Byron Kerr

More early camp updates on Fedde, Marmolejos, Abreu and others

March 11, 2016, 3:45am

More early camp updates, including the progress of right-hander Erick Fedde. The UNLV standout was a first-round selection by the Nationals in 2014 and immediately had Tommy John surgery. Low Single-A Hagerstown manager Patrick Anderson said Fedde looks like he's ready to log some heavier innings this season. Fedde tossed 64 innings in 14 games last season. "He looks really fresh," Anderson said. "His arm looks really good. He's got life back to him, you know what I mean? It usually takes...

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Glover's curveball adds to already lethal repertoire

March 09, 2016, 7:29am

Nationals

Glover's curveball adds to already lethal repertoire

Early camp continues with the Nationals' first games coming up March 14 and 15. Right-hander Koda Glover is picking up where he left off from last season. The 22-year-old is 6-foot-5, 195 lbs., out of Monroe, Okla., and pitched last season at short-season Single-A Auburn and low Single-A Hagerstown. Hagerstown manager Patrick Anderson has seen him during the season, at instructional league and now in early camp. "He had Tommy John a few years ago," Anderson said. "He didn't pitch a lot the...

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Catchers making good progress in early camp work

March 07, 2016, 2:54pm

Nationals

Catchers making good progress in early camp work

Nationals catchers are making good progress in early camp, according to Single-A Hagerstown manager Patrick Anderson. Raudy Read has been working in major league camp while Wilson Ramos recovered from LASIK eye surgery. Jakson Reetz has battled through a wrist injury from last year and got hit in the jaw with a ball during instructional league in October. Matt Reistetter and Jorge Tillero have worked a lot in early camp. Tillero has done a nice job calling pitches, while Reistetter is a lefty...

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Hoping Zimmerman foot issue does not linger

March 06, 2016, 4:42pm

Nationals

Hoping Zimmerman foot issue does not linger

Manager Dusty Baker's Sunday update that Ryan Zimmerman may be another two weeks from playing in a spring training game is not the news the Nationals needed to hear. Zimmerman has been bothered by plantar fasciitis in his left foot. Various injuries have prevented the first baseman/third baseman from playing more than 95 games in each of the last two seasons. He has combined for only 156 games over the past two campaigns. The Nationals are continuing to monitor and treat Zimmerman's foot...

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Early camp invitees could play in major league spring training games soon

March 02, 2016, 10:27am

Nationals

Early camp invitees could play in major league spring training games soon

The Nationals played their first spring training game Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Rays, winning 6-2. Several players who were non-roster invitees to camp were in the starting lineup, including outfielder Chris Heisey, shortstop Jason Martinson and catcher/DH Spencer Kieboom. Heisey played for Triple-A Buffalo last season, while Martinson and Kieboom are both home-grown talents in the Nationals system. Martinson and Kieboom are also a year or two removed from being on the Nationals' early...

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Dominican teenager Juan Soto prime example of Nationals' improved outfield depth

March 01, 2016, 10:15am

Nationals

The six outfielders the Nationals have on the early-camp roster are a great demonstration of that athletic talent level the club has recognized rising this season as they get working out in Viera, Fla. "We've got a good group of talent. I think it's probably one of our most athletic groups we've had," said Nationals director of player development Mark Scialabba. The early-camp outfield roster consists of 22-year-old Rafael Bautista, as well as Telmito Agustin, Blake Perkins, Victor Robles,...

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Desmond moves on to Rangers, leaves legacy with Nationals

February 28, 2016, 11:08am

Nationals

Ian Desmond has reportedly agreed to a one-year deal worth $8 million with the Texas Rangers. Since Texas already has a shortstop, Desmond is likely to start the season as a left fielder. The Rangers travel to Baltimore to face the Orioles from Aug. 2-4. The Nationals will receive a compensation pick for Desmond in the 2016 First-Year Player Draft. The Nationals currently have selections No. 29 (Jordan Zimmermann compensation) and No. 58 in the first two rounds. The Tigers must forfeit their...

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Austin Voth relishing first big league camp

February 25, 2016, 7:38am

Nationals

Austin Voth relishing first big league camp

Right-hander Austin Voth is getting acclimated to the Nationals spring training clubhouse, even if he can't hang close to the other pitchers. Voth, 23, a non-roster invitee, is the only pitcher who's locker is not with the other hurlers. His belongings are on the same side of the clubhouse as all of the position players in Viera, Fla. But Voth doesn't care; he's just thrilled to be in a big league camp for the first time. "I'm just happy to be here," Voth said in an interview with...

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Nationals set early-camp roster for prospects, first game March 14

February 24, 2016, 5:12am

Nationals

The Nationals have set their early-camp roster for prospects as spring training continues in Viera, Fla. The minicamp schedule includes a game March 14 against the Mets and then a second game on the road March 15 against the Mets. The roster includes the likes of pitchers Erick Fedde and Reynaldo Lopez, catcher Jakson Reetz, infielders Osvaldo Abreu, Anderson Franco, Edwin Lora, Jose Marmolejos, Stephen Perez, Shawn Pleffner, Ian Sagdal, Max Schrock and Drew Ward, outfielders Rafael Bautista,...

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MiLB.com ranks Nationals position players at No. 13

February 23, 2016, 4:36pm

Nationals

MiLB.com came out with its rankings of the top position players by organization. The Nationals were rated No. 13 out of the 30 teams for their talent level of position players. MiLB.com said it measured these players based on the "quality and quantity of top talent in each system." Nationals prospects mentioned for this ranking included Trea Turner, Victor Robles, Wilmer Difo and Pedro Severino. The write-up was glowing regarding Turner and how close he is to being an everyday major league...

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Stevenson adapting quickly as he gets ready for second pro season

February 22, 2016, 10:08am

Nationals

Stevenson adapting quickly as he gets ready for second pro season

Outfielder Andrew Stevenson hit the ground running after being drafted by the Nationals and competing in the College World Series for LSU. The lefty-hitting 21-year-old was listed in the top 10 of Nationals prospects by Baseball America. He advanced quickly from short-season Single-A Auburn to low Single-A Hagerstown. The Nationals let Stevenson get into a groove his first month of professional ball, a philosophy that Nationals hitting coordinator Troy Gingrich said they implement with all of...

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Burnett excited at opportunity to return to the Nationals

February 20, 2016, 12:49pm

Nationals

Left-hander Sean Burnett has returned to the Nationals looking for a chance to reignite his career. He is certainly antsy to get going again after missing all of last season as he recovered from Tommy John surgery, looking to switch back from the red and white of an Angels uniform to that of the Nationals. Following the Nationals' 2012 playoff run, Burnett appeared in only 16 games in two seasons with the Los Angeles Angels. He continued to have elbow problems that limited his ability to...

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Giolito headlines non-roster invitees on eve of spring training

February 16, 2016, 5:10am

Nationals

Giolito headlines non-roster invitees on eve of spring training

Taking a closer look at the non-roster invitees to Nationals spring training offers an intriguing list of veterans. Some have pitched or hit well in the past, some have previous Nationals experience, and the list includes the organization's top prospect, who is close to tasting the major leagues for the first time. The biggest name, by far, is baseball's top pitching prospect, right-hander Lucas Giolito. He will obviously be the biggest name to watch in spring training, to see how he fares...

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Cautious move would be to start Reynaldo Lopez at Single-A Potomac again this season

February 13, 2016, 3:15pm

Nationals

Cautious move would be to start Reynaldo Lopez at Single-A Potomac again this season

Right-hander Reynaldo Lopez was slowed by a back injury during the 2015 season. The No. 1 priority for his development to begin next season is to make sure that he is 100 percent healthy. The Nationals really like what they saw from Lopez, 22, when he was healthy. "He has a special, special arm," said Nationals pitching coordinator Paul Menhart. Because Lopez is still a young prospect, there is no reason to rush him. Similar to the organization's philosophy with pitchers recovering from...

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Nats prospect watch: Drew Ward

February 10, 2016, 10:30am

Nationals

One power hitter that could make a nice move this year is Drew Ward. The high Single-A Potomac third baseman was able to play in the Arizona Fall League at the end of his 2015 campaign. He got the chance to play twice a week as a taxi squad participant for the Salt River Rafters. That experience was huge for the 21-year-old, who rubbed elbows with top prospects and learned from their game-to-game routine. "(That was) really good for him experience-wise being around a lot of good players,"...

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Baseball America No. 1 Nats prospect: Lucas Giolito

February 08, 2016, 10:29am

Nationals

Baseball America No. 1 Nats prospect: Lucas Giolito

The image of top prospect right-hander Lucas Giolito pitching in a Nationals uniform could become even clearer this summer. Giolito paved the way to that end with a very positive 2015 campaign in which he pitched in 21 games, 19 of them starts, for 117 innings. He fired 131 strikeouts and only 37 walks. As expected, Baseball America has him as its top Nationals prospect. No. 1 Lucas Giolito Baseball America editor-in-chief John Manuel says Giolito has a very good shot of pitching for the...

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Baseball America No. 2 Nats prospect: Trea Turner

February 05, 2016, 8:51am

Nationals

Baseball America No. 2 Nats prospect: Trea Turner

Trea Turner, 22, got his first taste of the majors last season with the Nationals. It was a season that saw him play for four different teams after beginning the year as property of the San Diego Padres organization and ending up in a Nationals uniform for 27 games. He is pegged as the future of the Nationals at shortstop, and has earned No. 2 prospect status on Baseball America's Nationals top 10. No. 2 Trea Turner Baseball America editor-in-chief John Manuel has a lot of good things to say...

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Nats prospect watch Part II: Jose Marmolejos

February 03, 2016, 10:37am

Nationals

Nats prospect watch Part II: Jose Marmolejos

Almost making it into Baseball America's list of the top Nationals prospects was Jose Marmolejos, who smashed the baseball in 2015. The first baseman slashed .310/.363/.485 in 124 games for the low Single-A Hagerstown Suns. He hit 39 doubles, five triples, 11 homers and 87 RBIs. Marmolejos was so good he was honored as the Nationals organizational Offensive Player of the Year. Baseball America editor-in-chief John Manuel said his publication likes what they see from him offensively, but want...

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Baseball America No. 3 Nats prospect: Victor Robles

January 31, 2016, 12:23pm

Nationals

Baseball America No. 3 Nats prospect: Victor Robles

Being selected as one of the top three prospects in Nationals organization puts a player in elite company. Outfielder Victor Robles, 18, displayed his talents for the short-season Single-A Auburn Doubledays, slashing an impressive .343/.424/.479 in 38 games, drawing praise from scouts, managers, players and baseball publications. Baseball America believes he is one of the best prospects in the minor leagues. No. 3 Victor Robles Baseball America editor-in-chief John Manuel said recently his...

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Baseball America No. 4 Nats prospect: Erick Fedde

January 28, 2016, 1:46pm

Nationals

Baseball America No. 4 Nats prospect: Erick Fedde

Right-hander Erick Fedde, 22, made a solid return from Tommy John surgery to pitch well for 60-plus innings in the Nationals system in 2015. The 2014 first-round selection went 4-1 with a 2.57 ERA in eight starts for short-season Single-A Auburn. He also made six starts for low Single-A Hagerstown. The Nationals measured his work, keeping him at 64 combined innings just over a year removed from the procedure. All indications point to Fedde making the next step in the system, similar to what top...