Nationals outfielder Victor Robles is only 18 years old, but he is playing with the confidence and ability of a veteran in his first few weeks of Gulf Coast League competition. The outfielder from the Dominican Republic is batting .524 (11-for-21) with one double, one triple, two homers, three stolen bases and six RBIs in his first seven games. His on-base percentage is .600 and his OPS is an insane 1.552. Monday was his first hitless game of the season, and he went 0-for-1. He was walked three...

Nationals coordinator of instruction Gary Cathcart is working two camps a day at spring training - the early camp filled with prospects and the major league camp. During the regular season, Cathcart roves the minor league system working with players and coaching them up. In June, he will again manage the short-season Single-A Auburn Doubledays. Several of the players he had on that squad last season are on the early camp roster this season. In my next series of blogs, I will break down...

Here is a look at the Nationals' minor league early camp roster for 2015. It is filled with a lot of the prospects you will be able to see this summer throughout the organization. The roster, obtained by MASNSports.com, includes the likes of Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, Erick Fedde, Nick Pivetta, Joe Ross, Wander Suero, Austin Voth, Jakson Reetz, Raudy Read, Chris Bostick, Anderson Franco, Tony Renda, Drew Ward, Isaac Ballou, Rafael Bautista and Victor Robles. The teenagers are always...

I like to check in with the Nationals and get their thoughts on some of the names to look out for in the minor leagues this season. The last blog, I focused on pitchers. This time, I asked about some of the on-field personnel you should check out. The young prospects to watch as spring training begins include second baseman Christopher Bostick. The 21-year-old Bostick was acquired from the Texas Rangers, alongside right-handed reliever Abel de Los Santos, in the Ross Detwiler trade in...

Nationals vice president of player development Doug Harris recently returned from a trip to the team's baseball academy in the Dominican Republic. He again had positive things to say about the progress of the academy. Nationals fans will begin to see a steady influx of players from the Dominican in the next few seasons. Every one of them started at this academy. The academy is run by Fausto Severino, who is their academy administrator. Severino keeps the academy running on a daily basis, and...