Rundown of Nats' minor league roster cuts

Rundown of Nats' minor league roster cuts
Here is a rundown of the late May roster cuts by the Nationals of minor league players. Unfortunately, the shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic has now stretched on for two months, putting into jeopardy a minor league season altogether. Keon Barnum, 1B, 606 career minor league games, free agent signing Dante Bichette Jr., 3B, 73 games for Double-A Harrisburg Adalberto Carrillo, C, 42 games with short-season Single-A Auburn Phil Caulfield, 2B, 35 games for low Single-A Hagerstown Tyler...

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...

Insider's view on progress of Bryan Harper and Drew Ward

Insider's view on progress of Bryan Harper and Drew Ward
Nationals minor league roving coordinator and former Triple-A Syracuse manager Billy Gardner Jr., was a third baseman in the majors himself, so he has a unique perspective when working with third base prospect Drew Ward. Gardner believes Ward has a chance to make it to the next level. Ward had a very good start to the 2016 campaign at high Single-A Potomac, hitting .278 with 11 homers and 32 RBIs. Last season, Ward played in 121 games at Double-A Harrisburg, hitting .235 with 10 homers and 53...

Luke Erickson: Looking over the minor league rosters

Luke Erickson: Looking over the minor league rosters
As you might have guessed, the release of last week's rosters was almost precisely what fans of the "Baby Nats" were hoping for - not too conservative with the kids, not too aggressive with the top pitcher and top position player. The folks in Hagerstown have to be happy with the talent that's sent there. Because the Nationals tend to draft collegiate players over high schoolers, it's rare to have one teenager on a full-season roster, never mind four (Carter Kieboom, Juan Soto, Tyler...

Ward and Stevenson leave positive impression on Baker

Ward and Stevenson leave positive impression on Baker
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals made 10 cuts this morning, optioning four players to minor league affiliates and reassigning six others to minor league camp. Right-handers Jimmy Codero and Austin Voth and infielder Matt Skole were optioned to Triple-A Syracuse. Catcher Raudy Read was optioned to Double-A Harrisburg. Reassigned to minor league camp were right-handers Dustin Antolin and Taylor Hill, infielders Corban Joseph and Drew Ward, and outfielder Andrew Stevenson. Additionally,...

Breaking down a 5-4 victory

Breaking down a 5-4 victory
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - If Andrew Stevenson hadn't come through with a walk-off RBI single to give the Nationals a 5-4 win over the Astros on Sunday, the teams were planning to go to a 10th inning. Guess there is at least one drawback to sharing a spring training complex with another team after all. "We were going to go 10 because they had some pitching and we had some pitching," Nationals skipper Dusty Baker said. "We were prepared to go 10." But extra innings were rendered a moot point...

Nationals announce full, 63-man spring training roster

Nationals announce full, 63-man spring training roster
Erick Fedde, Andrew Stevenson and Drew Ward are among the 24 non-roster invitees to Nationals spring training, the first opportunity for all three prospects to play in big league camp. The club announced all of its non-roster invitees this afternoon, three days before pitchers and catchers are due to report to the brand-new complex in West Palm Beach, Fla. Several previously announced veterans who signed minor-league contracts - pitchers Matt Albers, Jeremy Guthrie, Joe Nathan, Vance Worley,...

More praise for Nats prospects Ward, Marmolejos and Soto

More praise for Nats prospects Ward, Marmolejos and Soto
Reviewing some of the other Nationals infield prospects we have not touched on yet, and that list must include third baseman Drew Ward. He extended his season in the Arizona Fall League, where MLBPipeline.com senior writer Jim Callis got to see him play in person. "He's a guy who was a high school player when they signed him," Callis said. "Power is his tool. It's there. It's not always there in game action, but I think he hit 14 homers this year. His ceiling is definitely higher than...

Stevenson, Ward named to AFL All-Prospects Team

Stevenson, Ward named to AFL All-Prospects Team
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - The Arizona Fall League today announced its 2016 Top Prospects Team, which included two top Nationals offensive prospects, third baseman Drew Ward and center fielder Andrew Stevenson. "We are proud of how all of our players went about their business, how they work and represented the Nationals organization in Arizona this fall, and are excited to see both Andrew Stevenson and Drew Ward recognized for thier accomplishments by being named to the AFL Top Prospects Team,"...

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...

Five Nats prospects help lift Glendale to win in final AFL game

Five Nats prospects help lift Glendale to win in final AFL game
Glendale did their part to reach the Arizona Fall League title game, stopping Peoria 3-1. The Desert Dogs (17-15) won seven of their last 10 games, finishing the fall season as the hottest team in the league. But Surprise also won their final game to win the West division by a half-game. The Saguaros (17-14-1) face Mesa in Saturday's championship. In the final game, five Nationals prospects got to play. Center Fielder Andrew Stevenson went 1-for-3 with a walk from the leadoff spot. Stevenson...

Austin Voth and Glendale surging to finish line in AFL

Austin Voth and Glendale surging to finish line in AFL
Jake Johansen and Ryan Brinley were a big part of the crew that shut out Scottsdale in the final four innings Saturday, lifting Glendale to a 4-3 victory in Arizona Fall League competition. Johansen earned his third hold by getting two outs in the eighth. His ERA is 2.31. Brinley notched his first save with a shutout ninth. His ERA is now 2.70. Designated hitter Drew Ward cranked a double in four at-bats. His average is .329. He has at least one base hit in nine of his last 10 games. Shortstop...

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...

Stevenson collects five hits in 15-3 Glendale runaway

Stevenson collects five hits in 15-3 Glendale runaway
The Glendale Desert Dogs got off to a slow start in Arizona Fall Leaque play, but led by the likes of Nationals prospects Andrew Stevenson and Drew Ward, they are surging to the finish line. The D-Dogs (11-12) won their fifth straight game in a 15-3 shellacking of first-place Peoria on Monday. Glendale posted 16 hits and enjoyed outbursts of five runs in the third and fifth innings. Glendale's elimination number is seven. They are just 1 1/2 games behind Peoria and Surprise for the West...

Brinley and Ward named to AFL West Division Fall Stars team

Brinley and Ward named to AFL West Division Fall Stars team
Right-hander Ryan Brinley and third baseman Drew Ward have been named to the West Division team for Saturday's Arizona Fall League 11th annual Fall Stars Game in Surprise, Ariz. The game will televised on MLB Network and streamed on MLB.com at 8:08 p.m. ET. Current and former Nationals who have participated in this game include Bryce Harper, Stephen Strasburg, Derek Norris, Brian Goodwin, Ben Revere, Trevor Gott and Anthony Rendon. Scouting and farm directors from every major league club, in...

Andrew Stevenson showing he can meet major need for Nats

Andrew Stevenson showing he can meet major need for Nats
Center fielder Andrew Stevenson ignited the Glendale offense in a 6-3 win over Salt River, to end the week in Arizona Fall League play on a high note. The win improved the Desert Dogs' record to 6-11, holding their elimination number at 10. Peoria (10-5-2) has a five-game lead on the D-Dogs in the West Division. Stevenson went 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs. He raised his average to .324. Stevenson spoke with MLB.com after his performance and said he takes practice time seriously when...

Drew Ward hitting well after two weeks in Arizona Fall League

Drew Ward hitting well after two weeks in Arizona Fall League
The Glendale Desert Dogs came up a bit short in the second week of Arizona Fall League play, culminating in a 10-8 loss to Surprise on Saturday. Glendale is now 3-8 and trails Peoria by six games in the West Division. It was a tough day for right-hander Austin Voth, who allowed seven runs in three innings on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts. He gave up one solo shot. His club bounced back from a 7-1 deficit to take an 8-7 lead in the top of the sixth. But the Saguaros rallied with...

Week 1 AFL update: Glendale Desert Dogs

Week 1 AFL update: Glendale Desert Dogs
The Glendale Desert Dogs are 2-3 and one game out of first place in the West Division of the Arizona Fall League. After starting 2-1, they have dropped two games in a row. Third baseman Drew Ward is hitting .444 (4-for-9) with a double, an RBI, two walks and two strikeouts in three games. Shortstop Osvaldo Abreu is hitting .273 (3-for-11) with a double and three RBIs in three games. Center fielder Andrew Stevenson is hitting .250 (3-for-12) with a homer, six RBIs and one stolen base. He has...

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...

Nats announce several minor league promotions as prospects gain momentum

Nats announce several minor league promotions as prospects gain momentum
The Nationals announced that right-hander Lucas Giolito will be recalled to start Tuesday. The minor league system had some other major movement on Monday. The Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs announced the addition of second baseman Chris Bostick, outfielder Zach Collier and right-handed pitcher Reynaldo Lopez. The team will also have Trea Turner play center field. Double-A Harrisburg will receive outfielder Andrew Stevenson, third baseman Drew Ward, and right-handers Ryan Brinley and Boone...