Byron Kerr

MLBPipeline.com's Jim Callis likes what he sees in Victor Robles, Andrew Stevenson

December 06, 2016, 11:47am

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - Nationals minor league center fielder Victor Robles has been climbing up the prospect charts after an outstanding 2016 season. Robles hit .280 with 118 hits, 37 stolen bases and 75 runs for three teams, fortifying national attention to his elite skill set. Last season, Robles was ranked as the No. 3 prospect in Baseball America's Nationals top 10. Robles' name has come up a few times in the past week in trade rumors involving players like Chris Sale and Andrew...

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MLBPipeline.com's Jim Callis sees big value in Nats' starting pitching prospects (video)

December 06, 2016, 9:16am

Nationals

MLBPipeline.com's Jim Callis sees big value in Nats' starting pitching prospects (video)

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - Despite losing out to the Red Sox in the Chris Sale sweepstakes, the Nationals are still bargaining from a position of strength as far as minor league starting pitching prospects go here at the Winter Meetings. One big question after last season: Had the Nationals' top pitching prospect, right-hander Lucas Giolito, lost some of his luster because of some lukewarm starts in the majors? MLBPipeline.com writer Jim Callis believes that Giolito is still an extremely coveted...

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Despite down offensive year, Norris' pedigree convinced Rizzo of bounceback possibility

December 05, 2016, 2:01pm

Nationals

Despite down offensive year, Norris' pedigree convinced Rizzo of bounceback possibility

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - The Nationals reacquired veteran catcher Derek Norris from the Padres last week for a minor league pitcher. With the transaction, Norris returned to the club that he started out with from 2007-2011. After being traded to Oakland in 2011 in the deal for Gio Gonzalez, Norris got into a nice groove. In 2014, he made the American League All-Star team, hitting .270 with 19 doubles, 10 homers and 55 RBIs. In 2015, he moved to the Padres, where he connected with a career-high 33...

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Rizzo reacts to Melancon's departure, closer market and Glover's future

December 05, 2016, 1:09pm

Nationals

Rizzo reacts to Melancon's departure, closer market and Glover's future

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - The news arrived Monday afternoon at the Winter Meetings that former Nationals closer Mark Melancon had agreed to terms with the San Francisco Giants. Instead of focusing on the possibility of a new leadoff center fielder and a starting pitcher, the Nationals now must also address the ninth-inning role again for 2017. Melancon agreed to a four-year deal worth $62 million, according to ESPN's Buster Olney. Specifics of the deal were tweeted out by Alex Pavolic of CSN Bay...

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Stevenson, Ward named to AFL All-Prospects Team

December 05, 2016, 6:48am

Nationals

Stevenson, Ward named to AFL All-Prospects Team

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - The Arizona Fall League today announced its 2016 Top Prospects Team, which included two top Nationals offensive prospects, third baseman Drew Ward and center fielder Andrew Stevenson. "We are proud of how all of our players went about their business, how they work and represented the Nationals organization in Arizona this fall, and are excited to see both Andrew Stevenson and Drew Ward recognized for thier accomplishments by being named to the AFL Top Prospects Team,"...

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Nationals acquire catcher Derek Norris from the Padres

December 02, 2016, 1:01pm

Nationals

The Nationals have acquired veteran catcher Derek Norris from the San Diego Padres in exchange for a minor league pitcher. Norris was drafted by the Nationals in the fourth round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft out of Goddard High School in Kansas. He accepted the Nationals' professional contract offer instead of a full-ride baseball scholarship to Wichita State. "I'm very excited to be back where everything started for me," Norris said via text message. "Excited to be back in the...

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Final Arizona updates on Ward, Stevenson and Abreu

December 02, 2016, 2:35am

Nationals

Final Arizona updates on Ward, Stevenson and Abreu

Third baseman Drew Ward went from taxi squad player in 2015 to full-time participant in the 2016 Arizona Fall League and impressed. Ward hit .309 with six doubles and had one stolen base, 13 runs scored and eight RBIs in 21 games. He continued where he had left off in high Single-A Potomac (16 doubles, 11 homers) and Double-A Harrisburg (seven doubles and 24 RBIs). He also wanted to improve on his defense, a focus of his when the season began in Woodbridge, Va., in April. Ward had three errors...

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Anthony Rendon named NL Comeback Player of the Year

November 29, 2016, 10:10am

Nationals

Anthony Rendon named NL Comeback Player of the Year

Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon was named the National League Comeback Player of the Year today, according to a Major League Baseball announcement. The announcement was made earlier today on MLB Network. Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Rick Porcello won the American League Comeback Player of the Year honor. The award is given each season to the player who "has re-emerged on the field during the season." The 30 MLB.com beat reporters selected the winners from an original list of 30...

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Nick Lee rebounded from early struggles to finish strong in Arizona

November 27, 2016, 4:56am

Nationals

Nick Lee rebounded from early struggles to finish strong in Arizona

Left-hander Nick Lee was able to rebound from one tough Oct. 27 outing against Mesa to have a solid finish in the Arizona Fall League for the Glendale Desert Dogs. In that game, Lee surrendered four hits and two runs over 1 1/3 innings with one walk and two strikeouts. But Lee was able to post a 1.54 ERA in 10 overall outings. He had 14 strikeouts, allowing 10 walks and 10 hits in 11 2/3 innings. The impressive thing for pitching coach Sam Narron was seeing Lee, 25, display the calmness...

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Jake Johansen focuses on throwing strikes and a new breaking pitch

November 23, 2016, 5:27pm

Nationals

Jake Johansen focuses on throwing strikes and a new breaking pitch

Right-hander Jake Johansen was able to break through with his consistency in the Arizona Fall League. Johansen found the strike zone and got out good hitters to the tune of a 2.13 ERA over 12 2/3 innings in nine appearances. He struck out five and walked three, allowing only three total runs. Glendale Desert Dogs pitching coach Sam Narron, whose regular season job is with the Single-A Hagerstown Suns, has worked with Johansen a lot since he was selected by the Nationals in the second round of...

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Austin Voth's "little adjustments" fueled three-game win streak in Arizona

November 21, 2016, 3:41am

Nationals

Austin Voth's "little adjustments" fueled three-game win streak in Arizona

The Glendale Desert Dogs came back from a slow start in Arizona Fall League competition, finishing just a half-game from the title tilt. Surprise advanced to the championship and also won the season series with the Desert Dogs 4-2. But the seven Nationals prospects in Arizona made the Saguaros work for that opportunity. "At our low point, we were 6-12," said Glendale pitching coach Sam Narron. "We ended up 17-15. So we were 11-3 the last 14 games. That's pretty impressive considering all...

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Five Nats prospects help lift Glendale to win in final AFL game

November 19, 2016, 2:03am

Nationals

Five Nats prospects help lift Glendale to win in final AFL game

Glendale did their part to reach the Arizona Fall League title game, stopping Peoria 3-1. The Desert Dogs (17-15) won seven of their last 10 games, finishing the fall season as the hottest team in the league. But Surprise also won their final game to win the West division by a half-game. The Saguaros (17-14-1) face Mesa in Saturday's championship. In the final game, five Nationals prospects got to play. Center Fielder Andrew Stevenson went 1-for-3 with a walk from the leadoff spot. Stevenson...

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Stevenson wraps up big AFL season as Glendale seeks title match

November 17, 2016, 3:07am

Nationals

Stevenson wraps up big AFL season as Glendale seeks title match

Glendale center fielder Andrew Stevenson is surging to finish off his Arizona Fall League campaign. In the last 10 games, Stevenson is hitting .400 (16-for-40) with with a double, triple, homer, five stolen bases, 12 runs and two RBIs. His overall average is .354 with four doubles, two triples, two homers and 12 RBIs. This season with high Single-A Potomac and Double-A Harrisburg, the lefty-hitting Stevenson raked to a .276 average with 146 hits, 75 runs and 39 stolen bases. On Nov. 7, he went...

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Austin Voth shares Player of the Week honors in AFL

November 15, 2016, 9:00am

Nationals

Austin Voth shares Player of the Week honors in AFL

Glendale Desert Dogs pitcher Austin Voth was named co-winner of Player of the Week honors in the Arizona Fall League for Week 5 of competition. Voth shared the honor with Scottsdale shortstop and Yankees product Gleyber Torres. The 24-year-old right-hander threw five scoreless innings in his only start last week, striking out three and scattering three hits. Glendale pitching coach Sam Narron said Voth was focusing on refining his changeup early in AFL competition. Recently, he has just been...

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Spin Williams honored with Mike Coolbaugh Award

November 14, 2016, 9:32am

Nationals

Spin Williams honored with Mike Coolbaugh Award

Many times over the years, if you were attending a Nationals minor league game, you would have a good chance of seeing Donald "Spin" Williams there. Williams, the Nationals' senior advisor for player development, has been a part of the organization for 11 seasons and is beginning his 39th season in professional baseball. Today, Williams was honored by Minor League Baseball as the recipient of the ninth annual Mike Coolbaugh Award. The award was created in 2008 to honor the late Mike...

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Austin Voth and Glendale surging to finish line in AFL

November 14, 2016, 2:32am

Jake Johansen and Ryan Brinley were a big part of the crew that shut out Scottsdale in the final four innings Saturday, lifting Glendale to a 4-3 victory in Arizona Fall League competition. Johansen earned his third hold by getting two outs in the eighth. His ERA is 2.31. Brinley notched his first save with a shutout ninth. His ERA is now 2.70. Designated hitter Drew Ward cranked a double in four at-bats. His average is .329. He has at least one base hit in nine of his last 10 games. Shortstop...

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Drew Ward continues to produce in first full season for AFL Glendale

November 11, 2016, 1:55am

Nationals

Drew Ward continues to produce in first full season for AFL Glendale

Third baseman Drew Ward is tied for second in hitting for the Glendale Desert Dogs with a .333 average after 17 games. Ward and teammate Andrew Stevenson, alongside Garrett Stubbs and Carson Kelly, have played more games than any other D-Dogs. In 117 games this season, the soon-to-be 22-year-old Ward (Nov. 25) demonstrated his power capabilities with 23 doubles, 14 home runs and 56 RBIs for high Single-A Potomac and Double-A Harrisburg. Early in Arizona Fall League play, pitching coach Sam...

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Stevenson collects five hits in 15-3 Glendale runaway

November 07, 2016, 10:29pm

Nationals

Stevenson collects five hits in 15-3 Glendale runaway

The Glendale Desert Dogs got off to a slow start in Arizona Fall Leaque play, but led by the likes of Nationals prospects Andrew Stevenson and Drew Ward, they are surging to the finish line. The D-Dogs (11-12) won their fifth straight game in a 15-3 shellacking of first-place Peoria on Monday. Glendale posted 16 hits and enjoyed outbursts of five runs in the third and fifth innings. Glendale's elimination number is seven. They are just 1 1/2 games behind Peoria and Surprise for the West...

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Osvaldo Abreu flashing bat and glove in Arizona

November 04, 2016, 11:29pm

Nationals

Osvaldo Abreu flashing bat and glove in Arizona

We have previously alerted you to a prospect from the Dominican Republic, shortstop Osvaldo Abreu, who made the move this season from low Single-A Hagerstown to high Single-A Potomac. The Nationals like what they have seen from Abreu, so they gave him a shot in the Arizona Fall League with the Glendale Desert Dogs. Glendale pitching coach Sam Narron, who performs the same role at Hagerstown, has been on hand from the beginning of AFL play and has been very impressed with Abreu's play. "I will...

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More on Nick Lee and Arizona Fall League coaching staff

November 02, 2016, 3:36am

Nationals

More on Nick Lee and Arizona Fall League coaching staff

Southpaw Nick Lee spent his entire season at Double-A Harrisburg. In 45 appearances, the 25-year-old Lee went 3-1 with a 4.32 ERA with two saves. In 50 innings, Lee walked 42 batters and struck out 55. Lee pitched 1 1/3 innings Tuesday as Glendale rallied to beat Scottsdale 8-7 in Arizona Fall League play. The Desert Dogs scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth after trailing 3-0, 5-3 and 6-3. Lee gave up an unearned run on two hits with three walks, but his ERA is still at 2.35. He has...