Teenager Garcia adding strength and defensive skill to hitting prowess

Teenager Garcia adding strength and defensive skill to hitting prowess
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Shortstop Luis Garcia has done a nice job in 15 games with the Nationals this spring training, slashing .316/.381/.316 with six hits, seven runs scored and two RBIs. Garcia, 18, is currently listed as the No. 3 rated prospect in the Nats system, according to MLB Pipeline. Director of player development Mark Scialabba said his hitting skills have been apparent since the Nats signed the youngster in July 2016. He said it's only a matter of time before Garcia adds power to...

Fredericksburg Baseball stadium groundbreaking attracts more than 1,000 fans

Fredericksburg Baseball stadium groundbreaking attracts more than 1,000 fans
"Oh, people will come, Ray. People will most definitely come." - Terence Mann (James Earl Jones) from the movie "Field of Dreams" (1989) FREDERICKSBURG, Va. - A crowd estimated at around 1,000 roared its approval when this scene was played on the video screen at the Fredericksburg Convention & Expo Center off of Carl D. Silver Parkway on Sunday, kicking off the ceremonial groundbreaking for the brand new baseball stadium for the Potomac Nationals. Could have just as well been...

Carter Kieboom has a good shot at Nats in 2019

Carter Kieboom has a good shot at Nats in 2019
Shortstop Carter Kieboom advanced to Double-A in 2018 within the Nationals organization. The 2016 first-round selection was also invited to participate in the Arizona Fall League. His team, the Salt River Rafters, advanced to the title game. Kieboom got some playing time at second base for the first time in his professional career. He hit .295 with a .427 on-base percentage in the AFL over 21 games. Nationals director of player development Mark Scialabba said the organization wanted to get...

GoFundMe page started to help Nats assistant GM Doug Harris with medical costs

GoFundMe page started to help Nats assistant GM Doug Harris with medical costs
Nationals assistant general manager and vice president Doug Harris has been battling leukemia since 2015. In May of 2017, it appeared he had defeated the cancer, with the bone marrow transplant appearing to take full effect. But the cancer was not completely eliminated. The next step for Harris is a doctor-recommended CAR-T cell therapy, which is still in trial research. The therapy is extremely expensive. His wife, Lisa, has set up a GoFundMe page to try to offset the cost. The Harrises are...

Minor league updates: Bourque, Rodriguez, Crowe, Ward, Gutierrez and Agustin

Minor league updates: Bourque, Rodriguez, Crowe, Ward, Gutierrez and Agustin
Right-hander James Bourque is looking good so far at high Single-A Potomac. The 24-year-old former Michigan Wolverine is 2-1 with a 1.69 ERA in 11 games with two saves. He was a 14th rounder in 2014. "James Bourque is having an outstanding start in Potomac, somebody that is now two years removed from Tommy John," said Nationals director of player development Mark Scialabba. "Plus fastball, curveball combination and some funk and deception in his delivery. He is someone to follow this...

Nationals like what they see from Austin Voth

Nationals like what they see from Austin Voth
Right-hander Austin Voth only came up for a 24-hour period a couple of weeks ago. He did not get into that game on April 29, but expect to see Voth again in a Nationals uniform this season. The starter has built himself to a point in his young career to be an extremely valuable asset to the Nats. Nats director of player development Mark Scialabba said Voth's dedication to getting stronger in the offseason has positively affected his pitching repertoire and his ability to strive towards the end...

Juan Soto crushing Carolina League pitching, playing some center field

Juan Soto crushing Carolina League pitching, playing some center field
Juan Soto continued to pummel minor league pitching last week with a .522 average and five homers, earning the 19-year-old the Carolina League Player of the Week honors. Nationals director of player development Mark Scialabba said having a healthy Soto means everyone gets to see what the system's hottest prospect is capable of producing. Soto has recorded at least a base hit in 12 of the 14 games he has played for the P-Nats. In 30 minor league games this season, between low Single-A...

Close proximity of affiliates helps Nationals function more efficiently

Close proximity of affiliates helps Nationals function more efficiently
One element of the minor league system that has been an advantage for the Nationals is the close proximity of each affiliate to each other and to Washington, D.C., and most importantly, Nationals Park. Countless times, the Nats have utilized their high Single-A location in Woodbridge, Va., the Potomac Nationals, to rehab their major league players. Even low single-A Hagerstown is just over an hour away from D.C., and if the Suns are home instead of the P-Nats, players can get access to live...

Gardner on his transition to minor league roving coordinator

Gardner on his transition to minor league roving coordinator
Following four seasons as the manager of the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs, Billy Gardner Jr. takes on a new challenge within the Nationals organization as the minor league roving coordinator. Gardner said it was a new position that assistant general manager and vice president of player personnel Doug Harris brought to Gardner in the offseason. Randy Knorr would then move to Triple-A manager. Gardner is excited about this new opportunity. "Well, Doug called me at the end of the year and said there...

Nats take Wilson, Fleck in Triple-A phase of Rule 5 draft

Nats take Wilson, Fleck in Triple-A phase of Rule 5 draft
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The Nationals neither made a selection nor lost any players the major league phase of the Rule 5 draft today at the Winter Meetings. But they improved their organizational depth with a pair of picks in the Triple-A portion of the Rule 5. In the first round of the minor league phase, the Nationals selected second baseman Jacob Wilson off the Cardinals' Double-A Springfield roster. A round later, the Nats grabbed right-hander Kaleb Fleck off the Double-A Mobile roster of...

GCL Nats throw two no-hitters in Sunday doubleheader

GCL Nats throw two no-hitters in Sunday doubleheader
Pitching a no-hitter in baseball is unique and rare. Pitching two no-hitters in back-to-back games of a doubleheader on the same day is like winning the lottery. Four pitchers for the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Nats pulled off the nearly impossible Sunday by doing just that: combining to throw two seven-inning no-hitters. In the opener, Joan Baez, down from high Single-A Potomac to work on some of his mechanics, twirled six no-hit innings in a 4-0 win over the GCL Marlins. He struck out...

Quietly, like a pro, Wilmer Difo keeps Nats rolling

Quietly, like a pro, Wilmer Difo keeps Nats rolling
He made another big play defensively in the ninth inning to help Shawn Kelley earn the save as the Nationals swept out of Atlanta with a 3-2 win over the Braves. I am talking about 25-year-old shortstop Wilmer Difo, who has done a very good job of playing defense and has worked hard in each at-bat. He has been crucial to the Nationals, not missing a beat while Trea Turner and Stephen Drew recover from right hamstring strains. Difo has started eight games since April 11. He has committed only...

Nats will not change approach in developing Victor Robles

Nats will not change approach in developing Victor Robles
The No. 1 rated Nationals prospect is 19-year-old outfielder Victor Robles, who made a nice step up last season, advancing to high Single-A Potomac. Robles is a part of another talented corps of outfielders on the early camp roster with the club in West Palm Beach. Nationals director of player development Mark Scialabba said they are not altering their plan for Robles, or any other prospect, just because they are ranked so high or coveted by other teams. "With Victor, obviously the tools are...

Nats' early camp roster: Sagdal and power hitters

Nats' early camp roster: Sagdal and power hitters
Focusing on the Nationals' early camp roster and the potential for power hitting, I asked Nationals director of player development Mark Scialabba about the players that stand out in this category. Do they go from their high school and college numbers to decide who can hit for power or is it developed as they become better hitters? "You look at our approach. Early on in the hitting program, we are going to make sure that our hitters are the best hitters they can be," Scialabba said....

Nats' early camp roster: Infielders

Nats' early camp roster: Infielders
Let's take a quick snap shot of some of the infielders that are on the early camp roster. Sheldon Neuse is a third baseman who has made his way up the Nats prospect list last season. The 22-year-old was a second round selection in 2016 and hit .230 in 36 games at short-season Single-A Auburn. "Neuse is at third base," said Nationals director of player development Mark Scialabba. "He's swinging that the bat really well right now. He's moving well at third. We are really impressed with the...

Nats' early camp roster: J.D. Martin and John Simms

Nats' early camp roster: J.D. Martin and John Simms
Here are some early camp notes on a pair of now veteran right-handers in J.D. Martin and John Simms. 34-year-old Martin looked to reignite his career last season by returning as a knuckleballer. Martin pitched in 24 games between 2009-10 with the Nationals, going 6-9 with a 4.32 ERA. He last pitched professionally in 2013, but returned to the mound within the Nationals organization in 2016, this time as a knuckleball pitcher. Martin started nine games with the Nats in their minor league system...

Nats' early camp roster: Johansen and Silvestre

Nats' early camp roster: Johansen and Silvestre
Moving on, we'll spotlight a couple of the pitchers from the Nationals' early camp roster. Right-hander Jake Johansen showed well in the Arizona Fall League to wrap up his season. In nine games for the Glendale Desert Dogs, Johansen posted a 2.13 ERA without a decision. He allowed 13 hits and three earned runs in 12 12/3 innings, with five strikeouts and three walks. After making 30 starts in his first two seasons in the minors, Johansen has focused on coming out of the bullpen since...

Nats' early camp roster: Catchers

Nats' early camp roster: Catchers
The Nationals have depth at the catcher spot on the early camp roster, headlined by Jakson Reetz, a 2014 third-round draft pick out of Hickman, Neb. Reetz had seven hits in his last five games at low Single-A Hagerstown to wrap up 2016. He hit .281 in his final 10 games. Reetz caught 88 games for the Suns after notching 79 games combined in 2014 and 2015. "Jakson looks good," said Nationals director of player development Mark Scialabba. "Jakson is another of those players that had a great...

Nats' early camp roster: Outfielders

Nats' early camp roster: Outfielders
The Nationals' early camp roster is set for 2017. The team will separate into teams for intrasquad matchups beginning next week. Nationals director of player development Mark Scialabba says each member of this roster came in looking in good shape and several are physically stronger than they were last season. In particular, the college players drafted in June 2016 have made strides. "To a man, they are all in incredible shape," Scialabba noted. "They have worked extremely hard. We've seen...

Update on Matt Skole and the importance of winter league baseball

Update on Matt Skole and the importance of winter league baseball
It turned into a pretty big year for Matt Skole, as he put together consistency with Triple-A Syracuse to the tune of 140 games, 24 homers and 78 RBIs. Skole, 27, was rewarded by his promotion to the Nationals' 40-man roster for the first time in his career. Skole wrapped up his season by playing for over a month in the Mexican Pacific Winter League. In the second part of our look at the winter leagues, we focus on Skole. We also take a look at why winter leagues are so important to the...