The next Miz? Nats’ No. 4 prospect lightning up the radar gun in AFL

Washington Nationals top pitching prospect Jarlin Susana is displaying elite velocity in the Arizona Fall League for the Salt River Rafters. The 22-year-old right-hander threw a 103.8 mph fastball earlier this month, setting the record for the fastest pitch thrown in the AFL since 2015. Ranked as the Nationals' No. 4 prospect and No. 66 overall in MLB, Susana is currently projected by MLB Pipeline to make his major league debut next season.

After returning from a Grade 1 UCL sprain on August 11, Susana advanced to Triple-A Rochester and is using the AFL to increase his workload. Nationals president of baseball operations Paul Toboni praised Susana's physical traits while emphasizing that refining control remains his primary development area. In his first two AFL outings spanning 5 2/3 innings, Susana posted a 1.59 ERA with a 12.7 strikeout rate.