We next take an inside look at some of the notable prospects that played for the Nationals on their Rookie-level Dominican Summer League team in 2019. Nationals vice president and assistant general manager of international operations Johnny DiPuglia said he has been impressed with right-hander Eddy Yean. The 18-year-old is ranked as the Nats No. 6 prospect on the MLBPipeline.com top 30 for 2020. "We signed him a couple of years ago for, I think, $100,000," DiPuglia said. "He's a...

While Major League Baseball and its players continue to spar over how to restructure salaries for the 2020 season, club employees around the sport are beginning to learn they won't be paid in full this year. The Nationals joined the list Tuesday, informing all full-time team employees they will see their salaries and work hours reduced by a modest amount. According to a source familiar with the club's decision, all full-timers in both the baseball and business sides of the organization will...

Who knew we'd see rosters expand twice for the 2020 season? Well, there is an asterisk in that statement. Rosters did expand from 25 to 26 for this season, but the March shutdown of baseball and the delay to re-start the game may expand those rosters further. If Major League Baseball starts in July as hoped, we could see 30-man rosters with 20-player taxi squads. Initially, the 26-man rosters were to include a limit of 13 pitchers, but no doubt that limit will be raised. We just have not heard...

The last pitch thrown by Orioles reliever Miguel Castro on March 6 provided evidence that work done on the side, the late tinkering of his delivery, was producing the desired results. But could he keep it going so many miles from the spring training complex? From his home in the Dominican Republic over the past two months? Pitching coach Doug Brocail keeps checking on it while back at his residence in Texas. Again, the video technology that's keeping family and friends connected during the...

This week's selection of "Nationals Classics" on MASN fits into one two categories: those games dominated by stellar pitching and those featuring lots of offense. Pitching and hitting are the game's cornerstones. Put them together and you've got a winning combination. Good pitching can usually trump good hitting, and this week's "Nationals Classics" wraps with a trio of the best mound efforts ever seen in D.C. (or anywhere else, for that matter). On Wednesday, you can settle into your...

Former Arizona State center fielder Gage Canning started last season at low Single-A Hagerstown, but after 10 games, moved up to high Single-A Potomac in mid-April. The 23-year-old hit .243/.311/.378 with 30 doubles, nine triples, 10 homers and 68 RBIs. Single-A Fredericksburg Nationals manager Tripp Keister expects to see more of Canning this season in the Carolina League. "Canning finished the year with us," Keister said. "He looked like a guy that was going to come back. If you looked at...

We continue today a periodic look at the state of the Nationals roster at the point spring training was suspended and project how things may look whenever baseball is played again. Up next is the bullpen... Team officials are always going to speak optimistically about their roster during spring training. If you can't be positive in February and March, what hope do you have? But the optimism the Nationals displayed in West Palm Beach over their bolstered bullpen was genuine. They legitimately...

According to STATS, yesterday was the first Memorial Day without a Major League Baseball game since 1880. Yep, it was quiet around MLB on Monday, but hopefully the days we can say that about are dwindling. This is a huge week to determine if there will be a 2020 season. The players and owners will talk money this week and they probably only have days to resolve any differences. There seems to be an unofficial June 1 deadline on such talks. So get it done now or never if they want spring...

Having to hunker down at home while waiting for the new/novel coronavirus (what are they calling it this week, anyway?) to wane has been tough on all of us. But think about what it might have been like for Cal Ripken Jr. had the pandemic hit our shores during his playing days. The Iron Man carved out a place for himself among the legends of baseball by just showing up to work every single day. He couldn't have kept himself in the lineup had he not produced, of course, but by declining to take...

They won't get to try them on for real until some undetermined date, but the Nationals finally got a chance to see what their World Series rings look like during Sunday night's virtual presentation. What do they look like? Like a million bucks. (Note: They're not actually worth $1 million.) Created by Jostens, the Nats' rings include 170 round diamonds, 31 custom-cut rubies, 24 princess-cut rubies and 32 custom-cut genuine sapphires, bringing the total gem weight to 23.2 carats. The...