21 NICK RAQUET, LHP

BA GRADE

45

Risk: High

Born: Dec. 12, 1995. B-T: R-L. Ht.: 6-0. Wt.: 215. Drafted: William & Mary, 2017 (3rd round). Signed by: Bobby Myrick.

The Nationals made Raquet a 2017 third-rounder, signing him for $475,000 after a sophomore campaign at William & Mary that analytics departments might look at as mediocre at best. The 22-year-old southpaw transferred from North Carolina after a 2015 freshman season where he threw just 6.1 innings. He sat out a year, then pitched to a 4.66 ERA in 77.1 innings in the Colonial Athletic Association.

Raquet has a solid history in collegiate summer leagues—1.23 ERA in the Cal Ripken League; 2.23 ERA in the Northwoods League—and some exciting stuff with a mid-90s fastball that touched 96 mph in 2017. He also throws an above-average changeup and an upper-70s tweener curveball with above-average potential. He’s most likely a reliever down the line but was solid in his pro debut in the short-season New York-Penn League in 12 starts. He’s got a funky delivery that will be worth monitoring as far as repeating his mechanics goes, but he has the stuff to get both righties and lefties out.

Raquet has a small chance to be a starter, but the bullpen is a more likely outcome.

Year

Club (League)

Class

W

L

ERA

G

GS

2017

Nationals (GCL)

R

0

0

0.00

1

1

 

Auburn (NYP)

SS

3

2

2.45

11

11

Minor League Totals

3

2

2.36

12

12

Year

Club (League)

CG

SV

IP

H

HR

2017

Nationals (GCL)

0

0

2

2

0

 

Auburn (NYP)

0

0

51

56

2

Minor League Totals

0

0

53

58

2

Year

Club (League)

BB

SO

K/9

WHIP

AVG

2017

Nationals (GCL)

0

2

9.0

1.00

.250

 

Auburn (NYP)

7

22

3.9

1.23

.283

Minor League Totals

7

24

4.1

1.22

.282