," Gingrich said.

"He recognizes pitches - outstanding for that age. He has an idea of strike zone and knows what pitches he wants to hit early in the count. When he lands, he has a little bit too much bat cock behind him, so it takes him a little bit longer. So that was the only thing we started to work on at instructs last year.

"We worked on it again this year at instructs. He did a really good job of shortening that down this year with (short-season Single-A Auburn).

"A lot of kids who are younger haven't developed that mastery (yet). They all try to generate a little bit more upper body. That's a common occurrence that happens."

Gingrich said Robles is leading off now but that doesn't mean he will bat out of the No. 1 slot his entire career.

"You lead him off, he gets maybe more at-bats right now at the younger age," Gingrich said. "The more at-bats he gets, the better for him in the long run. It allows him to get on base, work on his base stealing because that's one area he still got to improve on and getting jumps because he still think he can outrun the ball, and the higher he goes up, the less that will happen. He could get five at-bats per game when everyone else gets four at-bats."

Where in the lineup could Robles end up hitting?

"Right now, he can lead off, but who knows if where he might end up hitting? No. 2, 3 or 4, I don't know," Gingrich said. "It all depends on how much he grows in strength-wise. He is still growing into his body."

Robles is 6-foot, 185 lbs. and a right-handed hitter. He hit .343 with 38 games with Auburn this past summer. He also hit .370 with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Nationals in 23 games. He combined for 11 doubles, five triples, four homers and 27 RBIs. At such a young age, his next stop is likely low-A Hagerstown to begin 2016.