MLB Rookie Profile: Brian Goodwin, OF, Washington Nationals

On Monday the Washington Nationals promoted outfielder Brian Goodwin to the major league roster. He’s been around forever and saw action with Washington last year, but he still counts as a rookie, so here’s a review.

Goodwin was drafted back in 2011, a supplemental first round pick from Miami Dade Community College. Although excellent at times, he suffered through poor 2014 and 2015 seasons in the high minors and lost much of his prospect status. He rebounded with a strong 2016 season in Triple-A, getting back into the picture.

Goodwin ranked 13th on the pre-season Washington Nationals Top 20 prospects list for 2017 with the following commentary:

13) Brian Goodwin, OF, Grade C+: Age 26, has moved up and down prospect lists for years, back up again after hitting .280/.349/.438 with 14 homers, 15 steals in Triple-A then .286/.318/.429 in 42 major league at-bats; lefty hitter with speed, still flashes power, track record highly erratic, type of player who can hit .290 one year then .210 the next; defense is like his hitting: outstanding at times, but with the occasional WTF play. Goodwin has always had the natural talent to be a fine player and he showed signs of doing it more consistently in ’16. ETA 2017.

He had a poor spring training this year, hitting just .114/.231/.159 in 44 at-bats, and opened the season back in Triple-A. His production this year for Syracuse was uninspired at .256/.327/.367, but the Nationals needed a bat so he got the call.

In all honesty, I have no idea what to expect from him. He still has all those tools and he showed he could use them last season, but so far in 2017 he’s looked more like the 2014/2015 version of Goodwin rather than the 2016 model.

At this point the safest assumption is “consistent inconsistency.”

Here’s what he can do on the right day: