Nationals all in on developing pitching

Nationals all in on developing pitching
It is no secret that the Nationals have made a commitment to drafting and developing pitching. Cade Cavalli, their first-round pick in the 2020 First-Year Player Draft, is the most recent example of that strategy. The Nats have selected 34 pitchers in the first 10 rounds of the last five drafts, and if this year's draft was not shortened to just five rounds, that number would likely be higher. General manager Mike Rizzo built a championship team on starting pitching, and it is clear that he...

Parker focused on fastball, curveball and splitter during Florida workouts

Parker focused on fastball, curveball and splitter during Florida workouts
Nationals 2020 fifth-round draft selection Mitchell Parker got into to his first professional instructional league intrasquad game this week against the Marlins. The left-hander threw two scoreless innings for the Nats. Instructional league workouts continue until Oct. 28 in West Palm Beach, Fla., at the Nats spring training facility. "I had my first game against another jersey," Parker said. "It was fun. It was enjoyable. Obviously, the nerves were a little bit there, but now that it is...

Raquet on his slider and experience in the AFL

Raquet on his slider and experience in the AFL
We continue our conversation with Nationals pitching prospect Nick Raquet and get more information on his slider. A left-hander with his best pitch being the slider sounds familiar. How does it compare with Patrick Corbin's slider? "It's definitely my go-to," Raquet said. "I feel like if I'm in a pinch in any situation, I'm throwing my slider. It's probably my best pitch. I kind of grip it and rip it. I've never actually talked to Patrick. I would assume he spins the hell out of it. I...

Technology and a keen eye helped Raquet turn his curveball around

Technology and a keen eye helped Raquet turn his curveball around
Left-hander Nick Raquet made some nice adjustments early in his 2019 campaign for high Single-A Potomac that allowed him to concentrate on the finer points of his breaking pitch, helping him to end up with a very positive season. In part one of our discussion, we will break down the adjustments he made to turn his year around. Raquet (Twitter: @NickRaquet) made 25 starts at Potomac, going 11-9 with a 4.07 ERA. But in April, he struggled to a 1-4 start with an 8.72 ERA. "Yeah, I felt like I...

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...

Voth improved his changeup, curveball to get big league ready

Voth improved his changeup, curveball to get big league ready
Right-hander Austin Voth has continued repeating his changeup delivery into the offseason, determined to keep the muscle memory in place since his success with the pitch at the end of the Arizona Fall League. "Right now, I'm just playing catch, coming back in from long tossing," Voth said. "I will throw it at a long distance from 120 (feet) and air it out. And then when I come in to 90 feet, I'll work on hitting the spot or work on feeling comfortable with the grip, trying to get it to go...

How Austin Voth turned around his Arizona Fall League season

How Austin Voth turned around his Arizona Fall League season
In his first three starts in Arizona Fall League play, Nationals right-hander Austin Voth was struggling. Unable to find the accuracy he had consistently reached during the season, he wasn't hitting his spots with his most reliable pitches. Voth surrendered 13 runs on 13 hits in those initial 9 2/3 frames. He was suddenly 0-1 with a 12.10 ERA. Glendale pitching coach Sam Narron worked with Voth, 24, by going back to look at his mechanics when he first turned pro in 2013. "I figure it was...

Final Arizona updates on Ward, Stevenson and Abreu

Final Arizona updates on Ward, Stevenson and Abreu
Third baseman Drew Ward went from taxi squad player in 2015 to full-time participant in the 2016 Arizona Fall League and impressed. Ward hit .309 with six doubles and had one stolen base, 13 runs scored and eight RBIs in 21 games. He continued where he had left off in high Single-A Potomac (16 doubles, 11 homers) and Double-A Harrisburg (seven doubles and 24 RBIs). He also wanted to improve on his defense, a focus of his when the season began in Woodbridge, Va., in April. Ward had three errors...

Nick Lee rebounded from early struggles to finish strong in Arizona

Nick Lee rebounded from early struggles to finish strong in Arizona
Left-hander Nick Lee was able to rebound from one tough Oct. 27 outing against Mesa to have a solid finish in the Arizona Fall League for the Glendale Desert Dogs. In that game, Lee surrendered four hits and two runs over 1 1/3 innings with one walk and two strikeouts. But Lee was able to post a 1.54 ERA in 10 overall outings. He had 14 strikeouts, allowing 10 walks and 10 hits in 11 2/3 innings. The impressive thing for pitching coach Sam Narron was seeing Lee, 25, display the calmness...

Jake Johansen focuses on throwing strikes and a new breaking pitch

Jake Johansen focuses on throwing strikes and a new breaking pitch
Right-hander Jake Johansen was able to break through with his consistency in the Arizona Fall League. Johansen found the strike zone and got out good hitters to the tune of a 2.13 ERA over 12 2/3 innings in nine appearances. He struck out five and walked three, allowing only three total runs. Glendale Desert Dogs pitching coach Sam Narron, whose regular season job is with the Single-A Hagerstown Suns, has worked with Johansen a lot since he was selected by the Nationals in the second round of...

Austin Voth's "little adjustments" fueled three-game win streak in Arizona

Austin Voth's "little adjustments" fueled three-game win streak in Arizona
The Glendale Desert Dogs came back from a slow start in Arizona Fall League competition, finishing just a half-game from the title tilt. Surprise advanced to the championship and also won the season series with the Desert Dogs 4-2. But the seven Nationals prospects in Arizona made the Saguaros work for that opportunity. "At our low point, we were 6-12," said Glendale pitching coach Sam Narron. "We ended up 17-15. So we were 11-3 the last 14 games. That's pretty impressive considering all...

Stevenson wraps up big AFL season as Glendale seeks title match

Stevenson wraps up big AFL season as Glendale seeks title match
Glendale center fielder Andrew Stevenson is surging to finish off his Arizona Fall League campaign. In the last 10 games, Stevenson is hitting .400 (16-for-40) with with a double, triple, homer, five stolen bases, 12 runs and two RBIs. His overall average is .354 with four doubles, two triples, two homers and 12 RBIs. This season with high Single-A Potomac and Double-A Harrisburg, the lefty-hitting Stevenson raked to a .276 average with 146 hits, 75 runs and 39 stolen bases. On Nov. 7, he went...

Austin Voth shares Player of the Week honors in AFL

Austin Voth shares Player of the Week honors in AFL
Glendale Desert Dogs pitcher Austin Voth was named co-winner of Player of the Week honors in the Arizona Fall League for Week 5 of competition. Voth shared the honor with Scottsdale shortstop and Yankees product Gleyber Torres. The 24-year-old right-hander threw five scoreless innings in his only start last week, striking out three and scattering three hits. Glendale pitching coach Sam Narron said Voth was focusing on refining his changeup early in AFL competition. Recently, he has just been...

Drew Ward continues to produce in first full season for AFL Glendale

Drew Ward continues to produce in first full season for AFL Glendale
Third baseman Drew Ward is tied for second in hitting for the Glendale Desert Dogs with a .333 average after 17 games. Ward and teammate Andrew Stevenson, alongside Garrett Stubbs and Carson Kelly, have played more games than any other D-Dogs. In 117 games this season, the soon-to-be 22-year-old Ward (Nov. 25) demonstrated his power capabilities with 23 doubles, 14 home runs and 56 RBIs for high Single-A Potomac and Double-A Harrisburg. Early in Arizona Fall League play, pitching coach Sam...

Osvaldo Abreu flashing bat and glove in Arizona

Osvaldo Abreu flashing bat and glove in Arizona
We have previously alerted you to a prospect from the Dominican Republic, shortstop Osvaldo Abreu, who made the move this season from low Single-A Hagerstown to high Single-A Potomac. The Nationals like what they have seen from Abreu, so they gave him a shot in the Arizona Fall League with the Glendale Desert Dogs. Glendale pitching coach Sam Narron, who performs the same role at Hagerstown, has been on hand from the beginning of AFL play and has been very impressed with Abreu's play. "I will...

More on Nick Lee and Arizona Fall League coaching staff

More on Nick Lee and Arizona Fall League coaching staff
Southpaw Nick Lee spent his entire season at Double-A Harrisburg. In 45 appearances, the 25-year-old Lee went 3-1 with a 4.32 ERA with two saves. In 50 innings, Lee walked 42 batters and struck out 55. Lee pitched 1 1/3 innings Tuesday as Glendale rallied to beat Scottsdale 8-7 in Arizona Fall League play. The Desert Dogs scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth after trailing 3-0, 5-3 and 6-3. Lee gave up an unearned run on two hits with three walks, but his ERA is still at 2.35. He has...

Jake Johansen focuses on breaking pitch, command in AFL work

Jake Johansen focuses on breaking pitch, command in AFL work
Right-hander Jake Johansen moved from the starting rotation to the bullpen to start the 2015 campaign. He continues to make solid progress as he wraps up play in the Arizona Fall League. Johansen has the frame the Nationals love. The 25-year-old is 6-foot-6 and 235 lbs. That imposing frame, coupled with a high-90s fastball makes baseball life difficult on hitters. Johansen was a combined 4-1 with a 3.19 ERA and one save in 24 appearances in 2016 with three different levels. He had 29 strikeouts...

Ryan Brinley refining curveball, getting reps in AFL competition

Ryan Brinley refining curveball, getting reps in AFL competition
Ryan Brinley had a very good season with high Single-A Potomac. The 23-year-old went 4-1 with a 1.37 ERA in 32 games with the P-Nats. He had 16 saves, 34 strikeouts and only seven walks. The right-hander was promoted to Double-A Harrisburg on June 27 and appeared in eight games, going 0-2 with an 11.12 ERA while missing on a pair of save opportunities. He was transferred to Potomac on Aug. 1. Brinley was so good this year at Potomac, he was rewarded with midseason and postseason Carolina League...

Austin Voth getting changeup to work well in second AFL start

Austin Voth getting changeup to work well in second AFL start
Right-hander Austin Voth bounced back in his second start in the Arizona Fall League on Monday. The 24-year-old went four innings, struck out seven and didn't walk anybody in a no-decision. His Glendale Desert Dogs fell 5-4 to Peoria but were tied 1-1 when he left the game. "He pitched like he's very capable of pitching," said pitching coach Sam Narron. "He's out here to work on that changeup. He threw quite a few of them (Monday) and they were very effective." In his first game in...

Voth, Stevenson highlight Nats prospects invited to Arizona Fall League

Voth, Stevenson highlight Nats prospects invited to Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League announced rosters for the offseason league where top prospects play games in October and November. The Nationals have six prospects who have been invited to play for the Glendale Desert Dogs. Right-handed pitchers Austin Voth and Ryan Brinley will join left-hander Nick Lee on the team. The Nationals appear to have one more pitching slot available to be named at a later date. The spot could be offered to right-hander Erick Fedde. Infielders Osvaldo Abreu and Drew Ward...