Byron Kerr

Minor league updates on catchers, infielders and outfielders from Patrick Anderson

Minor league updates on catchers, infielders and outfielders from Patrick Anderson
Minor league camp continues to roll along with decisions coming up very soon on final rosters of Nationals affiliates. The week of March 31-April 5 will be the timeframe that rosters will be finalized and announced. Here is a quick look at how some of the prospects are faring as camp winds down with updates courtesy of new Single-A Hagerstown manager Patrick Anderson. Last season, Anderson guided the Rookie level Gulf Coast Nationals to an unprecedented 52-9 record and the GCL...
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Byron Kerr

Nats will take BP at newly opened Youth Baseball Academy on March 29

Nats will take BP at newly opened Youth Baseball Academy on March 29
The Nationals have announced they will conduct batting practice for their March 29 exhibition game at Nats Park across town that morning at their new Youth Baseball Academy in Fort Dupont Park. Later that day, the Nationals and Tigers conclude their spring schedules in Washington at a 2 p.m. exhibition. The batting practice will be preceded by a ribbon-cutting ceremony involving special guests, including Nationals players and executives, local and federal government leaders, and the academy's...
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Byron Kerr

Updates on Hague, Komatsu, Bowe, Meyers, Purke and Dominican players

Updates on Hague, Komatsu, Bowe, Meyers, Purke and Dominican players
I was able to check in with assistant general manager/vice president of player development Doug Harris on several Nationals' prospects. I will begin with position players. * Infielder Ricky Hague returned last season after missing most of 2012 with a shoulder injury. He played in 128 games last season and compiled 437 at-bats. "He is going to play a little more third base this year," Harris said. "We will see where that takes us. Looking forward to him bouncing back this season as...
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Byron Kerr

Hood and Perez hope increased strength pays late season dividends

Hood and Perez hope increased strength pays late season dividends
Outfielder Destin Hood and shortstop Stephen Perez worked extremely hard in the offseason to prepare for this upcoming campaign and it is showing so far in spring training. The soon-to-be 24-year-old Hood is listed at 6-foot-1 and 215 lbs., and is from Mobile, Ala. He has long been considered a top-10 prospect in the organization, but last season hit .224 as he battled through injuries and illness, with 116 strikeouts in 112 games while with Double-A Harrisburg. Nationals assistant general...
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Updates on young pitchers Voth, Mooneyham, Orlan and Silvestre

Updates on young pitchers Voth, Mooneyham, Orlan and Silvestre
21-year-old Austin Voth made a nice jump last season from short-season Single-A Auburn to low Single-A Hagerstown. The right-handed starter Voth went a combined 3-0 with a 1.75 ERA in 11 games, striking out 55 batters in 46 1/3 innings. Voth is continuing to prepare for the 2014 campaign alongside 22 of his pitching teammates in the accelerated development program in Viera, Fla. Newly appointed Single-A Hagerstown pitching coach Sam Narron, and former Auburn pitching coach, was impressed...
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Byron Kerr

Goodwin gets better at his craft, sees results in quest to join Nats outfield

Goodwin gets better at his craft, sees results in quest to join Nats outfield
Nationals top outfield prospect Brian Goodwin benefited from another year of Arizona Fall League competition and did well. Goodwin hit .296 in 19 games with the Mesa Solar Sox, with four doubles, one triple, two homers, three stolen bases and 12 RBIs. The 23-year-old Goodwin believed it was another huge opportunity to get better at his craft and experiment with different strategies at the plate. "You go down there and the stats don't count so much," Goodwin said. "You still play to win,...
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Byron Kerr

Giolito and Johansen making strides, focusing on consistency in development program

Giolito and Johansen making strides, focusing on consistency in development program
I got an update on a handful of pitchers that are continuing their work at the Nationals accelerated development program in Viera, Fla. New low Single-A Hagerstown Suns pitching coach Sam Narron, who was the pitching coach for the short-season Single-A Auburn Doubledays last season, updated the current progress of three starting pitchers he worked with: right-handers 19-year-old Lucas Giolito, 23-year-old Jake Johansen and 21-year-old Austin Voth (Voth sounds like "both"). "Voth, Giolito...
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Accelerated camp attempts to emulate big league feel

Accelerated camp attempts to emulate big league feel
Single-A Hagerstown manager Patrick Anderson told me how the Nationals' accelerated development program is moving along, and what they are focusing on in the second week. You can read an earlier interview with Anderson here. "We have a lot of coaches with the players now, every staff is there," Anderson said. "The Double-A and Triple-A staffs are up with the big league team. A few of the coaches come up for certain drills with the outfield and base running. "High-A, low-A, short-season...
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Baseball Prospectus bullish on Nats' 25-and-under talent

Baseball Prospectus bullish on Nats' 25-and-under talent
There have been some publications that have talked about how the Nationals system is not as strong as others, but Baseball Prospectus has come out with its rankings of the best talent in the major leagues of prospects 25 and under. The Nationals rank second behind the St. Louis Cardinals. Of course, it helps when the top of the list comes from back-to-back years when the Nationals selected first in the amateur draft, grabbing starter Stephen Strasburg and outfielder Bryce Harper. Also at the...
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Accelerated development program reaches capacity this weekend

Accelerated development program reaches capacity this weekend
The Nationals' accelerated development program will have all participants in camp this weekend as they continue to work toward March 4 and their first game against the Astros. There were 30 to 40 players in camp this week. The rest of the players will complete the roster by Saturday. What is it like for these advanced prospects each day while the major league players work out nearby in the complex? Low Single-A Hagerstown Suns manager Patrick Anderson took me through what a typical day is...
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Harrisburg introduces new mayfly batting practice cap for 2014

Harrisburg introduces new mayfly batting practice cap for 2014
The Double-A Harrisburg Senators announced Thursday they will have a new on-field batting practice cap worn by players, coaches and staff for the upcoming 2014 season. The New Era fitted cap is blue with a blue bill and a red button on top, with a mayfly depicted on the front panel. "We really wanted to capture something that is unique to us with this new on-field cap," said Senators president Kevin Kulp said a team-issued new release. "The mayfly is truly nature at work. We have what I...
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Steven Souza on quest for big leagues: "I want to be ready"

Steven Souza on quest for big leagues: "I want to be ready"
Outfielder Steven Souza is continuing his upper trend after a solid campaign last season with Double-A Harrisburg and an even better showing in the Arizona Fall League. Alongside Matt Skole, Souza is considered one of the top power hitting prospects in the Nationals' system. I caught up with Souza this week and he talked about the start spring training in Viera, Fla., with the Nationals. "It is going great," Souza said. "It is just nice to get back on a diamond and get my feet underneath...
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Nationals' minor league games are scheduled close to local fans

Nationals' minor league games are scheduled close to local fans
I was putting together a schedule for Nationals minor league games that will be located within driving distance of Nationals Park for the 2014 season. Here are the list of reachable games and the names of each stadium. I also put in the distances for Syracuse, Harrisburg and Auburn home games if you are considering a summer road trip to see some of the future Nats play. Syracuse Chiefs (Triple-A) NBT Bank Stadium Distance from Nationals Park: 376 miles (5 hours 57 minutes) Click here for the...
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Phillies' actions with college players likely won't benefit other teams

Phillies' actions with college players likely won't benefit other teams
The Phillies' decision to turn in an unsigned college draft pick to the NCAA for engaging the services of an agent acting as an advisor appeared this week to at least temporarily hurt their standing in the eyes of some agents who take care of those college baseball players. It also might, in turn, have an adverse effect on their opportunities to sign some players later. One agent had said the "Phillies are out." The Phillies apparently alerted the NCAA that Oregon State left-hander Ben...
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Wave of Dominican prospects starts work in accelerated development program

Wave of Dominican prospects starts work in accelerated development program
Today is the first day of the accelerated development program for the Nationals prospects in Viera, Fla. Earlier this week, we got an exclusive look at the roster, so now let's break down some of those roster highlights. Focusing on the pitchers, right-handers Lucas Giolito, Jake Johansen, Dakota Bacus and Austin Voth, and left-hander Brett Mooneyham are on this roster. It will be intriguing to see how standout pitchers from the Dominican Republic, such as right-handers Pedro Encarnacion,...
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Exclusive: Nationals' accelerated development roster revealed

Exclusive: Nationals' accelerated development roster revealed
MASNsports.com has obtained an advance copy of the accelerated development program roster for the Nationals. It is a collection of top prospects in the system all in one place for intense, hands-on instruction during spring training. If you don't see a big name below, they are most likely in the major league camp. Players report to Viera, Fla., and begin camp on Friday, Feb. 21. Right-handed Pitchers (unless otherwise noted LHP = left-handed pitcher) (23): Dakota Bacus John Costa Matt...
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Signal crossing: Williams and Henley working on signs at third base

Signal crossing: Williams and Henley working on signs at third base
One of the coaches making a big move this season besides new manager Matt Williams is Bobby Henley. Henley moves from minor league field coordinator to Nationals third base coach this season. It helps that Williams has a lot of experience as a first and third base coach himself with the Diamondbacks from 2010-13. In the first week of camp, Williams is working on the subtleties of the game with Henley, even practicing signs from the dugout to third base in Viera, Fla. "(We were working on)...
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New Triple-A Syracuse manager remembers Lobaton excelling in Tampa system

New Triple-A Syracuse manager remembers Lobaton excelling in Tampa system
Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs manager Billy Gardner was in the Tampa Bay Rays organization for several years and had a chance to skipper newly acquired backup catcher Jose Lobaton while with the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits. "I always liked the way he handed the pitching staff," Gardner said. "That was the one thing that stood out. He was a good communicator. He took a lot of pride in running the pitching staff and calling the game." Gardner worked with Lobaton in 2009, 2010 and parts of 2012...
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Nationals Youth Baseball Academy on target for March 3 opening

Nationals Youth Baseball Academy on target for March 3 opening
The Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, designed for elementary and middle school students in D.C., continues to put the finishing touches on the facility as it prepares for a March 3 opening at Fort Dupont Park. There has been amazing progress at the facility and grounds since the last time we visited the site in November. Compare them to the pictures here to see the big transformation. Executive director Tal Alter said planning for the programs, including initial after-school programs already...
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A look in on prospects Solis, Purke and Goodwin

A look in on prospects Solis, Purke and Goodwin
A pair of the top pitching prospects in the Nationals organization are hoping to make a nice jump this season. Left-handers Sammy Solis and Matt Purke have had a similar track recently as they return from injury to pitch well. Solis returned to pitch early in the season for High Single-A Potomac. He pitched in some crucial elimination games for the P-Nats and for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League with success. "Both pitchers are very important to the organization," said...
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