The Washington Nationals are reportedly promoting 19-year old prospect Juan Soto for Sunday’s series finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers, according Byron Kerr of MASN.
Juan Soto being called up to the #Nats, a source with knowledge of the situation confirmed. He is expected to join the Nats in D.C. for sunday
— Byron Kerr (@ByronKerr) May 20, 2018
Howie Kendrick suffered a ruptured right Achilles tendon in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, and will undergo season-ending surgery on Monday.
Soto is the No. 2 prospect in the Nationals farm system and rated as the 15th prospect overall in MLB, according to MLB Pipeline.
Soto started the 2018 season with Class-A Hagerstown. After hitting ..373/.486/.814 with five home runs and 24 RBIs in 74 plate appearances, the outfielder was promoted to High-A Potomac. At Potomac he hit .371/.466/.790 with seven home runs and 18 RBIs in 73 plate appearances. In May, Soto was promoted to Double-A Harrisburg, where he hit .296/.387/.556 with two home runs and eight RBIs in 31 plate appearances before Saturday.
Soto was scratched from the second game of a doubleheader on Saturday in anticipation for the call-up. He will be the youngest player on a Major League roster. He will become the second teenager — Bryce Harper was the first — to appear in a game for the Nationals.
Soto’s pending promotion comes as the Nationals are depleted with injuries, especially along their outfield. The list includes, Kendrick, Adam Eaton (ankle), Brian Goodwin (wrist), and Rafael Bautista (knee). The Nationals’ top prospect and fellow outfielder Victor Robles is on the disabled list with an elbow injury he suffered in April while with Triple-A Syracuse.
