Nationals Select Contracts of Davis, Atilano and Desmond
The Washington Nationals today selected the contracts of 24 year-old outfielder Leonard Davis, 22 year-old right-handed pitcher Luis Atilano and 23 year-old shortstop Ian Desmond. Nationals Senior Vice President and General Manager Jim Bowden made the announcement.
The reigning Nationals Minor League Player of the Year, Davis earned the citation by hitting .310 with 28 doubles, 25 home runs, 76 RBI, a .365 on-base percentage and a .567 slugging percentage in 122 games for the top three affiliates in the Nationals' system in 2008. Davis paced Washington farmhands in home runs and OPS (.932), while ranking fourth in RBI. Davis--an eighth-round selection in the 2004 First-Year Player Draft out of Fresno (CA) City College--is currently playing for the Peoria Saguaros in the prospect-laden Arizona Fall League, where he is batting .328 (19-for-58) with three doubles, two triples, three home runs and 13 RBI in just 15 games.
Atilano began the season in the Single-A South Atlantic League and finished in Double-A with Harrisburg. At the three levels this season, Atilano went a combined 5-2 with a 2.50 ERA (26 ER/93.2 IP) in 24 games (15 starts). He posted a .248 batting average against and walked just 2.2 batters per 9.0 innings pitched. Atilano was Atlanta's sandwich-round selection (35th overall) in the 2003 First-Year Player Draft before being acquired by the Nationals in exchange for first baseman Daryle Ward on August 31, 2006.
Desmond, like Davis, is currently playing in the Arizona Fall League, where in 19 games with the Peoria Saguaros, he is batting .286 (20-for-70) with four doubles, three triples, two home runs, 12 RBI, 12 walks and a robust .376 on-base percentage. This season with Harrisburg, Desmond hit .251 with 14 doubles, 12 home runs and 44 RBI in 93 Eastern League contests. Desmond has tallied 74 extra-base hits (45 doubles, four triples, 25 home runs) the last two regular seasons. He was the Expos' third-round selection in the 2004 First-Year Player Draft out of Sarasota (FL) High.
Washington's 40-Man Roster currently stands at 38 with the addition of Davis, Atilano and Desmond.
