Spring training games delayed until at least March 5

Spring training games delayed until at least March 5
What had already been widely understood was made official by Major League Baseball this afternoon: Spring training is delayed due to the ongoing labor battle that has yet to produce a new collective bargaining agreement. With camps across Florida and Arizona supposed to open earlier this week, and with the Grapefruit and Cactus league schedules set to commence Feb. 26, a postponement had become inevitable. In its formal announcement today, MLB - which enacted a lockout of the players when the...

Rutledge working on fastball command, improving changeup

Rutledge working on fastball command, improving changeup
Nationals top pitching prospect Jackson Rutledge has worked on commanding his fastball and curveball during his bullpen sessions and simulated games at the alternate training site in Fredericksburg. As Nats minor league pitching coordinator Brad Holman told me this week, it's all about moving the ball around the strike zone instead of narrowly avoiding it. "It's definitely been the emphasis during camp," Rutledge said during a Zoom video session with reporters. "I think I've actually...

Martinez details plan for first week of intrasquad games

Martinez details plan for first week of intrasquad games
The Nationals gave a glimpse of how they run mini sim games on Wednesday at Nats Park, the highlight being a chance for Max Scherzer to pitch for three innings with teammates taking at-bats against the three-time Cy Young Award winner. Eric Thames, Trea Turner, Adam Eaton, Michael A. Taylor and others got at least three at-bats apiece to feel what it would be like against live pitching as they count down to a July 23 opening night against the Yankees. "We're trying to get as many at-bats as...

More notes on catchers Pineda, Pratt, Cropley and Gushue

More notes on catchers Pineda, Pratt, Cropley and Gushue
Taking a deep dive into catching prospects in the Nationals system, I reached out to catching coordinator Michael Barrett, who has been coaching for the organization since 2013 and caught in the majors for 12 seasons. Barrett told me of the sheer numbers he has to work with: The Nats had five catchers in short-season Single-A Auburn last year and as many as 17 catchers from low Single-A Hagerstown on down in the system. The highest rated of the group is Israel Pineda, at No. 14 on the current...

Lineups: Marlins vs. Nats at West Palm Beach

Lineups: Marlins vs. Nats at West Palm Beach
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The competiton for the Nationals' No. 5 starter role takes front and center this afternoon, when right-hander Joe Ross faces the Marlins in his second spring start. Ross, who is battling right-handers Austin Voth and Erick Fedde for the last spot in the rotation, worked two perfect innings in his last outing on Wednesday against the Yankees in Tampa. Ross was supposed to follow Max Scherzer in the team's exhibition opener, but rain cost him that opportunity after he'd...

Lefty Braymer is Nats' lone addition to 40-man roster

Lefty Braymer is Nats' lone addition to 40-man roster
The Nationals have added Ben Braymer to their 40-man roster, protecting the minor league left-hander from being swooped up by another club in next month's Rule 5 draft. Facing an 8 p.m. Eastern time deadline to add prospects to their 40-man roster, the Nats so far have only announced the selection of Braymer, who went 4-10 with a 4.53 ERA in 26 starts between Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Fresno this season. Braymer, 25, was an 18th round draft pick in 2016 who was named the organization's...

Barrett, C. Kieboom, Garcia headline non-roster invitees to camp

Barrett, C. Kieboom, Garcia headline non-roster invitees to camp
The Nationals have announced 18 non-roster invitees to spring training, including two of their top infield prospects and a pitcher trying to return to the majors for the first time 2015 after a myriad of injuries. The two infield prospects - Luis Garcia, 18, and Carter Kieboom, 21 - both figure to get a lot of playing time around the diamond at various positions. Garcia, who has played shortstop, second base and third base, slashed .298/.335/.406 with seven homers and 46 RBIs for low Single-A...

Dominican winter league update: Robles, Soto and others

Dominican winter league update: Robles, Soto and others
Here is an update of Nationals players' progress in the Dominican winter league, which has played nine games: OF Victor Robles Robles is the second-leading hitter for Aguilas Cibaenas in the Dominican winter league. Robles is batting .480 (12-for-25) in six games with two doubles and 14 RBIs. He has walked one time, struck out three times and stolen one base. His OPS is 1.060 and he has not committed an error in the field. He went 3-for-4 on Oct. 16 and has gone 2-for-4 in each of his last two...

Voth among first wave of Nats cuts (Nationals win 8-5)

Voth among first wave of Nats cuts (Nationals win 8-5)
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals have made their first cuts of spring training, optioning right-hander Austin Voth to Triple-A Syracuse and reassigning seven players to their minor league camp. Voth, who went 4-12 with a 5.94 ERA at three minor league stops last season, appeared in three Grapefruit League games, and posted a 6.00 ERA in three innings of relief work. He allowed two runs on five hits with five strikeouts. Right-handers Jimmy Cordero, Brady Dragmire, David Goforth, Román...

Nats prospects spotlight: Bacus, Williams and Gushue

Nats prospects spotlight: Bacus, Williams and Gushue
We have more insight from Mesa Solar Sox pitching coach Michael Tejera on the battery of Nationals pitchers and catchers employed in the Arizona Fall League this season. Right-hander Dakota Bacus appeared in eight games and 10 1/3 innings for the Solar Sox. Although he logged a 5.23 ERA in Arizona, he had an amazing year through two levels for the Nationals. Bacus combined to go 2-2 with a 1.80 ERA with five saves between high Single-A Potomac and Double-A Harrisburg over 23 games. He struck...

Previewing the Rule 5 draft

Previewing the Rule 5 draft
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Thursday morning's Rule 5 draft is the last order of business at the Winter Meetings, and while the Nationals probably won't add anyone to their 40-man roster, it's possible they could lose one or more prospects. Teams with openings on their 40-man rosters are allowed to select players who were first signed at 18 and not added to a club's 40-man roster within five seasons or players signed at 19 who have not been added to the 40-man roster after four seasons....

Astros hurler Brad Peacock began career with Nats (plus AFL update)

Astros hurler Brad Peacock began career with Nats (plus AFL update)
Right-hander Brad Peacock made a big splash in the World Series in Game 3, recording a save with 3 2/3 scoreless innings. He also appeared in the dramatic Game 5 last night, allowing two runs on three hits in 1 1/3 innings. If the name sounded familiar, you are correct. Peacock was a 41st-round draft pick of the Nationals in 2006. He pitched for the Nats in 2011 and went 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA. He has pitched 91 games with the Astros since 2013. Peacock remembered how the Nationals treated him...

Soto with big day, AFL roster set for Nats prospects

Soto with big day, AFL roster set for Nats prospects
Outfielder Juan Soto continued his rehab from hamate bone surgery with an outstanding performance with the Gulf Coast Nationals. Soto is a Top 100 prospect, and has put together his first professional five-hit performance by going 5-for-5 with a double, a triple, three RBIs and two runs scored in a game on September 2. Soto hit second and played right field in the GCL Nationals' 13-9 loss to GCL Cardinals. Soto is now considered the No. 2 overall prospect for the Nationals. Even with the loss,...

Luke Erickson: A look at the Potomac Nationals at the half

Luke Erickson: A look at the Potomac Nationals at the half
While Bill Parcells is wildly overrated as a coach, his maxim of "You are what your record says you are," is spot-on, and applies to the Potomac Nationals this year. The P-Nats almost finished .500 in the first half, falling two games short at 33-37, and haven't been above the break-even mark since May 13. Simply put, they're not quite good enough to win consistently. This is not to say there haven't been bright spots. Victor Robles is the Nationals' No. 1 prospect in the organization and...

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...

Game 156 lineups: Nats vs. Diamondbacks

Game 156 lineups: Nats vs. Diamondbacks
And so we have reached the final week of the regular season, and thus the final homestand of the regular season. Way back when, we probably figured these would be meaningful games, with the Nationals engaged in a tense pennant race down to the wire. In reality, their run to the National League East title was much easier than that, and they clinched Saturday night in Pittsburgh. There is, of course, still something on the line this week: Home field advantage for what is now officially an...