Byron Kerr

Baseball America's Nats No. 2 prospect: Lucas Giolito

January 09, 2013, 2:43am

The baseball recovery clock from Tommy John started on Aug. 31, 2012, for Lucas Giolito. But before that day, the Nationals and baseball gurus got a small window into the immense potential that made Giolito the team's No. 1 selection in the 2012 draft. The 6-foot-6, 225-lb., flame throwing right-hander out of Santa Monica, Calif., pitched two innings for Gulf Coast Nationals and then-manager Tripp Keister saw quickly why the Nationals have such high hopes for the 18-year-old. Giolito was...

Tags:

Baseball America's Nats No. 3 prospect: Brian Goodwin

January 06, 2013, 5:18pm

Nationals

Baseball America's Nats No. 3 prospect: Brian Goodwin

Brian Goodwin has been a fan favorite ever since the Nationals drafted him. Always coveting a center fielder with speed who can hit, hit for power, get on base and has great range, Goodwin is working his way into that leadoff man of the future the Nats have been searching for in the draft. Denard Span takes over this season with the big boys, but Goodwin made a big splash last season as he tore through low Single-A Hagerstown and made the rare two-level jump to Double-A Harrisburg. He...

Tags:

aaron fitt baseball america brian goodwin byron kerr nationals frontstory_nationals2

Young GCL Nats could join Tripp Keister in move to Hagerstown

January 04, 2013, 3:58am

Nationals

Young GCL Nats could join Tripp Keister in move to Hagerstown

The value of the Nationals having a Gulf Coast League team shows itself each spring when many of the young stars move up to take spots at low Single-A Hagerstown or more likely at short-season Single-A Auburn. Looking down the list of GCL Nationals offensively, several position players put up good offensive numbers as they gained crucial professional experience in the rookie league. Second baseman Matt Foat hit .333 in 43 games, with six doubles, one triple, one homer and 20 RBIs. GCL...

Tags:

byron kerr gulf coast hagerstown matt foat nationals pedro severino tripp keister frontstory_nationals2

Baseball America's No. 4 Nats prospect: Matt Skole

January 02, 2013, 11:49am

Nationals

Baseball America's No. 4 Nats prospect: Matt Skole

It was a tremendous summer for Matt Skole. He demonstrated his raw power over and over at low Single-A Hagerstown. Skole hit .286 in 101 games for the Suns, smacking 27 homers and recording 92 RBIs. He then got moved up to high Single-A Potomac. He hit .314 for the P-Nats, with 11 extra-base hits, although no homers, and 12 RBIs. The Nationals liked what they saw so much they gave him the opportunity to continue his season in the Arizona Fall League, where he played first base exclusively....

Tags:

aaron fitt baseball america byron kerr matt skole nationals frontstory_nationals2

Baseball America's No. 5 Nats prospect: Nathan Karns

December 31, 2012, 12:56pm

Nationals

Baseball America's No. 5 Nats prospect: Nathan Karns

The Nationals are very high on right-hander Nathan Karns after his breakthrough 2012 season. Karns was named the organization's minor league Pitcher of the Year after going a combined 11-4 with a 2.17 ERA over 24 games, 18 of those starts. Karns fired 148 strikeouts, two complete games and only 47 walks between low Single-A Hagerstown and high Single-A Potomac. He won seven of his final nine outings to end the season, with a 1.84 ERA and 68 strikeouts. In his last 10 games, Karns struck out...

Tags:

byron kerr hagerstown harrisburg nathan karns nationals paul menhart potomac frontstory_nationals2

Baseball America's No. 6 Nats prospect: Christian Garcia

December 30, 2012, 3:17am

Nationals

Baseball America's No. 6 Nats prospect: Christian Garcia

Right-hander Christian Garcia made a nice move all the way to the Nationals in 2012 after dominating opponents while pitching at Triple-A Syracuse. Garcia began the season at Double-A Harrisburg. In 18 games, he went 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA with seven saves in 20 innings, firing 28 strikeouts to six walks. Then, in Syracuse, Garcia went 1-1 with a 0.56 ERA in 27 games over 32 1/3 innings. He struck out 38 and walked 11. With the Nationals, Garcia appeared in 13 games, pitching 12 2/3 innings and...

Tags:

byron kerr christian garcia nationals frontstory_nationals2

Baseball America's No. 7 Nats prospect: Eury Perez

December 27, 2012, 4:44pm

Nationals

Baseball America's No. 7 Nats prospect: Eury Perez

There has always been a lot of talk about the potential of outfielder Eury Perez. Last season, for the first time, Nationals fans finally got to see him play in the big leagues. Perez, ranked as No. 7 on Baseball America's list of 10 top Nationals prospects, played in 13 games in September, going 1-for-5 (.200) with three stolen bases and three runs. It was a small sample size, and now Perez will have a shot to try to grab one of the utility slots in the Nationals outfield in spring training...

Tags:

aaron fitt baseball america byron kerr denard span eury perez harrisburg nationals syracuse twins frontstory_nationals2

Baseball America's No. 8 Nats prospect: Sammy Solis

December 25, 2012, 4:31pm

Nationals

Baseball America's No. 8 Nats prospect: Sammy Solis

I remember that July day in 2011 when left-hander Sammy Solis notched his first victory at the high Single-A Potomac Nationals. The southpaw was pretty pumped about that victory and the promise that inevitably lied ahead. That promise is still intact, now that Solis is recovering from Tommy John surgery performed in March. If everything goes well this season, Solis will be able to return to the mound and get through this season with an innings limit. Solis went 6-2 in 2011 with a 2.72 ERA...

Tags:

aaron fitt baseball america byron kerr jordan zimmermann nationals potomac sammy solis stephen strasburg frontstory_nationals3

ESPN preseason power rankings have Nationals at No. 2

December 23, 2012, 5:11pm

Nationals

The Nationals had the best record in baseball in 2012 with 98 victories. Heading into the 2013 season, the team is already receiving expectations that they will be just as good. ESPN The Magazine senior writer Buster Olney ranks the Nationals as No. 2 on his early power rankings behind world champion San Francisco Giants (subscription required). Olney cites the addition of center fielder Denard Span and the continued progression of the young outfielder Bryce Harper. Olney also says with...

Tags:

bryce harper buster olney byron kerr giants nationals stephen strasburg frontstory_nationals3

Baseball America's No. 9 Nats prospect: Matt Purke

December 22, 2012, 3:40am

Nationals

Baseball America's No. 9 Nats prospect: Matt Purke

A heavy dose of potential is a theme for a few of the Baseball America Nationals' top 10 prospects. Left-hander Matt Purke is a pitcher I get constant questions about, as the Nationals have been unable to see Purke make it through an entire season healthy after showcasing one of the more amazing pitching arms at the collegiate level. Purke resides at No. 9 on Baseball America's top 10 Nationals prospects list because of his potential as a lethal southpaw starter. Sammy Solis and Purke are...

Tags:

aaron fitt byron kerr frontstory_nationals2 matt purke nationals sammy solis

Baseball America's No. 10 Nats prospect: Zach Walters

December 20, 2012, 6:20am

Nationals

Baseball America's No. 10 Nats prospect: Zach Walters

Third baseman Zach Walters is No. 10 in Baseball America's top 10 Nationals prospects for 2013. The infielder, who can also play shortstop, played 126 games in three levels of the minors in 2012, plus the Arizona Fall League and winter ball in Puerto Rico. Here is the complete top 10 list from MASNsports.com's Dan Kolko. We will countdown from No. 10 to No. 1 and spotlight each of the Nats' top prospects, according to Baseball America. Walters played for Single-A Potomac, Double-A...

Tags:

aaron fitt baseball america byron kerr nationals zach walters frontstory_nationals2

Keister takes positive attitude to Hagerstown

December 18, 2012, 8:43pm

Nationals

Keister takes positive attitude to Hagerstown

It was about one year ago that Tripp Keister was making the jump from collegiate coach at Wesley College to his job as manager for the Gulf Coast League Nationals. Now he has been promoted to manage the low Single-A Hagerstown Suns. Keister believes his purpose and job description really hasn't changed despite the classification jump. "I look forward to being at (Hagerstown)," Keister said this week. "I recognize as a player development staff member your job is still the same: Get these...

Tags:

brian daubach byron kerr gulf coast nationals hagerstown nationals potomac tripp keister frontstory_nationals2 ron washington

Updates on Walters, Tatusko and Lozada for Leones de Ponce

December 17, 2012, 5:22am

Nationals

Updates on Walters, Tatusko and Lozada for Leones de Ponce

Here are some updates on Leones de Ponce in the Liga de Beisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente (offseason league) this past week and how the Nationals' prospects are faring. Third baseman Zach Walters has put together four multi-hit games in his last nine contests, with 10 hits since Dec. 6. He had three hits on Dec. 6 and Dec. 16, plus a pair of base knocks on Dec. 7 and Dec. 14. Over his last 10 games, he is hitting .270 and his overall average is .260 overall with eight doubles and 13 RBIs...

Tags:

astros byron kerr dickie thon jose lozada nationals ryan tatusko zach walter frontstory_nationals2

A few William & Mary standouts looking to make Nationals

December 15, 2012, 4:20am

Nationals

A pair of former College of William & Mary standouts, Will Rhymes and Bill Bray, will be looking to make the Nationals out of spring training. Second baseman Rhymes is a non-roster invitee who most recently played for the Tampa Bay Rays. The 5-foot-9, 155-lb. infielder is a career .266 hitter with 23 extra-base hits and 29 RBIs in 130 games. He broke in with the Detroit Tigers in 2010, and played 83 games in Motown. He was MiLB.com organization All-Star with the Tigers for 2010 and has made...

Tags:

bill bray byron kerr jamie pinzino nationals will rhymes william & mary frontstory_nationals3

Source: Daubach to manage Potomac, Keister to Hagerstown in 2013

December 13, 2012, 5:09pm

Nationals

Source: Daubach to manage Potomac, Keister to Hagerstown in 2013

The Nationals will announce their 2013 minor league coaching staff and coordinators later today. A club source told MASNsports.com that the biggest changes are two managerial promotions at the Single-A level. Brian Daubach moves from low Single-A Hagerstown to high Single-A Potomac as manager, while Tripp Keister steps up from the Gulf Coast League Nationals to manage the Suns. Hitting coach Mark Harris has been promoted from Hagerstown to Potomac. Former Potomac manager Brian Rupp moves to...

Tags:

brian daubach byron kerr mark harris nationals potomac tripp keister frontstory_nationals3

Kimball felt "back to normal" with repaired shoulder in AFL

December 12, 2012, 5:44pm

Nationals

Kimball felt "back to normal" with repaired shoulder in AFL

Although Cole Kimball is always a fierce competitor when he takes the mound, the Nationals told the right-handed reliever that his innings in the Arizona Fall League were more important than the numbers. But if you know Kimball, and if you remember how he pitched for the Nationals in his short 2011 stint, he is never satisfied with just pitching. He wants to go out and win every time. Kimball pitched in 15 innings over 11 games for the AFL's Salt River Rafters, compiling a 4.80 ERA. He...

Tags:

byron kerr cole kimball nationals afl salt river rafters frontstory_nationals2

Tale of the tape: LaRoche vs. Morse

December 11, 2012, 4:37am

Nationals

If Adam LaRoche re-signs with the Nationals, does that mean Michael Morse will be traded? With Denard Span in center field, Bryce Harper in left and Jayson Werth in right, is Morse the first baseman? If that is the case, is LaRoche gone? These questions have been in play for what seems like almost a month, as teams expressed interest in Morse and LaRoche sought a long-term contract from the Nationals and others. Here is a quick look at the tale of the tape: (We see this comparison all the...

Tags:

adam laroche byron kerr michael morse nationals tyler moore featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Finding free agents who want to be in D.C. a far cry from three years ago

December 08, 2012, 7:45pm

Nationals

Finding free agents who want to be in D.C. a far cry from three years ago

What a difference a year makes. Or three years. Remember those days when free agents shied away from D.C. as a preferred destination? Zack Greinke turned down the Nationals a couple of years back (that worked out for him with the Dodgers this year, but that is not my point). There were a few seasons where high-priced free agents couldn't be persuaded to consider the Nationals. Not anymore. After two miserable seasons, the Nationals grabbed Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper with the...

Tags:

bryce harper byron kerr dan haren nationals stephen strasburg featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Detwiler, Nationals "remember how it feels" to lose Game 5, fuels hunger for 2013

December 07, 2012, 8:59am

Nationals

The Nationals made a big splash this week at baseball's Winter Meetings, agreeing to a one-year deal with former Angels right-hander Dan Haren. Haren arrives with 119 career victories as a three-time All-Star, and would solidify one of the best starting rotations in baseball. With Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmermann and Ross Detwiler already in the fold, the Nationals were looking for a fifth starter to help them match up against any scenario and in any series. With Haren in...

Tags:

cardinals dan haren gio gonzalez nationals ross detwiler stephen strasburg featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Rosenbaum and Kobernus excited to be selected in Rule 5 draft, thankful to Nats

December 06, 2012, 6:56am

Nationals

Rosenbaum and Kobernus excited to be selected in Rule 5 draft, thankful to Nats

Former Nationals prospects Danny Rosenbaum and Jeff Kobernus knew the Rule 5 draft was was today at 10 a.m. Eastern time (7 a.m. Pacific time in California, where Kobernus is). And around that time they both considered the possibility of being picked up by another team, but did not let it dominate their thoughts. Then the calls came in. Kobernus, a second baseman, got his 15 minutes after the hour from his agent. He'd been taken by the Red Sox, and was later dealt to the Tigers. "I...