Byron Kerr

Baseball America No. 5 Nats prospect: Reynaldo Lopez

January 26, 2016, 9:16am

There is still a good buzz around right-hander Reynaldo Lopez, who accelerated onto the scene the last two seasons by displaying a 95-plus mph fastball from his 6-foot frame. Coupled with the 6-foot-6 Lucas Giolito, they provided a lethal one-two punch in the Nationals system. A slight back injury slowed Lopez down a bit as the 2015 season wore on, but he is still considered a hot commodity and is No. 5 in Baseball America's ranking of top Nationals prospects. No. 5 Reynaldo Lopez Lopez...

Tags:

Baseball America No. 6 Nats prospect: Wilmer Difo

January 23, 2016, 11:39am

Nationals

Baseball America No. 6 Nats prospect: Wilmer Difo

It was unfortunate to see second baseman Wilmer Difo go down with a hand injury in his first professional start when the Nationals took on the Mets in the final weekend series at Citi Field in 2015. Difo broke his left hand in the third inning of Max Scherzer's second no-hitter of the season and a Nationals 2-0 win. The 23-year-old Difo underwent hand surgery three weeks later and is expected to make a full recovery for the 2016 campaign. The 6-foot, 195 lbs., Dominican Difo played 106 games...

Tags:

baseball america byron kerr john manuel nationals farm report wilmer difo featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2 nationals

Baseball America No. 7 Nats prospect: A.J. Cole

January 21, 2016, 10:13am

Nationals

Baseball America No. 7 Nats prospect: A.J. Cole

Right-hander A.J. Cole went 13-3 with a 3.16 ERA in 25 starts in 2014 with the Nationals organization. He then stepped up for his first major league start, which did not go well in Atlanta on April 28. He lasted two innings as the Braves pounded out nine hits and scored nine runs, with only four of those earned runs. He had only one strikeout, walked one and had one intentional walk. On May 15 against the Padres, he bounced back to record his first major league save. Then, Cole allowed two runs...

Tags:

aj cole baseball america byron kerr john manuel nationals frontstory_nationals2

Baseball America No. 8 Nats prospect: Andrew Stevenson

January 19, 2016, 9:49am

Nationals

Baseball America No. 8 Nats prospect: Andrew Stevenson

It is exciting to see the potential of an outstanding defensive center fielder who knows what it's like to win fall to the Nationals in the draft. In June, the Nationals selected LSU center fielder Andrew Stevenson in the second round of the First-Year Player draft. He is an aggressive, rangy and speedy outfielder who played in the College World Series and is the top-of-the-order lefty bat that the Nationals always respect. He is locked in as Baseball America's No. 8 Nats prospect for...

Tags:

andrew stevenson baseball america byron kerr john manuel nationals farm report featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2 nationals

Baseball America No. 9 Nats prospect: Austin Voth

January 17, 2016, 9:37am

Nationals

Baseball America No. 9 Nats prospect: Austin Voth

Another pitcher who really had a very strong and very consistent 2015 season was right-handed starter Austin Voth. Baseball America's scouting department was also impressed with the University of Washington product's advancing skills. He is the No. 9 Nationals prospect on Baseball America's top 10. No. 9 RHP Austin Voth: The 23-year-old from Redmond, Wash., went 6-7 in 27 starts (28 games) in 2015, all with Double-A Harrisburg. Voth recorded 148 strikeouts in 157 1/3 innings, surrendering...

Tags:

aaron sele austin voth baseball america byron kerr john manuel nationals farm report tanner roark taylor jordan ted cahill frontstory_nationals2

Stephen Strasburg avoids arbitration, agrees to one-year deal

January 15, 2016, 10:49am

Nationals

Stephen Strasburg avoids arbitration, agrees to one-year deal

The Nationals have agreed to terms with right-hander Stephen Strasburg on a one-year deal worth a reported $10.4 million, avoiding arbitration, according to multiple reports. Strasburg went 11-7 in 2015 with a 3.46 ERA, his best winning percentage since 2012, when he went 15-6. He battled injuries and started 23 games, coming on strong to end the season. MLBTradeRumors.com had predicted Strasburg would receive $10.5 million through arbitration. In the second half of the season, Strasburg went...

Tags:

ben revere byron kerr danny espinosa nationals stephen strasburg featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Baseball America No. 10 Nats prospect: Anderson Franco

January 14, 2016, 6:26am

Nationals

Baseball America No. 10 Nats prospect: Anderson Franco

As spring training draws ever closer, it's time to count down the top 10 Nationals prospects for 2016, as calculated by Baseball America. The top 10 this year consists of a good mix of Latin and American players, pitchers and position players - as you would expect - but also a couple of surprising teenagers. A pair of the names on the list have already played games with the Nationals at the major league level. You can probably guess those quickly. But we begin with a talented teenage infield...

Tags:

anderson franco baseball america byron kerr john manuel nationals farm report featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2 nats top ten prospects

Wirkin Estevez looking to return to form after two Tommy John surgeries

January 12, 2016, 4:44am

Nationals

Wirkin Estevez looking to return to form after two Tommy John surgeries

The instructional league roster consists of the top prospects in the Nationals organization. Upon further examination, it is impressive to notice that there are more Latin players, specifically those from the Dominican Republic, than ever before on the list. In the system, you could put together a whole team of Dominican Republic all-stars with the Nationals. "No doubt about it," Nationals pitching coordinator Paul Menhart said. "That's how good of a job that (vice president of...

Tags:

byron kerr nationals farm report paul menhart reynaldo lopez wirkin estevez featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2 johnny dipuglia

Nats prospect watch: Chris Bostick

January 09, 2016, 7:44am

Nationals

Last December, second baseman Chris Bostick arrived alongside right-hander Abel De Los Santos from the Texas Rangers for left-hander Ross Detwiler. It ended a whirlwind few years for the highly-thought-of infielder in which he has played for three teams since 2013. "It's got to be a little bit tough for him because he has been with three organizations in three years," said Nationals hitting coordinator Troy Gingrich. "He's never really had a chance to settle down. I think at each...

Tags:

byron kerr chris bostick nationals farm report troy gingrich featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Instructional league work paying dividends now in cold January days

January 06, 2016, 7:42am

Nationals

Instructional league work paying dividends now in cold January days

The progress the young pitchers in the Nationals system make during this offseason began with October and early November instructional league workouts and games. The fruits of that labor are not seen by fans right now. The work these players are doing right now is fortified by what they learned at instructional league this year. Thirty pitchers descended on the Nationals' Florida training facility at the end of the 2015 campaign and were given specific offseason regimens and points of emphasis...

Tags:

austen williams byron kerr doug harris jake johansen lucas giolito nationals farm report paul menhart featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2 mckenzie mills pedro avila tyler watson weston davis yorlin reynoso

Matt Grace must be able to get both left- and right-handed hitters out

January 04, 2016, 11:22am

Nationals

Matt Grace must be able to get both left- and right-handed hitters out

Left-hander Matt Grace enjoyed a pair of stints with the Nationals in 2015. He was up with the big club and appeared in games first in April and May, then again in September and October. Grace went 2-1 with a 4.24 ERA in 26 appearances. He allowed earned runs in only four of those games. Grace said at Winterfest he understood the reason why he had to be sent down the first time and appreciated the huge opportunity to pitch in the majors, an opportunity not given to every prospect. "As you make...

Tags:

byron kerr nationals frontstory_nationals2 matt grace

Lucas Giolito focuses on improving athleticism in 2016

January 01, 2016, 5:42am

Nationals

Lucas Giolito focuses on improving athleticism in 2016

One big question regarding top Nationals prospect Lucas Giolito is when the first-round draft selection from 2012 will make his debut with the major league club. The 21-year-old right-hander has continued to make very good progress and movement in the minor league system. Giolito pitched for high Single-A Potomac and Double-A Harrisburg in 2015. He combined to go 7-7 with a 3.15 ERA over 19 starts (21 games). He twirled 117 innings and struck out 131 batters. The focus at instructional league...

Tags:

byron kerr landon brandes lucas giolito nationals farm report paul menhart frontstory_nationals2

Catcher Jakson Reetz learns to strengthen swing following left wrist injury

December 29, 2015, 5:55pm

Nationals

Catcher Jakson Reetz learns to strengthen swing following left wrist injury

Catcher Jakson Reetz hurt his left wrist during the season, so when he arrived at instructional league in October, the staff had him work on his swing in a unique way. Reetz was able to play 36 games for short-season Single-A Auburn before being shut down. His last game of the season was Aug. 13. But Reetz, the third-round selection from 2014, was still invited to instructional league in Viera, Fla. Nationals hitting coordinator Troy Gingrich and the club's coaching staff worked with Reetz at...

Tags:

byron kerr jakson reetz nationals farm report troy gingrich frontstory_nationals2

Nationals have pitchers that could move quickly in 2016

December 27, 2015, 4:13am

Nationals

The entire roster of pitchers invited to instructional league are the top prospects in the Nationals organization. The list includes the big names fans are accustomed to: Lucas Giolito, Erick Fedde, Reynaldo Lopez and others. But if we dig a little deeper and go to the Nationals to ask them who are the possible quick movers, guys that raised eyebrows during the season and the work they did in instructs, the list contains names that many fans may not be as familiar with. This list of prospects...

Tags:

byron kerr erick fedde lucas giolito nationals farm report reynaldo lopez taylor hearn andrew lee featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2 koda glover mckenzie mills nationals ryan brinley tyler watson weston davis

Murphy acquisition another signal Nationals seek quick start and big-game experience

December 24, 2015, 3:01pm

Nationals

The Nationals have been searching for an everyday second baseman since the 2015 campaign came to a close. With the departure of shortstop Ian Desmond and Yunel Escobar moving on, Anthony Rendon was set at third base. So it became obvious that the Nationals needed to find a solid, veteran presence at second. They were not going to go into the season with the untested - but gigantic upside of - Trea Turner at that spot. Danny Espinosa looks like the choice at shortstop, and Turner will certainly...

Tags:

anthony rendon byron kerr daniel murphy jayson werth michael a. taylor mike rizzo nationals danny espinosa featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Gonzalez focusing on nutrition and flexibility, seeking "monster year"

December 22, 2015, 1:32pm

Nationals

Gonzalez focusing on nutrition and flexibility, seeking "monster year"

For Nationals left-hander Gio Gonzalez, the quest for next season is to return to the way he was pitching in 2012, when he earned a career-high 21 wins. The last three seasons, he has not been able to win more than 11 times a year. Gonzalez said at Winterfest that his personal goal this season is to get back to dominating like he did when the Nationals brought home their first division title. Last year, he went 11-8 with a 3.79 ERA in 31 starts - not bad numbers, of course. But he had a few...

Tags:

byron kerr dusty baker gio gonzalez joe ross mike maddux nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2 greg maddux

Treinen fishing for consistency as he prepares for next season

December 20, 2015, 9:43am

Nationals

Treinen fishing for consistency as he prepares for next season

Right-hander Blake Treinen went from pitching in 15 games in 2014 to a career-high 60 games in 2015. But he was used in more specialty situations last season, as his innings total only went from 50 2/3 innings to 67 2/3 innings. It was the epitome of an up-and-down season for Treinen. In March and April, his ERA was 4.22. In May, he had a 3.00 ERA, allowing only five runs in 15 innings. In June, he reached a 4.38 ERA in 12-plus innings. In July, he allowed four earned runs in just three innings...

Tags:

blake treinen byron kerr mike maddux nationals steve mccatty featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

den Dekker hopes for expanded role with Nats in 2016

December 17, 2015, 10:37am

Nationals

den Dekker hopes for expanded role with Nats in 2016

Outfielder Matt den Dekker ended the 2015 season on a hot streak at the plate. In the last 26 games (eight starts) he played in September and October, den Dekker hit .298 with five doubles, three homers and seven RBIs. He ended up playing a career high 55 games in 2015, and hit .253 for the season with a career-high OPS of .800. "Personally, for me, I felt good about the end of the season," den Dekker said at Winterfest. "I finished strong, got comfortable in my role I was in, so just...

Tags:

byron kerr dusty baker matt den dekker nationals rick schu tyler moore featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Tyler Moore working on defense, mental side of game

December 15, 2015, 6:45am

Nationals

Tyler Moore working on defense, mental side of game

Tyler Moore signed a one-year deal worth $900,000 to stay with the Nationals through 2016. Meeting with the media at Winterfest this weekend, he was pleased to be back with the team and is eager to contribute. "Feels good to be back," Moore said. "Didn't know if I was going to be with all the changes and stuff. Obviously, it feels great to be back. Didn't know if I was going to be. Just ready to get going and spring will be here before you know it." Before the season starts, the...

Tags:

bryce harper byron kerr dusty baker jayson werth matt williams michael taylor nationals tyler moore featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Gott, Perez and Kelley eager to pitch in alongside highly regarded Nationals staff

December 13, 2015, 10:03am

Nationals

The Nationals' three newest pitching acquisitions met with the media Sunday at Winterfest. Right-handed reliever Trevor Gott, 23, arrives from the Los Angeles Angels. Gott pitched in 48 games last season for the Angels with a 4-2 record and 3.02 ERA. Gott was thrilled to get the call that he was heading east, closer to his native Lexington, Kentucky. "I was excited. I think it'll be a good opportunity for me," Gott said. "Obviously, the Angels did a lot for my career and gave me the...