Steven Souza and Michael Taylor: Buried in Washington

The Washington Nationals have a tip top outfield of Denard Span, Bryce Harper, and Jayson Werth. The trio is productive when healthy, but they all spend time with the team trainer. That’s where Steven Souza and Michael Taylor enter the picture. They’re both thoroughly blocked by veteran studs, and they both have massive fantasy potential.

We’ll start with Souza. He posted a .350/.432/.590 slash in 407 Triple-A plate appearances last season. He added 18 home runs, 26 stolen bases, a 12.8 percent walk rate, and 18.4 percent strikeout rate. A .398 BABIP buoyed his numbers, but that can be a sign of readiness for the next level. His .240 ISO was consistent with past numbers.

A 26 plate appearance tour in the majors was a disaster. He had just three hits in 23 at bats (.071 BABIP) and saw his strikeout rate jump 8.5 percentage points. Granted, we’re talking about the tiniest of samples. The only thing we can guess is that the club probably won’t go out of their way to create playing time. Fans certainly aren’t clamoring for it to happen.

Entering his age 26 season, I’m reminded of Nelson Cruz. While Souza probably doesn’t have the same power upside, he has the potential to come out of nowhere and provide massive five category value. He’s dealt with injuries in recent seasons, so he’ll have to shake that bug. I could see him used as trade bait to solve second base or perhaps fill Jordan Zimmermann’s spot in the rotation (assuming a trade).

Taylor is younger (24 next season) and possesses more of a boom-bust profile. He spent the bulk of 2014 at Double-A where he hit .313/.396/.539 (421 BABIP), with 22 home runs, 34 steals, and a scary 29.5 percent strikeout rate. The latter stat is where the potential for bust enters the equation. He’s a toolsy player who can man all three outfield positions, yet he’ll need to improve upon his swing-and-miss tendencies if he wants  a regular role.

His power isn’t nearly as mature as Souza’s. The .227 ISO he posted at Double-A was the highest he’s managed at any level by over 40 points. Last season was his best power year overall, so there is some reason to hope it’s developing. His major league sample was just as disastrous as Souza’s. Taylor managed eight hits and four walks in 43 plate appearances, and he also struck out 17 times (39.5% K%, 15.2% SwStr). As with Souza, we shouldn’t over-interpret a nearly meaningless sample, but we can assume he’ll have to re-earn playing time.

Souza and Taylor’s  path to playing time is treacherous. In addition to the starters, they’ll have to compete with Nate McLouth, Kevin Frandsen, and Jeff Kobernus. Their biggest competition is each other. They both offer a similar skill set, although Taylor is seen as a better option in center field. I expect both players to open in the minors (they have options). Taylor will probably get the call if Span goes down, while Souza could be the preferred fill-in for Werth or Harper.

You probably won’t want to draft the duo in any league more shallow than ottoneu. Instead, keep an eye on their development. Remember, unestablished players are notoriously inconsistent, so don’t be surprised if they flop in their next 30 plate appearance cup o’ tea. We’re watching them for their five category potential, but neither is a can’t-miss prospect. Overall, I’m higher on Souza. I think he simply needs playing time to become a major league regular. Taylor needs an improved contact rate, which is easier said than done.