Sorting through the Nationals' new Triple-A affiliation

Sorting through the Nationals' new Triple-A affiliation
By now, you've probably heard about the Nationals' new Triple-A affiliate: the Fresno Grizzlies. And yes, that's Fresno, Calif., not Fresno, Ohio. Fresno was not the Nats' first choice for a new Triple-A affiliate, mostly because of its inconvenient location. It's not only the 2,800 miles that separate it from Washington, but the fact the closest nonstop flight you can get from Fresno to Washington is Chicago. Which, as you know, isn't particularly close to Washington. How did this...

Kiebooms light up box scores in Friday night minor league update

Kiebooms light up box scores in Friday night minor league update
Friday night highlights for high Single-A Potomac included shortstop Carter Kieboom and third baseman Jake Noll each cranking solo homers. Designated hitter Austin Davidson contributed a two-run triple in a 9-2 victory over Wilmington. Right-hander Sterling Sharp (1-0) surrendered only one run in five innings, striking out six. Second baseman Bryan Mejia later added a two-run double while left fielder Telmito Agustin scored one with a double as well. Catcher Tres Barrera had an RBI double and...

What will it take for Nashville to become Nats' Triple-A home?

What will it take for Nashville to become Nats' Triple-A home?
The Nationals are looking for a new Triple-A home for the 2019 season following the Mets' announcement they will take over in Syracuse after the upcoming campaign. The Mets will be leaving Las Vegas after the 2018 season, and the 51s have a new stadium for their new team come 2019 in the nearby Summerlin neighborhood, which is in the northwestern part of the city. According to Betsy Helfand of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Nationals and Brewers appear to be at least two of the clubs...

Knorr returns to the dugout after a two-year break

Knorr returns to the dugout after a two-year break
A change of managers at the Triple-A level may not sound like a big deal. And from a pure baseball standpoint, it's probably not. Still, the news that Randy Knorr will be managing the Nationals' top minor league affiliate - news that had been reported 2 1/2 months ago but was officially announced by the club on Friday - is significant for many people within the organization. An organization that doesn't have very many remaining links to its pre-Washington days has an especially popular one...

Nats announce minor league staff, Knorr to manage Syracuse

Nats announce minor league staff, Knorr to manage Syracuse
The Nationals have announced their minor league staff for 2018, highlighted by the return of Randy Knorr to the dugout as manager of the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs, a post he last held in 2011. The past two seasons Knorr was the senior advisor to Mike Rizzo. Matt LeCroy remains as Double-A Harrisburg manager and Tripp Keister continues as skipper for high Single-A Potomac. Patrick Anderson holds down the fort again as manager of the low Single-A Hagerstown Suns. Former Syracuse manager Billy...

Mets agree to purchase Triple-A Syracuse, Nats will need new affiliate in 2019

Mets agree to purchase Triple-A Syracuse, Nats will need new affiliate in 2019
The Nationals will need a new Triple-A affiliate in 2019 because the Mets have reportedly reached an agreement to purchase the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs, according to Syracuse.com. The Nats have played their Triple-A games in Syracuse since 2009. The Chiefs have operated at a loss every season since 2006, except in 2010. This means the Nationals will have one more season in Syracuse, through the 2018 campaign, before they will need to find a new Triple-A club. It would seem that the affiliate...

After scary chest injury, grateful Sanchez returns to Nats

After scary chest injury, grateful Sanchez returns to Nats
Adrián Sanchez last appeared on the field at Nationals Park on Aug. 26, an appearance notable for two reasons. No. 1: He delivered a key RBI single off Mets closer Jeurys Familia in the bottom of the eighth, eliciting a standing ovation from the home crowd. No. 2: A few minutes later, he was removed from the game because he was still feeling the effects of getting hit by a pitch square on the chest, a frightening moment that preceded the RBI single and gave the fans reason to offer that...

Turner and Werth to begin rehab Monday with Syracuse

Turner and Werth to begin rehab Monday with Syracuse
SAN DIEGO - Two key injured Nationals regulars are ready to start playing in games again, with a return to the major league roster now likely sometime next week. Both Trea Turner and Jayson Werth will begin rehab assignments with Triple-A Syracuse on Monday, the Nationals announced today. Turner and Werth each had been working out in recent days at the club's spring training complex in West Palm Beach, ramping up their baseball activities after slowly working their way back from significant...

Luke Erickson: Why the Syracuse Chiefs struggle

Luke Erickson: Why the Syracuse Chiefs struggle
The Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs won 61 games in 2016, surpassed by everyone in the International League but Omaha (58). The 2017 edition of the Chiefs is on pace to win just 53 games. In nine seasons of affiliation with the Nationals, the fans in Syracuse, as I've been reminded me on more than one occasion, have seen just two winning seasons - 2012 and 2014. One thing that needs to be made clear is that while Triple-A is the highest classification of the minors, it's no longer where you'll find...

Scherzer on Roark, Baker on bullpen and minor league rainouts

Scherzer on Roark, Baker on bullpen and minor league rainouts
Right-hander Max Scherzer is relieved that the knuckle injury he suffered at the end of last season is fully recovered and he is feeling 100 percent as he prepares to make his season debut tomorrow afternoon in Philadelphia. Wednesday night, starter Tanner Roark (1-0) got roughed up early but managed to pitch six innings in a 6-4 win over the Marlins. It was only the third start for Roark with the Nationals since March 5 because of his involvement in the World Baseball Classic and Friday's...

Luke Erickson: The arc of a minor league season

Luke Erickson: The arc of a minor league season
Greetings from the "New Kid on the Block" at MASNsports.com! Well, except I'm not new, I'm not a kid, and my wife is the one from South Boston. What I am is a minor celebrity in the "Natmosphere," as I've been covering the Nationals' farm system for eight seasons at NationalsProspects.com, with the help of some volunteers and some gratuitous use of bulldogs. Tomorrow is opening day for Washington's four full-season affiliates - low Single-A Hagerstown, high Single-A Potomac, Double-A...

Nats' entire minor league coaching staff returns for 2017

Nats' entire minor league coaching staff returns for 2017
The Nationals announced there were no major adjustments to their minor league coaching staff for 2017, with each level retaining the same coaches as they had in 2016. The exception was strength and conditioning, where a number of coaches were promoted or assigned more responsibility. Mike Warren was named strength and conditioning coach at Triple-A Syracuse. Brett Henry was promoted from Syracuse to the major league strength and conditioning staff. Tony Rogowski was promoted from Double-A...

Trea Turner named to International League postseason All-Star team

Trea Turner named to International League postseason All-Star team
Trea Turner has been named as the starting shortstop on the Triple-A International League postseason All-Star team. The 23-year-old is currently the starting center fielder for the Nationals at the big league level. Here is the release noting the honor from the Syracuse Chiefs: "(Turner) ranked among the top two in the IL in runs (61), triples (8), at-bats (331), stolen bases (25), hits (100), extra-base hits (36) and doubles (22) in 83 games. The 23-year-old still holds the league's...

Nationals trying out Trea Turner in center field at Syracuse

Nationals trying out Trea Turner in center field at Syracuse
On the day they announced the promotion of their top pitching prospect to the big leagues, the Nationals also made an unconventional move that may be a precursor to a promotion of their top position player. Trea Turner, an infielder throughout his amateur and minor league career, is starting in center field tonight for Triple-A Syracuse. And the 22-year-old figures to see significant action there in the next week, with the Nationals strongly considering him for use in the big leagues as an...

Revere goes five innings for Syracuse, still trending toward Thursday return

Revere goes five innings for Syracuse, still trending toward Thursday return
Center fielder Ben Revere, on a minor league rehabilitation assignment with a strained right oblique, played five innings in Triple-A Syracuse's 1-0 win over Rochester on Monday, going 0-for-3. On defense, he caught a pair of flyouts in the second inning and one in the third. He squeezed a flyout in the fourth and then retrieved a single later in the inning. On offense, he grounded out to the pitcher in the first and grounded out to the first baseman in his second at-bat. He later grounded out...

Fedde is ready to start: "I feel better than I've ever felt"

Fedde is ready to start: "I feel better than I've ever felt"
Right-hander Erick Fedde will get a chance to pitch more innings and deeper into games as he moves up a level this season to high Single-A Potomac. The Nationals' top selection from the 2014 draft will make his debut today in Wilmington, Del., as the P-Nats face the Blue Rocks. "I was pretty excited to find out I was coming to high-A," Fedde said this week. "It is something I expected and hoped for, but the Nationals always know what's best. I don't have too much experience in pro ball...

Double-A Harrisburg roster features Giolito and Lopez; Syracuse postpones opening series (updated)

Double-A Harrisburg roster features Giolito and Lopez; Syracuse postpones opening series (updated)
The Double-A Harrisburg Senators announced their 2016 roster highlighted by No. 1 Nationals prospect right-hander Lucas Giolito. The starting rotation to begin the season is all right-handers: Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, Tyler Mapes, John Simms and Austen Williams. The roster also includes seven top 30 prospects according to Baseball America: Giolito, Lopez, Rafael Bautista, Williams, Abel de los Santos, Chris Bostick and Nick Lee. Here is the roster: PitchersDakota Bacus Abel De Los Santos Robert...

Third baseman Drew Ward focuses on hand position and swing path

Third baseman Drew Ward focuses on hand position and swing path
Third baseman Drew Ward could be fixing to have a Tyler Moore-, Steven Souza Jr.-, Matt Skole-type of offensive year in the minors. The 21-year-old has a big bat, the ability to hit for power. If he begins in high Single-A Potomac, he will get a chance to dominate at the plate and practice his fielding skills every day. He would love to cut down on the 118 strikeouts in 115 games. He had 19 doubles, two triples, seven homers and 49 RBIs. "He did really well at GCL and Hagerstown (in 2013 and...

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...

Trea Turner exceeding expectations in Syracuse, continuing whirlwind season

Trea Turner exceeding expectations in Syracuse, continuing whirlwind season
Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs shortstop Trea Turner is ranked as the No. 9 overall prospect in the mid-season Baseball America updated list. Turner has played 34 games with the Chiefs after playing 68 games in Double-A, 10 of those with the Harrisburg Senators. Syracuse Chiefs play-by-play broadcaster Kevin Brown joined me Sunday on "Nats Insider" on 106.7 The Fan and quoted a familiar refrain when discussing Turner's abilities. "Trea has been so much fun to watch," Brown said. "Nationals fans...