Jarlin Susana

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Washington Nationals #2 prospect in 2026
  BA Grade/Risk: 60/High
  
  Adjusted Grade: 45
  
  Track Record: The Nationals’ Juan Soto trade with the Padres is the gift that keeps giving. CJ Abrams, MacKenzie Gore and James Wood are already established in Washington. Susana is next. He ended 2024 on a roll, with a 2.79 ERA and 123 strikeouts in his final 77.1 innings, mostly for High-A Wilmington. Susana opened 2025 at Double-A Harrisburg but never really got going before he lost nearly three months with a sprained elbow. He looked electric upon his return in July but then injured his right lat and had season-ending surgery in September.
  
  Scouting Report: Few pitchers can match the electricity of Susana’s repertoire. He pitches at 99-100 mph with his four seam fastball and tops out near 104. The pitch is delivered at a lower release height, which, coupled with its incredible velocity, compensates for ordinary shape. Susana’s 99 mph two-seamer tops at 102 and has plus horizontal life. It helps him change batters’ eye levels and elicit ground balls. His mid-80s slider has become a devastating pitch as he has harnessed command of it. He manipulates the pitch to produce curveball action at lower speeds and power slider movement up to 91 mph at the other extreme. Susana found a power changeup grip that works in 2025. The pitch has splinker-like action with sink and diving action at 93-94 mph and up to near 97. Susana took major strides with his mental preparation and physical conditioning, and he now throws more quality strikes than ever. He flies open at times and misses east and west, so true command could be elusive.
  
  The Future: The Nationals’ media guide lists Susana at 6-foot-7, 283 pounds, calling to mind a pair of jumbo-sized all-stars: starter Michael Piñeda and closer Felix Bautista. The Nationals will give Susana every chance to start, where his pitch quality could make him a No. 2 or 3 starter. He is expected to be ready to go by midseason at the earliest.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 70 | Curveball: 60 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 45.
• 
  Ranked Washington Nationals #3 prospect in 2025
  BA Grade/Risk: 55/High.
  
  Track Record: The Padres signed Susana out of the Dominican Republic in January 2022 and then traded him to the Nationals as one of the key pieces in the Juan Soto blockbuster seven months later. For a couple of years, Susana’s results seemed to lag behind his exceptional stuff. He struggled in 2023, and had a nearly 9.00 ERA eight starts into his 2024 return to Low-A Fredericksburg. In late May, Susana adopted a more aggressive, attacking approach. From then until the end of the year, he had the best strikeout rate—14.2 per nine innings—of any minor league starter and was just as dominant after a promotion to High-A Wilmington.
  
  Scouting Report: Susana is one of the hardest-throwing pitchers in the game. He touches 103 mph and sits at 99-100 with his fastball. He throws both a two- and four-seam fastball, showing swing-and-miss abilities with both shapes. However, it is his slider that has taken the biggest step forward this season. Susana threw his cut-slider nearly the same number of times as his fastball, generating swinging strikes 24% of the time. The 88-90 mph pitch pairs very well with his fastballs, which hitters have to gear up to time. He gets hitters to chase the slider more than 35% of the time, making it his most effective pitch. Susana also throws a low-90s changeup, though it is still behind his slider and fastball development-wise. While Susana is showing the traits of a midrotation starter, there are still some control issues that need to be corrected for that kind of rotation ceiling to be realized.
  
  The Future: As a member of the triple-digit club with a dominating slider, Susana faces questions about whether he’ll end up as a power reliever or starter. His dramatic turnaround in 2024 gives him a better chance to remain a starter.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 70 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45.
• 
  Ranked Washington Nationals #10 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Despite being eligible to be signed as an international free agent in 2021, Susana waited a year and signed with the Padres on Jan. 15, 2022. After just eight appearances in the Arizona Complex League, the hulking power pitcher was a key piece in San Diego’s trade for Juan Soto. The Padres sent Susana and four other young players to the Nationals to acquire Soto at the 2022 trade deadline. Washington promoted Susana to Low-A Fredericksburg after acquiring him, and he touched 103 mph that August. Susana spent the entire 2023 season with Fredericksburg, where he pitched to a 5.14 ERA over 17 starts. While he impressed from a power standpoint, Susana still needs to work to find consistency.
  
  Scouting Report: Susana is a flame-throwing righthander, with lots of power coming from his 6-foot-6 235-pound frame. His fastball sits 98-99 mph and has touched 103 more than once. The pitch generates strikes, but more control would go a long way in making this a no-doubt strikeout pitch. Also in Susana’s arsenal is a high-80s power slider that projects to be nearly as effective as his fastball. He also throws a changeup that sits 89-91 mph, which is up nearly 2 mph since last season. Susana’s changeup has touched 96 mph, however the pitch lacks the control it needs as velocity is added. He is working on improving his curveball, but that is the weakest of his pitches. While Susana is still working as a starter, a move to the bullpen is likely.
  
  The Future: Susana has proven that he has rare power behind his pitches. However, he will need to dial in on his command to have any hope to start. He has multiple plus pitches in his arsenal and could develop into a first-division closer.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 40
• 
  Ranked Washington Nationals #7 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Susana used the Covid shutdown in 2020 to define himself as a pitcher. When international scouting resumed, he emerged with a fastball that touched 96 mph and he was thus regarded as one of the top pitching prospects in the 2021 international class. With most teams having committed most of their bonus pool money for that signing period already, Susana opted to wait another year to sign with the Padres on Jan. 15, 2022. San Diego sent him directly to the Arizona Complex League in 2022 as an 18-year-old. In just eight appearances, he showed enough promise to become a key piece in the blockbuster that sent Juan Soto to San Diego and Susana plus four other young talents to the Nationals. Washington promoted Susana to Low-A Fredericksburg on Aug. 24 and he struck out 13 batters in 10.1 innings.
  
  Scouting Report: The 6-foot-6, 235-pound Susana added muscle that has immediately manifested into power behind his fastball. He sits 97-98 mph and has reached 103 mph more than once. He throws an average rate of strikes but doesn't get whiffs commensurate with his velocity. Susana's best pitch is a high-80s power slider that could be plus. It's his top swing-and-miss pitch, more for velocity than wicked movement. His slider and curveball can blend together at times, but the latter is starting to improve. His arsenal rounds out with an 86-89 mph changeup that has sink and fade. While power clearly isn't an issue for the young righthander, command of his extra-large frame and power stuff can be.
  
  The Future: While Susana is still years away from reaching the major leagues, he is trending in that direction. With multiple potential plus pitches and a power arsenal, the key will be controlled repetition. He will have the time to develop with Low-A Fredericksburg in 2023.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70. Curveball: 45. Slider: 55. Changeup: 45. Control: 45

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #65 prospect in 2025
• Ranked Baseball America's #86 prospect in 2024

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Susana used the Covid shutdown in 2020 to define himself as a pitcher. When international scouting resumed, he emerged with a fastball that touched 96 mph and he was thus regarded as one of the top pitching prospects in the 2021 international class. With most teams having committed most of their bonus pool money for that signing period already, Susana opted to wait another year to sign with the Padres on Jan. 15, 2022. San Diego sent him directly to the Arizona Complex League in 2022 as an 18-year-old. In just eight appearances, he showed enough promise to become a key piece in the blockbuster that sent Juan Soto to San Diego and Susana plus four other young talents to the Nationals. Washington promoted Susana to Low-A Fredericksburg on Aug. 24 and he struck out 13 batters in 10.1 innings.
  
  Scouting Report: The 6-foot-6, 235-pound Susana added muscle that has immediately manifested into power behind his fastball. He sits 97-98 mph and has reached 103 mph more than once. He throws an average rate of strikes but doesn't get whiffs commensurate with his velocity. Susana's best pitch is a high-80s power slider that could be plus. It's his top swing-and-miss pitch, more for velocity than wicked movement. His slider and curveball can blend together at times, but the latter is starting to improve. His arsenal rounds out with an 86-89 mph changeup that has sink and fade. While power clearly isn't an issue for the young righthander, command of his extra-large frame and power stuff can be.
  
  The Future: While Susana is still years away from reaching the major leagues, he is trending in that direction. With multiple potential plus pitches and a power arsenal, the key will be controlled repetition. He will have the time to develop with Low-A Fredericksburg in 2023.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70. Curveball: 45. Slider: 55. Changeup: 45. Control: 45
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Susana used the Covid shutdown in 2020 to define himself as a pitcher. When international scouting resumed, he emerged with a fastball that touched 96 mph and he was thus regarded as one of the top pitching prospects in the 2021 international class. With most teams having committed most of their bonus pool money for that signing period already, Susana opted to wait another year to sign with the Padres on Jan. 15, 2022. San Diego sent him directly to the Arizona Complex League in 2022 as an 18-year-old. In just eight appearances, he showed enough promise to become a key piece in the blockbuster that sent Juan Soto to San Diego and Susana plus four other young talents to the Nationals. Washington promoted Susana to Low-A Fredericksburg on Aug. 24 and he struck out 13 batters in 10.1 innings.
  
  Scouting Report: The 6-foot-6, 235-pound Susana added muscle that has immediately manifested into power behind his fastball. He sits 97-98 mph and has reached 103 mph more than once. He throws an average rate of strikes but doesn't get whiffs commensurate with his velocity. Susana's best pitch is a high-80s power slider that could be plus. It's his top swing-and-miss pitch, more for velocity than wicked movement. His slider and curveball can blend together at times, but the latter is starting to improve. His arsenal rounds out with an 86-89 mph changeup that has sink and fade. While power clearly isn't an issue for the young righthander, command of his extra-large frame and power stuff can be.
  
  The Future: While Susana is still years away from reaching the major leagues, he is trending in that direction. With multiple potential plus pitches and a power arsenal, the key will be controlled repetition. He will have the time to develop with Low-A Fredericksburg in 2023.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70. Curveball: 45. Slider: 55. Changeup: 45. Control: 45
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  Once the pandemic hit, Major League Baseball shut down international scouting until September 2020. When that happened, Susana emerged showing electric stuff for a 16-year-old, running his fastball up to 96 mph. Susana would have been eligible to sign on Jan. 15, 2021, but with teams having committed most of their bonus pool money for that signing period already, Susana opted to wait another year to sign with the Padres on Jan. 15, 2022 for $1.7 million. Once a long, lean pitcher, Susana has bulked up to 6-foot-6, 235 pounds and added more velocity, with a chance to reach triple-digits. He now sits around 93-96 mph, touching 98 mph. Susana throws two breaking balls, the best of which is a power slider around 86-88 mph with sharp bite and is a potential plus pitch. His slider and curveball shape can blend together at times, but he shows feel for his curveball and rounds out his repertoire with an 86-89 mph changeup that has sink and fade. Susana is still years away from the big leagues with plenty of risk, but has the raw stuff that stacks up well among the top 18-year-old high school seniors eligible for the 2022 draft.
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 55/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Once the pandemic hit, Major League Baseball shut down international scouting until September 2020. When that happened, Susana emerged showing electric stuff for a 16-year-old, running his fastball up to 96 mph. Susana would have been eligible to sign on Jan. 15, 2021, but with teams having committed most of their bonus pool money for that signing period already, Susana opted to wait another year to sign with the Padres on Jan. 15, 2022.
  
  Scouting Report: Once a long, lean pitcher, Susana has bulked up to 6-foot-6, 235 pounds and added more velocity, with a chance to reach triple digits. He now sits around 93-96 mph, touching 98 mph. Susana throws two breaking balls, the best of which is a power slider around 86-88 mph with sharp bite and is a potential plus pitch. His slider and curveball shape can blend together at times, but he shows feel for his curveball and rounds out his repertoire with an 86-89 mph changeup that has sink and fade.
  
  The Future: Susana is still years away from the big leagues with plenty of risk, but has the raw stuff that stacks up well among the top 18-year-old high school seniors eligible for the 2022 draft. He should make his pro debut in 2022 in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball 70. Slider 55. Changeup 45. Control 45.