Nationals Extend Player Development Contracts with Hagerstown and Vermont
The Nationals today announced they have signed two-year extensions to their player development contracts with the Hagerstown Suns of the Single-A South Atlantic League and the Vermont Lake Monsters of the short-season Single-A New York-Penn League. Nationals Assistant General Manager and Vice President/Player Development Bob Boone and Director of Player Development Bobby Williams made the joint announcement.
"Every organization seeks stability and familiarity within their player-development system and we have that in Hagerstown and Burlington," said Boone. "We look forward to furthering our relationships with both organizations and both towns."
By renewing with Hagerstown, the Nationals remain in the 16-team South Atlantic League. The Hagerstown Suns joined the South Atlantic League in 1993 and currently play in 4,600-seat Municipal Stadium. Over half of the South Atlantic League's clubs reside within a six hour drive of the Nation's Capital. The Nationals and Suns aligned for the first time in 2007.
The Nationals franchise's 15-year relationship with the town of Burlington--which began in 1994 and will now extend at least through the 2010 season--is the longest in the New York-Penn League. The Lake Monsters play at historic Centennial Field.
At 432-405, the Nationals' minor-league system posted a winning record in 2008. The .516 winning percentage posted by the Nationals' minor-league system ranked ninth among baseball's 30 franchises. Both Potomac of the Single-A Carolina League and the Nationals' entry in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League won league championships in 2008.
