ATLANTA – Looking for anything new to spark the Nationals' offense, manager Davey Martinez has shuffled his lineup a bit for the third of a four-game set against the Braves.

With the Braves starting right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver (2.76 ERA) for tomorrow’s noon getaway game, Martinez decided to get Keibert Ruiz off his feet today to play tomorrow and start Riley Adams behind the plate tonight against right-hander Bryce Elder (4.97 ERA).

Also, Amed Rosario has been bumped up to the No. 2 spot to split up leadoff hitter CJ Abrams and slugger James Wood and combat the two lefty relievers the Braves have in Aaron Bummer and Dylan Lee.

“We got a 12 o'clock game tomorrow,” Martinez explained during his pregame media session. “So Riley gets tonight, Keibert gets tomorrow. He's available to pinch-hit if we need him. Moved Rosario between the lefties. They have two good left-handed pitchers in the bullpen, so trying to break those lefties up. But yeah, trying to get everybody in there with the early day game tomorrow.”

Adams has been productive in limited playing time, collecting hits in five of his last six games including two doubles, two home runs and six RBIs.

ATLANTA – The Nationals made a small roster move ahead of their second game against the Braves. Luis García Jr. was placed on the paternity list and Trey Lipscomb was recalled from Triple-A Rochester to fill the open spot on the roster.

“Feels great. Every time you get to come back up here is another opportunity,” Lipscomb said in front of his locker before today’s game. “You enjoy it and you want to cherish it.”

Lipscomb has found some sustained success in Rochester, hitting .283 with three doubles, two home runs, 14 RBIs, 12 walks, six stolen bases and 14 runs scored in 26 games.

“Just kind of being myself,” he said. “Day by day, just doing things like having a better routine, going up there and just letting the game happen.”

While it will likely be a short one (players are only allowed to be on the paternity list for a maximum of three days), this will be Lipscomb’s second major league stint this year. He went 2-for-4 with a run scored across three games in late April when Paul DeJong was placed on the injured list.

PROSPECT REVIEW: LUKE DICKERSON

Age on opening day 2025: 19

How acquired: Drafted in second round in 2024 from Morris Knolls High School in Rockaway, N.J.

Ranking: No. 7 per MLB Pipeline, No. 16 per Baseball America

MLB ETA: 2028
* Projected by MLB Pipeline

The Nationals introduced two more draft signings this morning after announcing two of their top four picks last week in Seaver King and Kevin Bazzell and their second pick in Caleb Lomavita yesterday. And the two were the Nats’ only selections out of high school in this year’s draft.

Second-round pick Luke Dickerson out of Morris Knolls High School in New Jersey and 15th-round pick Sir Jamison Jones out of St. Rita High School in Illinois both officially signed their first professional contracts with the Nationals.

“It's been an honor getting drafted and everything,” Dickerson said during an introductory press conference with both draft picks. “Just being able to celebrate those times with my family and everything. And just getting to work, I'm super excited.”

“First off, I just want to thank God for putting me in this situation,” Jones said. “I've been extremely happy over the past couple of weeks and just glad that I'm here and I can show what I have. I'm ready to get the work and just start on a long career hopefully, Lord willing.”

Dickerson, a shortstop with a commitment to play at the University of Virginia, signed for $3.8 million, which is a record number for a non-first-rounder since Major League Baseball’s Draft pool system began, per a source familiar with the terms. That is more than $1.5 million more than the $2.122 million slot value for the 44th overall pick.

MILWAUKEE – Given the choice between drafting one of the best high school players in the country or a more experienced player from a top college program, the Nationals tonight went with experience, not to mention versatility.

The Nats selected Wake Forest’s Seaver King with the 10th overall pick in the MLB Draft, choosing a talented player who spent time at four different positions this season for the Demon Deacons after previously dominating at the Division II level.

They then used the pick they got Saturday night from the Royals in the Hunter Harvey trade on Cal catcher Caleb Lomavita before using their second-round pick on New Jersey high school shortstop Luke Dickerson.

In announcing the first-round pick live from the MLB All-Star Game in Texas, commissioner Rob Manfred called King a shortstop. The Nationals then announced him through their social media feeds as a third baseman/outfielder. Wherever he winds up playing in the field, he could find himself on a fast track to D.C.

King, 21, hit .308 with 16 homers, 64 RBIs, 11 stolen bases, a .377 on-base percentage and .954 OPS in 60 games at Wake Forest. A right-handed batter and thrower, he played 36 games at third base, 21 in center field, 10 at shortstop and two at second base.

The Washington Nationals selected collegiate catcher Caleb Lomavita out of the University of California, Berkeley, with the No. 39 overall pick and prep shortstop Luke Dickerson from Morris Knolls (N.J.) High School with the No. 44 overall pick in the 2024 MLB First-Year Player Draft on Sunday. President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo, Vice President, Amateur Scouting Danny Haas, Senior Director, Amateur Scouting Brad Ciolek, and Assistant Director and National Crosschecker, Amateur Scouting Reed Dunn made the announcements.

Lomavita, 21, hit .322 with 13 doubles, one triple, 15 home runs, 52 RBI, 12 walks, 12 stolen bases and 51 runs scored in 55 games in 2024. He posted a .395 on-base percentage, .586 slugging percentage and was one of eight catchers in NCAA Division I with 10 or more stolen bases and 10 or more home runs. His led his team with 133 total bases, which ranked fifth-most in the Pac-12.

The No. 18 draft prospect and top catching prospect according to Baseball America, Lomavita was a Dick Howser Trophy (top collegiate player) semifinalist, garnered First-Team All-Pac-12 and All-Pac-12 Defensive Team honors, and was named a Perfect Game Third-Team All-American following his junior season.

The five-foot-11, 200-pound right-handed hitter batted .316 with 13 doubles, 16 home runs, 43 RBI, nine stolen bases, 12 walks and 47 runs scored in 48 games as a sophomore in 2023. He recorded 17 multi-hit games and 12 multi-RBI performances on his way to All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention recognition.

As a freshman in 2022, Lomavita was named a Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball and was one of six true freshmen to earn a spot on the All-Pac-12 First Team after he hit .272 with 10 doubles, a triple, seven home runs, 46 RBI, 22 walks, 15 stolen bases and 37 runs scored.