SAN FRANCISCO - The Nationals have found their much-needed closer, and though he's only going to be a two-month rental, the club didn't have to give up any of its top prospects to get him. The Nationals have acquired Mark Melancon from the Pirates in exchange for left-hander Felipe Rivero and Single-A left-hander Taylor Hearn, the team announced this afternoon. The deal came together just before the scheduled 4:05 p.m. EDT first pitch of today's game against the Giants, allowing the...

Left-hander Taylor Hearn rehabbed with the Gulf Coast League Nationals on Friday in their 7-3 11-inning win over the Gulf Coast League Mets. Hearn is working his way back from a foot injury he suffered in mid-April. He tossed three innings, allowing no runs and one hit with four walks and two strikeouts. It was his first game since April 13. Nationals top-selection infielder Carter Kieboom made his GCL Nats debut. Kieboom went 1-for-5 with a RBI. As the designated hitter, he had a single in his...

Left-hander Taylor Hearn has freakish athleticism that you might usually see in a tall and lanky basketball prospect. I have already told you about his long arms, hands and fingers: the tale of when you shake his hand, his fingers almost touch your elbow. So you can imagine how he can manipulate a baseball to move around the strike zone to befuddle a hitter. Low Single-A Hagerstown Suns manager Patrick Anderson said Hearn reminded him of right-hander Ira Brown, a 6-foot-4, 215-lbs., pitcher...

The entire roster of pitchers invited to instructional league are the top prospects in the Nationals organization. The list includes the big names fans are accustomed to: Lucas Giolito, Erick Fedde, Reynaldo Lopez and others. But if we dig a little deeper and go to the Nationals to ask them who are the possible quick movers, guys that raised eyebrows during the season and the work they did in instructs, the list contains names that many fans may not be as familiar with. This list of prospects...

Instructional league has completed in Florida at the Nationals facility. The players now move on to offseason workouts and winter league competition. Focusing on the pitchers at instructional league, the group included the likes of Lucas Giolito, Erick Fedde and Reynaldo Lopez, plus many other of the top prospects in the Nationals system. A couple pitchers that did well during instructs were Taylor Hearn and Koda Glover. The 21-year-old Hearn is a left-hander who pitched at Oklahoma Baptist. He...

Right-hander Erick Fedde has made a positive first step this season as he rebounds from Tommy John surgery. The 22-year-old UNLV product was the Nationals' first-round selection in 2014 and then immediately had the ligament replacement procedure. Although Fedde gave up six runs in his first low Single-A start on Aug. 11, he did quite well in his most recent outing, not allowing a run over 4 2/3 innings innings as Hagerstown lost to Hickory 3-2 in 11 innings. Fedde allowed only four hits and...