Phillies' actions with college players likely won't benefit other teams

Phillies' actions with college players likely won't benefit other teams
The Phillies' decision to turn in an unsigned college draft pick to the NCAA for engaging the services of an agent acting as an advisor appeared this week to at least temporarily hurt their standing in the eyes of some agents who take care of those college baseball players. It also might, in turn, have an adverse effect on their opportunities to sign some players later. One agent had said the "Phillies are out." The Phillies apparently alerted the NCAA that Oregon State left-hander Ben...

Nats No. 1 prospect: Lucas Giolito

Nats No. 1 prospect: Lucas Giolito
Drum roll please, it's time to announce Baseball America's No. 1 Nats prospect. It is, of course, 19-year-old right-hander Lucas Giolito, which comes as no surprise. Giolito rebounded from Tommy John surgery to post solid numbers in his first true pro season within the Nationals organization. In eight games with Rookie-level Gulf Coast Nationals and three starts at short-season Single-A Auburn, Giolito went 2-1 with a 1.96 ERA in 11 starts. In 36 2/3 innings, Giolito struck out 39...

Nats No. 2 prospect: A.J. Cole

Nats No. 2 prospect: A.J. Cole
The Nationals were pleased to be able to reacquire right-handed starter A.J. Cole prior to last season in another trade involving the Oakland A's. This was the deal involving power-hitter Michael Morse and the Seattle Mariners. Cole struggled during his time with the Athletics at the high Single-A level, then gained some consistency with Oakland's low Single-A team. But Cole really got going in his second go-round with the Nationals. He not only flourished at the Single-A level this time,...

Nats No. 4 prospect: Matt Skole

Nats No. 4 prospect: Matt Skole
First/third baseman Matt Skole would like nothing better than to be able to have a healthy 2014 season after last season ended abruptly. Skole underwent Tommy John surgery after injuring his elbow on a play at first base early in the Double-A Harrisburg Senators season. Skole was able to play in the Arizona Fall League, but still was never completely 100 percent. Finally, he will get his shot this season to log several at-bats and games to get his season going and prove again he is the power...

Another look at the loss of Ray in trade for pitcher Doug Fister

Another look at the loss of Ray in trade for pitcher Doug Fister
At No. 5 on the Nationals' top prospects list was left-hander Robbie Ray. Ray was sent to Detroit as part of the trade that brought starting pitcher Doug Fister to the Nationals this offseason. After the season and prior to the trade, Baseball America national writer Aaron Fitt placed Ray at No. 5 on the list, but thought the trade of Ray and Steve Lombardozzi to the Tigers was a win for Washington. "I thought it was a great trade for the Nationals to get an impact starter like Doug...

No. 5 Nats prospect: Sammy Solis

No. 5 Nats prospect: Sammy Solis
The Nationals' No. 5 prospect is left-hander Sammy Solis. Before we talk about the talented southpaw, I wanted to pass along where I am the next few days. I am here in Manhattan, Kan., to call the radio version of George Washington basketball against the Kansas State Wildcats. The game is Dec. 31 at 3 p.m. Eastern time on MASN2 and 1500AM in Washington, D.C., area. Manhattan is known as the "Little Apple" in reference to Manhattan in New York City. It is also about three hours northwest...

No. 6 Nats Prospect: Michael Taylor

No. 6 Nats Prospect: Michael Taylor
It was a very good season for Michael Taylor. He worked daily with then-Single-A Potomac hitting coach Mark Harris to tweak his approach at the plate. He already commanded the outfield for the P-Nats and by the end of the season, his at-bats turned into clutch moments that kept Potomac in the running for the Mills Cup title to the final few days. Recently, Taylor earned a spot on the Nationals' 40-man roster. At 22, he is the second youngest outfielder on the roster. Some guy named Bryce...

No. 7 Nats prospect: Jake Johansen

No. 7 Nats prospect: Jake Johansen
At the end-of-season strength and conditioning camp, right-handed pitcher Jake Johansen was one of the three strongest players on hand. Johansen has the frame, a 6-foot-6 and 235-lbs., and worked very hard in his first season to command his tremendous fastball, which hit 94-96 mph and occasionally touched 99 mph. Baseball America likes what its sees from Johansen. National writer Aaron Fitt has Johansen in the top 10 of the Nationals prospects. No. 7 RHP Jake Johansen "He has always had...

No. 8 Nats prospect: Nate Karns

No. 8 Nats prospect: Nate Karns
Nate Karns got a taste of the big leagues last season and held his own. The 6-foot-3, 230-lb. Karns did a nice job building off a very successful 2012 season by pitching well again last season. Karns went 10-6 with a 3.26 ERA in 23 starts for Double-A Harrisburg. His final numbers in his three major league starts - 0-1 with a 7.50 ERA - don't jump out, but he kept the Nationals in games against the Orioles and Braves. On June 2, he was almost able to get through five frames against Atlanta....

No. 9 Nats prospect: Steven Souza Jr.

No. 9 Nats prospect: Steven Souza Jr.
It was another attention grabbing season for outfielder Steven Souza Jr., in the Nationals organization. Souza also has garnered positive feedback from Baseball America, which has him moved up to the No. 9 spot in the Nationals' Top 10 prospects for 2014, according to Baseball America national writer Aaron Fitt. No. 9 OF Steven Souza Jr. "He is kind of a neat story and a talent," Fitt said. "I have heard scouts saying they really believe in him, that they think he can be a Matt...

Nats "excited" to get chance to work with A.J. Cole again

Nats "excited" to get chance to work with A.J. Cole again
The Nationals are elated to get right-hander A.J. Cole back in a trade with the Oakland A's. After trading away the top prospect to the A's in the package for left-hander Gio Gonzalez, the Nats re-acquired Cole in a trade that sent Michael Morse to the Seattle Mariners. Cole struggled at high Single-A Stockton, going 0-7 with a 7.82 ERA in eight starts in the hitter-friendly California League. After going down to low Single-A Burlington, Cole rebounded to go 6-3 with a 2.07 ERA in 19 starts....

Baseball America's Nats No. 1 prospect: Anthony Rendon

Baseball America's Nats No. 1 prospect: Anthony Rendon
When Anthony Rendon was first selected by the Nationals, there was a lot of excitement about his potential and how his quick hands and lightning reflexes in the batter's box would translate to the pro level. That excitement was tempered a bit when Rendon went down in April with a fractured ankle in a Single-A game at Lynchburg. Despite that ankle injury, Rendon came on strong and showed consistency in the field, which sets up for an exciting full season ahead. And the incredible potential...

Baseball America's Nats No. 3 prospect: Brian Goodwin

Baseball America's Nats No. 3 prospect: Brian Goodwin
Brian Goodwin has been a fan favorite ever since the Nationals drafted him. Always coveting a center fielder with speed who can hit, hit for power, get on base and has great range, Goodwin is working his way into that leadoff man of the future the Nats have been searching for in the draft. Denard Span takes over this season with the big boys, but Goodwin made a big splash last season as he tore through low Single-A Hagerstown and made the rare two-level jump to Double-A Harrisburg. He...

Baseball America's No. 4 Nats prospect: Matt Skole

Baseball America's No. 4 Nats prospect: Matt Skole
It was a tremendous summer for Matt Skole. He demonstrated his raw power over and over at low Single-A Hagerstown. Skole hit .286 in 101 games for the Suns, smacking 27 homers and recording 92 RBIs. He then got moved up to high Single-A Potomac. He hit .314 for the P-Nats, with 11 extra-base hits, although no homers, and 12 RBIs. The Nationals liked what they saw so much they gave him the opportunity to continue his season in the Arizona Fall League, where he played first base exclusively....

Baseball America's No. 7 Nats prospect: Eury Perez

Baseball America's No. 7 Nats prospect: Eury Perez
There has always been a lot of talk about the potential of outfielder Eury Perez. Last season, for the first time, Nationals fans finally got to see him play in the big leagues. Perez, ranked as No. 7 on Baseball America's list of 10 top Nationals prospects, played in 13 games in September, going 1-for-5 (.200) with three stolen bases and three runs. It was a small sample size, and now Perez will have a shot to try to grab one of the utility slots in the Nationals outfield in spring training...

Baseball America's No. 8 Nats prospect: Sammy Solis

Baseball America's No. 8 Nats prospect: Sammy Solis
I remember that July day in 2011 when left-hander Sammy Solis notched his first victory at the high Single-A Potomac Nationals. The southpaw was pretty pumped about that victory and the promise that inevitably lied ahead. That promise is still intact, now that Solis is recovering from Tommy John surgery performed in March. If everything goes well this season, Solis will be able to return to the mound and get through this season with an innings limit. Solis went 6-2 in 2011 with a 2.72 ERA...

Baseball America's No. 9 Nats prospect: Matt Purke

Baseball America's No. 9 Nats prospect: Matt Purke
A heavy dose of potential is a theme for a few of the Baseball America Nationals' top 10 prospects. Left-hander Matt Purke is a pitcher I get constant questions about, as the Nationals have been unable to see Purke make it through an entire season healthy after showcasing one of the more amazing pitching arms at the collegiate level. Purke resides at No. 9 on Baseball America's top 10 Nationals prospects list because of his potential as a lethal southpaw starter. Sammy Solis and Purke are...

Baseball America's No. 10 Nats prospect: Zach Walters

Baseball America's No. 10 Nats prospect: Zach Walters
Third baseman Zach Walters is No. 10 in Baseball America's top 10 Nationals prospects for 2013. The infielder, who can also play shortstop, played 126 games in three levels of the minors in 2012, plus the Arizona Fall League and winter ball in Puerto Rico. Here is the complete top 10 list from MASNsports.com's Dan Kolko. We will countdown from No. 10 to No. 1 and spotlight each of the Nats' top prospects, according to Baseball America. Walters played for Single-A Potomac, Double-A...

Baseball America's top Nats prospects - No. 3: Brad Peacock

Baseball America's top Nats prospects - No. 3: Brad Peacock
In 2011, right-hander Brad Peacock had one of the best overall seasons of any minor league pitcher in the Nationals' short history. Peacock went an incredible 15-3 with a 2.39 ERA in 23 starts in the minor leagues. In 146 2/3 innings, Peacock fanned 177 batters. Then in September, Peacock continued his dominance with the Nationals, going 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA in three games with two starts. He allowed a single run in 12 innings of work. Baseball America has watched Peacock steadily climb the...

Baseball America's top Nats prospects - No. 5: Brian Goodwin

Baseball America's top Nats prospects - No. 5: Brian Goodwin
The Nationals were very impressed with the speed and hitting ability of outfielder Brian Goodwin at instructional league. The coaches marveled at his speed from home plate to first base and were equally appreciative of his work at the plate. The way Goodwin played in Viera, Fla., showed a little bit of the potential and a great deal of the talent that the Nationals were looking for when they selected the speedy outfielder early in the First-Year Player Draft in June. Baseball America has also...