nationals

Fuentes is the kind of innings-eater Nats covet

November 07, 2020, 6:58am

A tip of the cap to Nationals scout Miguel Ruiz from Panama, who found and signed Steven Fuentes. The right-hander is the first player that Ruiz scouted to make the Nationals' 40-man roster. Fuentes was signed in July 2013 out of Puerto Armuelles, which is on the coast in western Panama, a few miles from the Costa Rican border. The 6-foot-2, 175-lb. hurler has worked his way up through the Nats system, culminating with 15 games for Double-A Harrisburg in 2019. This year has been difficult for...

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Scherzer hangs tough for six innings to finish strong, Nats win 4-3

September 26, 2020, 1:46pm

Nationals

Scherzer hangs tough for six innings to finish strong, Nats win 4-3

Josh Harrison broke a 3-3 deadlock with a drive to right field and the Nationals came back from an early deficit to upend the Mets 4-3 in the first seven-inning game of a Saturday doubleheader at Nats Park. In the bottom of the sixth, Harrison went after reliever Edwin DÃaz's first pitch and laced it past Mets first baseman Pete Alonso into right field to score Brock Holt from third. Yan Gomes, making sure the ball fell before breaking for second, got forced out, but the Nationals had...

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Soto, Scherzer and Doolittle honored with end-of-season awards

September 27, 2020, 10:44am

Nationals

Soto, Scherzer and Doolittle honored with end-of-season awards

The Nationals announced the winners of the fifth annual end-of-season awards voted on by members of the local media. Outfielder Juan Soto was voted the 2020 Nationals Player of the Year. Right-hander Max Scherzer was named Pitcher of the Year. Reliever Sean Doolittle won the "Good Guy" Award, given to the player for his professional dealings with members of the media and representing the Nats organization with class on and off the field. Soto, 21, has had a Most Valuable Player-caliber...

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Soto on NL batting title: "It feels really good"

September 27, 2020, 4:04pm

Nationals

Soto on NL batting title: "It feels really good"

Juan Soto won the 2020 National League batting title on the last day of the season after going 1-for-1 with a walk in the Nationals' 15-5 trouncing of the Mets at Nats Park Sunday. "Outstanding," said manager Davey Martinez of the accomplishment during the postgame Zoom video session. "Not only a batting champ, but I think he's one of the youngest in over 100 years. What can we say about Juan Soto. He comes every day ready to play, not just hitting but his defense, his baserunning,...

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Updates on young outfielders Quintana, Marte and De La Rosa

November 05, 2020, 11:29am

Nationals

Updates on young outfielders Quintana, Marte and De La Rosa

Here is a rundown of some of the outfielders that got in significant work during fall instructional league, which wrapped up last week in West Palm Beach, Fla. Nationals assistant general manager of player development Mark Scialabba detailed the play of three outfielders from the roster that worked out in October at the spring training facility. "There is really a group of three young Latin American outfielders that had really good camps," Scialabba said. "Roismar Quintana was set back a...

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Stevenson ends season on a tear

September 28, 2020, 3:07am

Nationals

In his September for the Nationals, outfielder Andrew Stevenson got at least one base hit in all 12 games he played, a new career-high. Stevenson, 26, returned to the Nats on Sept. 18, playing in nearly every game for the rest of the season, which included appearing in three doubleheaders in that span. During the final two weeks of the season, the Nats went 8-4 with Stevenson on the field. He hit .417 with seven doubles, one triple, two homers and 12 RBIs in those 36 at-bats. For 2020,...

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2020 Nationals fall instructional league roster and schedule

September 28, 2020, 12:44pm

Nationals

MASNsports.com has obtained a copy of the Nationals' official fall instructional league 65-player roster for 2020. Players in attendance whom MLBPipeline.com lists as top Nats prospects include pitchers Jackson Rutledge, Cade Cavalli, Tim Cate, Mason Denaburg, Cole Henry, Andry Lara, Eddy Yean, Matt Cronin and Seth Romero, who is on a major league rehab assignment with a broken right hand. Top 20 rated Nats position players on hand: first baseman Drew Mendoza, shortstop/third baseman Yasel...

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Scialabba on progress of draft picks and free agents

November 03, 2020, 3:24pm

Nationals

Scialabba on progress of draft picks and free agents

Here are updates on how some of the Nationals draft class looked at instructional league workouts, which concluded last week in West Palm Beach, Fla. The players the Nats drafted in 2020 - right-handers Cade Cavalli, Holden Powell and Cole Henry, left-hander Mitchell Parker, infielder Sammy Infante and catcher Brady Lindsly - participated in instructional league during the month of October. Several 2020 undrafted free agents took part in the camp as well, including right-handers Zach Brzykcy...

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Updates on Adon, Cate, Wells, Bourque and Williams

September 29, 2020, 11:54am

Nationals

Updates on Adon, Cate, Wells, Bourque and Williams

Here are some more updates on pitchers who were working at the alternate camp site in Fredericksburg, Va., during the regular season. A few of them have moved over to the instructional league in West Palm Beach, Fla., for the next month. This is third installment on pitchers who were working out in Fredericksburg. Top-rated prospects Cade Cavalli and Jackson Rutledge also were at the alternate site and have moved on to West Palm Beach. Right-hander Joan Adon is in Florida at instructional...

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Turner makes jump forward at plate, now wants to sharpen defense

October 01, 2020, 2:53am

Nationals

Turner makes jump forward at plate, now wants to sharpen defense

One Nationals player who stayed consistent on offense and made good contact throughout the season was shortstop Trea Turner. Regardless of where manager Davey Martinez hit Turner in the lineup, he delivered. Batting first in the lineup, Turner hit .340. Batting second, he hit .323. And for the four games he hit third, the former N.C. State infielder batted .333. Against left-handed pitching, Turner hit .375, and against right-handers, he hit .322. That is consistency. Turner said he got off to...

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A fast start in 2021 imperative for Martinez and Nats

October 02, 2020, 6:26pm

Nationals

A fast start in 2021 imperative for Martinez and Nats

The Nationals had high expectations in 2018, hoping to put it all together for a shot at the postseason after 2017 ended in the National League Division Series against the Cubs. But the Nats ended up at just 82-80, eight games back of the Braves for the NL East crown. There were some parallels to that disappointing ending to a campaign in 2020. The Nats were fresh off an incredible run to the 2019 World Series title as they got ready for an abbreviated 2020 regular season. With most of that...

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Scialabba on instructional league, Cavalli's progress

November 02, 2020, 2:25am

Nationals

Scialabba on instructional league, Cavalli's progress

The Nationals wrapped up their fall instructional league camp last week in West Palm Beach, Fla. Sixty-five players and more than 30 coaches, coordinators and training staff took part in the five-week workout. Assistant general manager of player development Mark Scialabba spoke about how the camp worked: "It was a great camp. Obviously, very thankful that we had support from ownership to allow us to have this camp. It was really crucial for all these players to get on the field. We brought...

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Nationals cut ties with pitching coach Paul Menhart

October 03, 2020, 6:28pm

Nationals

After a season where injuries wrecked the starting rotation and ineffectiveness hampered the bullpen, the Nationals have cut ties with pitching coach Paul Menhart following 15 years in the organization. Menhart, 51, said he received a telephone call from manager Davey Martinez this evening with the news that his contract, which was up on Oct. 31, would not be renewed. "I'm not sure how to take all of this," Menhart said in a text message to MASNsports.com. "It's quite a shock." Menhart...

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More on Menhart's exit and his possible successor with the Nats

October 04, 2020, 2:17am

Nationals

More on Menhart's exit and his possible successor with the Nats

On May 2, 2019, the Nationals elected to fire pitching coach Derek Lilliquist and replace him with Paul Menhart, who had been with the organization since 2006. Menhart guided the Nats through rough waters in May last year, then helped the Nats bullpen turn the season around. At 12 games below the .500 mark on May 24, the Nats would ultimately earn a National League wild card spot and finish the miraculous comeback season with a world championship. But nearly 12 months later, the Nats have...

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Martinez working on offseason plan to improve defense

October 05, 2020, 6:55am

Nationals

Martinez working on offseason plan to improve defense

One factor manager Davey Martinez pointed toward that the Nationals must get better at in 2021 is their defense. The Nats scuffled to a 26-34 record and fourth place in the National League East in 2020. Martinez believes one reason for their struggles was a lack consistent quality defense the club demonstrated during their championship season. As an example, the outfield defensive analytical numbers were down from 2019. Last season, center fielder Victor Robles led the league in Outs Above...

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Nats add righty Steven Fuentes to 40-man roster

October 30, 2020, 12:01pm

Nationals

Nats add righty Steven Fuentes to 40-man roster

The Nationals this afternoon selected the contract of right-hander Steven Fuentes, adding him to the 40-man roster for the first time. Fuentes has been with the organization since 2013 when he signed as an undrafted free agent out of Panama. The 23-year-old went a combined 6-5 with a 2.23 ERA in 23 games (11 starts) in 2019 for high Single-A Potomac and Double-A Harrisburg. He struck out 89 batters in 80 2/3 innings and recorded one save. He made all 11 starts for the Senators. Fuentes spent...

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Noll on late-season time with the Nats: "It's a great opportunity"

October 07, 2020, 12:29pm

Nationals

Noll on late-season time with the Nats: "It's a great opportunity"

Utility infielder Jake Noll was called up mid-September and got to play in seven games with the Nationals. As he had done all season long at the alternate training site, he continued to swing the bat well. From Sept. 15-27, Noll hit .353 (6-for-17) with one double, two runs scored and just four strikeouts. "It's a great opportunity," Noll said during the last weekend of the regular season. "I've been waiting for this chance to prove myself and prove I belong all year. I'm happy to be here...

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Cluff values Fredericksburg experience, now continues instruction in Florida

October 09, 2020, 5:33pm

Nationals

Cluff values Fredericksburg experience, now continues instruction in Florida

In late September, we got a chance to check in with shortstop Jackson Cluff, who spent the last month of the season at the Nationals alternate training site in Fredericksburg, Va. Cluff is rated as the No. 20 Nats prospect by MLBPipeline.com. He played his first season of pro ball at low single-A Hagerstown. Cluff said it was exciting to get a chance to work out with other Nationals players as part of the 60-man player pool. "I think that excitement raises when you get to play at this level...

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Updates on Rutledge and Denaburg's progress from Florida

October 29, 2020, 12:12pm

Nationals

Updates on Rutledge and Denaburg's progress from Florida

Here are a couple of updates on a pair of former Nationals first-round selections in Jackson Rutledge and Mason Denaburg. Both attended instructional league for the last month. Rutledge, 21, was the Nats' top pick in 2019 and has appeared in 10 games. The right-hander loves to employ analytics to study his stuff, but Nats minor league pitching coordinator Brad Holman said he concentrated on command these past few weeks. "I think he made tremendous progress," Holman said. "Not that he did...

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Lee's summer work paying off in instructional league

October 12, 2020, 4:03am

Nationals

Lee's summer work paying off in instructional league

"Bring it on!" That's how left-handed pitcher Evan Lee greeted me as we started to talk about his baseball summer during Nationals fall instructional league workouts and games in West Palm Beach, Fla., this month. You can tell by that reaction that Lee brings that same attitude to the mound when handed the ball for the Nats. Lee, 23, is currently pitching for the Nats in their scrimmages against the Marlins, continuing preparations for a hopefully uninterrupted 2021 season. The southpaw, who...