P-Nats' Robles leaves game after being hit by pitch; Mapes and Martinson shine

P-Nats' Robles leaves game after being hit by pitch; Mapes and Martinson shine
High Single-A Potomac dropped Salem 7-2 on Monday, but the P-Nats lost center fielder Victor Robles just two pitches into the game after he was hit by pitch on his arm. Robles was hit by a fastball from right-hander Michael Kopech. Robles is hitting .289 through 83 minor league games with 12 doubles, six triples, seven homers and 37 RBIs. His on-base percentage is .390. In a game last Friday, he was hit by pitch three times, but manager Tripp Keister told me that the opponent wasn't going...

Martinson reassigned to minors, Schafer granted release

Martinson reassigned to minors, Schafer granted release
VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals trimmed their spring training roster a bit more Saturday, reassigning infielder Jason Martinson to minor league camp and granting outfielder Logan Schafer his unconditional release. Martinson hit .292 (7-for-24) with two RBI, four walks and 11 strikeouts this spring as a non-roster invitee. The 27-year-old infielder, a fifth-round pick in the 2010 draft, spent last season at Triple-A Syracuse, where he hit .218 with 19 homers, 56 RBIs and a .299 on-base percentage in...

Early camp invitees could play in major league spring training games soon

Early camp invitees could play in major league spring training games soon
The Nationals played their first spring training game Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Rays, winning 6-2. Several players who were non-roster invitees to camp were in the starting lineup, including outfielder Chris Heisey, shortstop Jason Martinson and catcher/DH Spencer Kieboom. Heisey played for Triple-A Buffalo last season, while Martinson and Kieboom are both home-grown talents in the Nationals system. Martinson and Kieboom are also a year or two removed from being on the Nationals' early...

Turner searching for first Triple-A hit; Harrisburg and Potomac Sunday winners

Turner searching for first Triple-A hit; Harrisburg and Potomac Sunday winners
Shortstop Trea Turner is still looking for his first Triple-A base hit. On Sunday, Turner pinch-hit in the eighth inning and popped out for pitcher Rafael Martin. He is now 0-for-9 with Syracuse, with a run scored and a strikeout. After 68 Double-A games, Turner had accumulated an amazing 25 multi-hit games and a .327 average. In that span, he had a 16-game hitting streak and a 10-game hitting streak while with the San Antonio Missions, a Padres affiliate. He spent 10 games with Double-A...

Syracuse shortstop Martinson showing value at multiple spots this season

Syracuse shortstop Martinson showing value at multiple spots this season
Triple-A Syracuse shortstop Jason Martinson is proving to be the ultimate utility man in the Nationals system. Because of his all-around athletic skill, the Nationals have employed the 6-foot-1, 190-pound right-handed hitter in the infield and the outfield this season. For example, in his first two weeks (10 games) with Triple-A Syracuse this season, Martinson has played shortstop (three games), left field (four games), third base (two games) and designated hitter (one game). He has had 22...

Barrett on Williams: "He was one of the best managers I have ever played for"

Barrett on Williams: "He was one of the best managers I have ever played for"
Matt Williams, who appears to be the choice at the next manager of the Nationals, managed the 2012 Salt River Rafters in the Arizona Fall League. He helped guide the Rafters to an appearance in the championship game, a 4-3 loss to Peoria. I caught up with right-hander Aaron Barrett and infielder Jason Martinson, two of the eight Nationals prospects on that team, to get their take on the possibility of having Williams as the next manager of the Nats. Barrett is one of the top relievers in the...

Renda, Martinson, Hood updates from fall instructional league

Renda, Martinson, Hood updates from fall instructional league
I am getting reports that fall instructional league is off to a good start. As you would imagine, the camp emphasizes fundamentals and different individual aspects tailored to each player's specific needs. Second baseman

Martinson working to stay consistent at the plate for Potomac

Martinson working to stay consistent at the plate for Potomac
High Single-A Potomac Nationals shortstop Jason Martinson got off to a hot start in Woodbridge, earning a pair of Carolina League Player of the Week honors in April. "I felt a lot more confident having been in this league already," he said. "Still a lot of work to get done but I'm doing everything I can to make that next jump. Martinson has already hit seven homers and has 26 RBIs for Potomac. He has cooled off a little bit since his April run. His average stands at .253 through May 19....

Martinson earns Carolina League Player of the Week honors

Martinson earns Carolina League Player of the Week honors
Many around minor league baseball, and scouts I talk to, believe high Single-A Potomac Nationals shortstop Jason Martinson deserves to be playing in Double-A. This week he demonstrated he certainly deserves attention for his play at Potomac, earning Carolina League Player of the Week honors. Martinson started the season hitting .303 (10-for-33), with a .429 on-base percentage and a .788 slugging percentage through nine games. The 24-year-old Texas State product had a pair of doubles, one...

Skole blasts two-run shot in Salt River's 8-3 victory

Skole blasts two-run shot in Salt River's 8-3 victory
Nationals prospect Matt Skole picked up where he left off, going 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and four RBIs in Salt River's 8-3 win over Surprise on Wednesday night in the Arizona Fall League. Skole crushed the two-run shot in the fifth inning, walked in the first and smacked a two-run single in the third. He grounded out and flew out in his final two at-bats. His four RBIs marked the second game in a row a Nationals prospect connected for that total, and ran his RBI mark to a team-high 12...

Offense from Nats prospects helping Salt River pursue AFL crown

Offense from Nats prospects helping Salt River pursue AFL crown
Some of the Nationals' best position player prospects are on display in the Arizona Fall League with the Salt River Rafters. Brian Goodwin, Jason Martinson, Anthony Rendon and Matt Skole have combined to provide a good measure of the offense for the Rafters as they pursue the AFL crown. The Rafters are 11-9 with about two weeks remaining in the season. Salt River had hit 16 homers in 20 games, second to Mesa. They have 38 stolen bases, a league-leading total. Their .393 slugging percentage...

Skole reaches 100 RBIs, Ortega gets close to cycle in N.C. wins for Nats affiliates

Skole reaches 100 RBIs, Ortega gets close to cycle in N.C. wins for Nats affiliates
High Single-A Potomac got a big win in North Carolina Tuesday. The squad is now 1-16 in the Tar Heel State this season following a 4-1 win at Carolina. Matt Skole, Adrian Sanchez and Kevin Keyes had two hits apiece. Keyes hit his 20th homer of the season and added a double. Sanchez also had a double and scored two runs. But Skole's two RBIs are notable because he has reached 101 RBIs for the season. Skole joined teammate Jason Martinson (106 RBIs) and Tyler Moore (2010, 111 RBIs) as the only...

Potomac has chance to move closer to playoffs tonight versus Frederick

Potomac has chance to move closer to playoffs tonight versus Frederick
High Single-A Potomac Nationals shut out Frederick 3-0 in a rain-shortened affair Saturday night to move within one game of the Keys and two games of the division with a week to play. Tonight, in an early 6:05 start, the P-Nats can complete the sweep of the Keys. Left-hander Robbie Ray (4-11, 4.52 ERA) gets the call against left-hander Tim Berry (4-5, 4.52). On Saturday, right-hander Matt Swynenberg scattered five hits and four walks, but managed to keep the Keys off the scoreboard. Jason...

Prospect Ricky Hague's shoulder "feels great"

Prospect Ricky Hague's shoulder "feels great"
High Single-A Potomac Nationals shortstop Ricky Hague is putting together a full season after missing most of last year with a shoulder injury. Hague has worked very hard to strengthen the shoulder and game repetition has helped him maintain his range of motion. "The shoulder feels great," Hague said recently. "It has given me no problems. It feels strong. No pain at all." Hague has also learned that playing 92 games so far in a season is the true test every baseball player at the...

Potomac's Martinson passes 100-run, 100-RBI plateaus

Potomac's Martinson passes 100-run, 100-RBI plateaus
The high Single-A Potomac Nationals used the longball to trip up Salem 7-4 on Saturday. Kevin Keyes, Steven Souza Jr. and Jason Martinson connected on homers for the P-Nats, who have erupted for 32 hits in the past two games. Shortstop Martinson continued to add to his milestone of 100 runs and 100 RBIs in the same season, split between low Single-A Hagerstown and Potomac. With the home run Saturday, he now has reached 101 runs and 103 RBIs. He also has 22 homers and 30 stolen bases in 122...

Under new rules, Rendon eligible to play in Arizona Fall League

Under new rules, Rendon eligible to play in Arizona Fall League
The Nationals announced Tuesday that top infield prospect Anthony Rendon has been promoted to Double-A Harrisburg. In years past, players had to be on the Double-A roster by Aug. 1 to be eligible to participate in the Arizona Fall League. But under new roster guidelines, teams can send seven players to the AFL. The seven appointments can include two low Single-A or first-year draft picks signed by July 13, two high-A players and three Double-A or higher participants. Further, a team is...

Martinson, Goodwin, Perry, Rendon and Walters notes and more

Martinson, Goodwin, Perry, Rendon and Walters notes and more
Potomac Nationals shortstop Jason Martinson is an RBI machine. Martinson collected his 100th RBI of the season Saturday in a 10-8 loss at Winston-Salem. Martinson hit his 21st homer of the season in the fourth and had an RBI single in the ninth, which was his 100th RBI of the season between two teams. Martinson started the season at low Single-A Hagerstown. Outfielder Steven Souza, Jr., has been placed on the disabled list with a leg injury after running into the outfield wall in pursuit of...

Nationals reliever Cole Kimball to rehab in Hagerstown, DeRosa playing third for P-Nats

Nationals reliever Cole Kimball to rehab in Hagerstown, DeRosa playing third for P-Nats
A club source confirmed that Nationals right-handed reliever Cole Kimball will be reporting to low Single-A Hagerstown on Friday. Kimball had a solid outing with the Gulf Coast League Nationals, going one inning and allowing no runs, one hit and one strikeout on June 19. I visited with several Potomac Nationals today at batting practice in Woodbridge, Va. Shortstop Ricky Hague said he will play short and second with the arrival of shortstop Jason Martinson from Hagerstown. Martinson said he...

Nationals confirm trio of promotions, Perry to move to starter

Nationals confirm trio of promotions, Perry to move to starter
Nationals director of player development Doug Harris has confirmed that infielders Justin Bloxom, Zach Walters and Jason Martinson have been promoted. Bloxom and Walters are moving to Double-A Harrisburg and Martinson heads to high Single-A Potomac. Bloxom has hit .259 with 12 homers and 34 RBIs, while Walters has connected for a .269 average with five homers and 24 RBIs. Harris also announced that right-hander Ryan Perry will make the transition from reliever to starter and the Nationals...