Keister intrigued by team speed as Potomac introduces 2016 roster

Keister intrigued by team speed as Potomac introduces 2016 roster
WOODBRIDGE - High Single-A Potomac manager Tripp Keister introduced his 2016 P-Nats roster Tuesday at media day and is looking forward to working with the talent the club has assembled again this season. Keister believes they can be aggressive with some speed on basepaths and on defense. "It's exciting. I think the group of position players, there's some depth to the group, there's some length to the lineup," Keister said. "We're going to have some pretty good hitters one through nine....

Wilmer Difo highlights seven Nats prospects playing on Arizona Fall League squad

Wilmer Difo highlights seven Nats prospects playing on Arizona Fall League squad
The Arizona Fall League announced their 2015 rosters Tuesday and the Nationals' entrant, the Salt River Rafters, includes seven Nationals prospects. The Rafters will be managed by high Single-A Potomac manager Tripp Keister. He guided the P-Nats to the 2014 Mills Cup by winning the Carolina League title. Nationals pitchers include Double-A Harrisburg right-handers Dakota Bacus and Abel De Los Santos, plus left-hander Nick Lee. Also on the roster is right-hander John Simms from Potomac. The...

Espinosa adjusts to new role as utility hitter (updated)

Espinosa adjusts to new role as utility hitter (updated)
With the return of three starters, players like Danny Espinosa have had to go back to their utility role planned from opening day. Espinosa is extremely valuable because of his defensive ability and has had a pretty good season at the plate. Obviously, he went through a tough period beginning in late June, but despite the loss Friday, had a solid night at the plate. Espinosa went 2-for-4 with a double, two runs and a hit by pitch. On Wednesday, he started at shortstop going 0-4 with a...

Werth goes 0-for-3 as designated hitter at Potomac in second rehab start

Werth goes 0-for-3 as designated hitter at Potomac in second rehab start
Nationals left fielder Jayson Werth (wrist) had three at-bats Friday night for high Single-A Potomac in its 7-2 loss to Myrtle Beach. Werth was the designated hitter and reached first base on a fielding error by the shortstop. He flew out to center field on his second at-bat and grounded out to third in the sixth inning, finishing 0-for-3. Werth's first at-bat was an error, but he crushed the ball, according to reports from the field. In his second at-bat, he squared up the ball nicely...

Kieboom, Pivetta represent Potomac in tonight's Carolina-California League All-Star Game

Kieboom, Pivetta represent Potomac in tonight's Carolina-California League All-Star Game
Catcher Spencer Kieboom and pitcher Nick Pivetta have been selected from the high Single-A Potomac Nationals to play in tonight's Carolina-California League All-Star Game in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. The game starts at 10:30 p.m. Eastern time from LoanMart Field. The 24-year-old Kieboom, who also was selected to the South Atlantic All-Star Game in 2014, is hitting .249 with 13 doubles, one triple, one homer and 15 RBIs in 50 games. He has thrown out 42 percent of basestealers (23-for-55)....

Rendon rehabs in Bowie; Valdez shines for Potomac

Rendon rehabs in Bowie; Valdez shines for Potomac
Anthony Rendon (oblique) played seven innings at second base in Double-A Harrisburg's 3-2 win at Bowie Friday night. He notched a single in four at-bats. Colin Bates pitched six innings, scattering eight hits and allowing two runs. Brian Goodwin smacked a home run, Pedro Severino contributed a RBI single and Tony Renda was hit by pitch with the bases loaded to give the Senators the lead. Next up for Rendon could be back-to-back rehab games to test his core again and see if he is ready to join...

Updates on Lopez, Turner, former Nats and other notes

Updates on Lopez, Turner, former Nats and other notes
High Single-A Potomac Nationals right-hander Reynaldo Lopez had a tough outing Friday in a 8-4 loss at Myrtle Beach. Lopez (2-1) lasted only 2 2/3 innings, allowing five earned runs on five hits with one walk, a wild pitch and two strikeouts. The P-Nats did crank three homers. Isaac Ballou, Brandon Miller and former Pelican Christopher Bostick went yard, but it wasn't enough as the P-Nats fell to 5-9 versus Southern Division opponents. Despite the loss, Lopez has still impressed in his jump to...

Lopez provides another solid start, plus Harper home run notes

Lopez provides another solid start, plus Harper home run notes
Right-hander Reynaldo Lopez pitched six innings with a no-decision in high Single-A Potomac's 3-2 loss at Wilmington. Lopez allowed only one run on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts. He is still 2-0 and his ERA is 0.53. Lopez threw 85 pitches, 48 for strikes, while facing 24 batters. He induced seven groundout, three flyouts and had one hit by pitch. Lopez was reportedly hitting 96-97 mph on his fastball and touching 98 mph. He left with a 2-1 lead. Twitter reaction to his...

At Triple-A, Cutter Dykstra finishes comeback with ninth-inning hit

At Triple-A, Cutter Dykstra finishes comeback with ninth-inning hit
At Triple-A, Jason Martinson and Cutter Dykstra provided dramatic ninth-inning hits as Syracuse came back to stun Lehigh Valley 5-4 on Monday. Martinson doubled to begin the scoring in the ninth, bringing home Josh Johnson to tie the game at 4-4. Martinson got to third on a fielding error. Dykstra punched a ball through the shortstop hole for the game-winning single. Syracuse starter Bruce Billings went five innings, surrendering only one earned run on five hits, with one walk and five...

Werth said Boston series "a possibility" for return from shoulder surgery

Werth said Boston series "a possibility" for return from shoulder surgery
Left fielder Jayson Werth went 1-for-4 with a home run, two walks and one strikeout over the course of a doubleheader for the high Single-A Potomac Nationals as he continues his rehab from right AC joint surgery in his shoulder. The strikeout was on a change up and the home run came on a hanging curveball off of Lynchburg. After the nightcap, Werth spoke with P-Nats play-by-play announcer Bryan Holland, who asked the veteran how his shoulder felt through several at-bats. "I feel pretty good,"...

Jayson Werth gets through first rehab game, says shoulder feels "good"

Jayson Werth gets through first rehab game, says shoulder feels "good"
WOODBRIDGE, Va. - Nationals left fielder Jayson Werth went 0-for-2 with a walk, a called third strike and a line out to center field on a cold and misty night in his first rehab assignment with high Single-A Potomac. But he said his shoulder felt "good" after playing seven full innings. Werth is looking to return from right AC joint surgery performed in January and was placed on the disabled list, retroactive to March 27, to start the season. "This is a long way away from where I want to...

Giolito and Lopez continue throwing in Florida, will head north in late April (with P-Nats roster)

Giolito and Lopez continue throwing in Florida, will head north in late April (with P-Nats roster)
The Nationals released rosters for their minor league affiliates Tuesday. Noticeably absent from the high Single-A Potomac Nationals are top pitching prospects Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez. The pair has remained in Viera, Fla., at the Nationals training facility and are in good health, just a couple of weeks behind their teammates. They have been working on a throwing program since their arrival in Florida in February, according to Nationals assistant general manager and vice president...

Drew Ward makes first major league spring start at third base today for Nats

Drew Ward makes first major league spring start at third base today for Nats
Every day is special for prospects who get to work with the big leaguers at spring training. Today is an even bigger day for 20-year-old third baseman Drew Ward, who makes his first start in spring training with the major league club as the Nationals take on the Yankees. The game will be aired on MASN HD at 1 p.m. "It's a big deal," low Single-A Hagerstown manager Patrick Anderson said. News of Ward's first start today was big news at his church, not to mention the entire small town of...

Nationals minor league affiliates primer: Potomac and Harrisburg open at home (updated)

Nationals minor league affiliates primer: Potomac and Harrisburg open at home (updated)
Opening day for the Nationals is April 6. The minor league affiliates also begin that week with all starting April 9, except for short-season Single-A Auburn, which begins in late June. Here are thumbnail primers for each of the minor league clubs as they get ready to begin their 2015 campaigns: Short-season Single-A Auburn DoubledaysSchedule: http://www.milb.com/schedule/index.jsp?sid=t458 Home: Falcon Park II, Auburn, N.Y. Distance from Nationals Park: 383 milesSeason opener: June 19 at...

P-Nats invite Will Ferrell to play all nine positions in a single game

P-Nats invite Will Ferrell to play all nine positions in a single game
Funnyman Will Ferrell has played a variety of roles - from his spot-on impressions on "Saturday Night Live" to news anchor and ladies man Ron Burgundy to former president George W. Bush in a one-man show. Now the Single-A Potomac Nationals want Ferrell to play a new role. Nine of them, to be exact. With Ferrell spending this afternoon playing all nine field positions and designated hitter while appearing for 10 different teams in five Cactus League games, the P-Nats have invited him to come...

Fresh off Carolina League title, P-Nats will be good again with new cast

Fresh off Carolina League title, P-Nats will be good again with new cast
The high Single-A Potomac Nationals roster for 2015 has not been officially announced, but there is a very good chance that a lot of the top players from low Single-A Hagerstown will move up as they do each season. Pitchers Reynaldo Lopez and Lucas Giolito and center fielder Rafael Bautista are likely to be alongside players such as infielders Drew Ward and Wilmer Difo, and catcher Spencer Kieboom. The Suns put up gaudy offensive numbers and featured a pitching staff that stopped opponents...

Baseball America No. 1 Nats prospect: Lucas Giolito

Baseball America No. 1 Nats prospect: Lucas Giolito
The upcoming season will be a great opportunity for top pitching prospect Lucas Giolito to show what he can do against the best hitters in the Carolina League pitching for high Single-A Potomac. As he said last week, he is ready to come out "guns a-blazing," now two years out from Tommy John surgery. He admitted that he has felt 100 percent healthy for over a year, feeling strong enough and confident enough in his arm as he rolled to a 10-2 record for low Single-A Hagerstown in just 98...

More on Nats minor league coaching additions; P-Nats Hot Stove banquet adds Giolito

More on Nats minor league coaching additions; P-Nats Hot Stove banquet adds Giolito
Here are quotes from Nationals assistant general manager and vice president of player development and pro scouting Doug Harris on the recent additions to the minor league coaching staff: On minor league pitching coordinator Paul Menhart: "Menhart's really done a terrific job. He's earned his stripes at every level. He's an excellent teacher. Mechanically he does a terrific job in developing deliveries, developing specific pitches as well as the mental side of the game. We felt like he was...

Bostick and de Los Santos delivered versus P-Nats all season

Bostick and de Los Santos delivered versus P-Nats all season
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...

A look back at Potomac's championship season: Part 3 - P-Nats proved doubters wrong

A look back at Potomac's championship season: Part 3 - P-Nats proved doubters wrong
The Potomac Nationals defeated Myrtle Beach to win the Mills Cup and the Carolina League title in 2014. It was a sweet victory for the P-Nats prospects, according to manager Tripp Keister, because he believes they kind of flew under the radar despite steadily staying at the top of the standings the entire season. In Part 3 of our series on the Potomac Nationals championship season, we will examine how this team won the title despite not having as much fire power as Myrtle Beach displayed...