This offseason is exciting as we look ahead to the potential of 20-year-old third baseman Drew Ward. He is a 6-foot-4, 210-lb. infielder from a town of about 440 in central Oklahoma. Ward hit 10 homers last year, after hitting one in 2013 for the Rookie-level Gulf Coast Nationals, and added an impressive 73 RBIs.
The 2013 third-rounder could be one of those future power bats the Nationals covet. After Steven Souza Jr. was traded and Tyler Moore is potentially in the big leagues for good, Matt...
Outfielder Brian Goodwin played in 81 games last season for the Syracuse Chiefs. It was the 24-year-old's his first full season at Triple-A.
The left-handed Rocky Mount, N.C., native is locked in Baseball America's Nationals prospects list at No. 10.
No. 10: outfielder Brian Goodwin
"I think right now he is in the fourth outfielder mode," Baseball America editor-in-chief John Manuel said. "I had a chance the last two years to go to the (Arizona) Fall League to work for MLB Network as a...
The Baseball America top 10 Nationals prospects list was altered a bit after the acquisitions of Joe Ross and Trea Turner.
The list bumped Nick Pivetta to No. 11 and Austin Voth to No. 12.
Voth, a 22-year-old right-hander, spent last season with three teams, going 4-3 with a 2.45 ERA in 13 starts. He went 2-1 with a 1.43 ERA in six starts with Single-A Potomac.
And now let's turn our focus to ...
No. 11: right-hander Nick Pivetta
Pivetta went 13-8 with a 4.22 ERA for low Single-A...
Sammy Solis, Felipe Rivero and Hector Silvestre are the three left-handers on the Baseball America top 30 of list Nationals prospects. Matt Purke remains on the depth chart.
Baseball America editor-in-chief John Manuel says Solis has been able to have a little more time to develop thanks to the pitching in front of him. This is an important season for Solis, who made only five starts last season and threw just 18 1/3 innings. He was shut down in June last season with elbow discomfort.
"Sammy...
As I continue to focus on the depth of the Nationals minor league system, we turn our attention to Baseball America's rundown of the club's top talent. We already listed the top 12 Nationals prospects according to the publication. But what is interesting is to look at how Baseball America perceives the Nationals' talent from 11 to 30.
Editor-in-chief John Manuel says two things jump out to him when he looks at the rest of the list of Nats prospects: catchers and frontline impact...
The recent three-team trade that brought a pair of top prospects from the Padres organization has altered Baseball America's latest Nationals prospect list.
Baseball America editor-in-chief John Manuel listed Trea Turner and Joe Ross in the top six. One spot was opened up when outfielder Steven Souza Jr. was shipped to Tampa Bay. But to have two brand-new prospects added to the Nationals' talent base worthy of ranking in the top 10 is a big step in building the strength of the...
The subject of the Nationals' possible vacancy at second base has been a top offseason story for the club. Ryan Zimmerman's move from third base to first base answers one infield question. But when Anthony Rendon took over third base and Asdrubal Cabrera was not immediately re-signed to play second, the question of who would fill the opening gained some traction.
Then, from a purely power argument, Adam LaRoche signed with the Chicago White Sox and the question gained a new dimension: Where...
Right-hander Lucas Giolito made tremendous progress in 2014 after recovering from Tommy John surgery. The 6-foot-6, 255-pound first-round selection from 2012 won 10 games and pitched 98 innings for the low Single-A Hagerstown Suns.
Baseball Prospectus lists him as its No. 1 Nationals prospect. No. 1: right-hander Lucas Giolito
Chris Mellen, co-director of the Baseball Prospectus prospect team, believes Giolito has the potential to be a frontline starter in the majors and the Nationals are...
This shapes up to be a big season for right-hander A.J. Cole, who continues to excel in the Nationals minor league system and climb the ladder with outstanding pitching.
Cole is the No. 2 Nationals prospect, according to Baseball Prospectus. It's amazing to consider he is at that slot with the Nationals when it looked just a few seasons back like he would continue his career with the Oakland A's after being a key piece in the Gio Gonzalez deal.
No. 2: right-hander A.J. Cole
Chris Mellen,...
The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation held a star-studded fundraiser called "Beltway Baseball" Friday night at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, D.C. Former Orioles great, Hall of Famer and foundation co-founder Cal Ripken Jr. brought along Nationals manager Matt Williams to speak to fans and help raise funds to help at-risk youth across the country.
Williams said he was thrilled to be a part of the fundraiser.
"When he calls, I say yes," Williams said. "The foundation is fantastic and they...
The Nationals acquired second baseman Chris Bostick and right-handed reliever Abel de Los Santos from the Texas Rangers on Friday in exchange for left-handed pitcher Ross Detwiler.
The 21-year-old Bostick has a .270 career batting average and a .341 on-base percentage in four minor league seasons ranging from rookie ball to high Single-A. In 2014, with Single-A Myrtle Beach of the Carolina League, Bostick hit .251 with a .322 on-base percentage and a .412 slugging percentage. While he played...
Hey, have we found the Nationals second baseman?
Well, maybe not this season, but at least he's in the system.
The Arizona Fall League named Mesa Solar Sox second baseman and Nats prospect Tony Renda to the 2014 AFL Top Prospects Team. The criteria laid out by the league was that "voters were asked to consider fall league performance and major league projectability."
Here's the AFL's writeup on Renda:
Started at second base for the East Division in the Nov. 1 Fall Stars Game ... hit...
A few of the prospects on the Nationals' top 10 list by Baseball Prospectus got a chance to showcase their talents on the biggest stage this past season. Steven Souza Jr. made an impact with a couple of mammoth home runs and an unforgettable no-hitter-saving catch.
Michael A. Taylor also made his presence known with a home run early in his first week at the Mets, and demonstrated a very nice swing at the plate. He also showed he could play plus-plus defense in center field for the...
There has been a lot of offseason buzz regarding right-hander Reynaldo Lopez. A lot of people had not heard much of the Dominican hurler, but he made a big splash at the end of the season with low Single-A Hagerstown.
Lopez went 5-1 with a 0.63 ERA in his final 10 starts, nine of them with the Suns.
He is the No. 4 Nationals prospect, according to Baseball Prospectus.
No. 4: right-hander Reynaldo Lopez
Chris Mellen, the co-director of the Baseball Prospectus prospect team, believes Lopez is a...
Left-hander Matt Purke has started his throwing program as he rehabilitates from Tommy John surgery. The 24-year-old says the program commenced Tuesday and started with soft tosses.
"I felt really good and (am) excited to be back out on the field," the southpaw reported via text message.
Purke said he will gradually build up his throwing over time. He still has plenty of time before spring training begins.
Purke was signed to a minor league contract on Nov. 18, five days after being taken off...
For the second consecutive draft, the Nationals' top selection underwent successful Tommy John surgery within a few weeks of being selected.
This time, it was former UNLV right-hander Erick Fedde, who was so tough he pitched for Team USA while fighting through an injury.
His college coach, Tim Chambers, said the right-hander "really sold out for (him)" while with the Runnin' Rebels.
Now, as my colleague Dan Kolko reports, Fedde is back to beginning his throwing program. His schedule will...
The next name on the list of Nationals top 10 prospects according to Baseball Prospectus is outfielder Steven Souza Jr., who already has etched his name in organization's history books with one of the most amazing catches of the season to end the final regular season game.
His over-the-shoulder dive toward center field near the warning track in left not only won the Sept. 28 game against the Marlins, but it also cemented the first no-hitter ever thrown by a Nationals pitcher. Jordan...
The Nationals have made it a mandate: Build from pitching and catching. Their organization is filled with outstanding hurlers and backstops that have played well for the Nationals or have brought fruit in trades over the years.
Derek Norris, who was traded in a blockbuster 2011 deal for left-hander Gio Gonzalez, has become a starter for the Oakland A's, helping to guide them to a playoff appearance last season. (Ironically, A.J. Cole was part of that deal to Oakland, has since been traded back...
It is intriguing to watch the progress of one of the top Nationals pitching prospects as he gains experience and also gets to work with first-rounder Lucas Giolito. At 6-foot-6 and 235 lbs., Jake Johansen is an imposing fixture on the mound. It had to be little fun for South Atlantic League batters to face a one-two punch of a pair of 6-foot-6 hurlers in the Nationals low Single-A rotation.
No. 8: right-hander Jake Johansen
Baseball Prospectus ranked the Dallas Baptist right-hander No. 8 on...
Our next Nationals farmhand on the Baseball Prospectus top 10 organizational prospects list brings us to great speed in the outfield and a steady bat.
No. 9: Center fielder Rafael Bautista
Bautista had an impressive season for the low Single-A Hagerstown Suns. In 134 games, Bautista stole 69 stolen bases, which ranked first in the South Atlantic League by a wide margin.
The 69 stolen bases also would have been the most in the Carolina League, Eastern League and International League. No runner...