Familiar and new pitchers draw attention in first live BP session

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Position players don’t officially report to Nationals camp until Monday, with the first official full-squad workout Tuesday, but so many of them were already on hand early that the team decided to get started now with a time-honored, spring training workout: live batting practice.

Nine pitchers took turns facing groups of three live hitters on three different practice fields during this morning’s session. The largest crowd (including managing principal owner Mark Lerner) watched from behind the plate on Field 3 as MacKenzie Gore, Jose A. Ferrer and Jarlin Susana pitched to Stone Garrett, Alex Call and José Tena.

Gore had success against Garrett (one of his closest friends on the team), but it was Call who connected for a home run to left-center field off the left-hander and potential Opening Day starter.

Susana, the flamethrowing 20-year-old in major league camp for the first time, also had plenty of onlookers watching intently as he faced that same group of hitters, plus Keibert Ruiz. Drew Millas had the task of catching Susana’s 100-plus mph fastball, and the young backstop was eagerly awaiting that opportunity as everyone warmed up prior to the drill.

Field 6 saw Trevor Williams, Tyler Stuart and Clay Helvey take the mound against another group of hitters. Field 4 was manager Davey Martinez’s venue of choice, in part for the pitchers who worked there (Eduardo Salazar, Evan Reifert, Joan Adon) but maybe even more for the hitters who faced them (James Wood, Dylan Crews, CJ Abrams).

Martinez specifically wanted those hitters at the plate against Salazar and Reifert, a pair of right-handed relievers trying to make the club.

“I talked with (hitting coach Darnell Coles) and I wanted some of those guys to go over there and see what they do, get their feedback. They were very impressed on both,” Martinez said. “They thought both of their fastballs were a lot better than they thought, and it was. They were both in the mid-90s.”

Wood, Crews and Abrams struggled at times to make solid contact against Salazar and Reifert, the Rule 5 Draft pick who struck out 65 batters in only 41 1/3 innings last season for the Rays’ Double-A affiliate.

“Reifert’s got an unbelievable slider,” Martinez said. “Wow. I’ve seen it early on, but versus hitters, guys were saying it was really good.”

How much stock does a manager put into that kind of feedback when it comes from hitters of that caliber?

“It’s good when you’re actually hearing it from the guys that are facing him,” Martinez said.

Live BP continues Monday, with nine more pitchers scheduled to face hitters: Jake Irvin, Mitchell Parker, Shinnosuke Ogasawara, Jorge López, Jackson Rutledge, Brad Lord, Daison Acosta, Jack Sinclair and Colin Poche.

Tuesday’s live BP features Michael Soroka, DJ Herz, Derek Law, Zach Brzykcy, Orlando Ribalta, Cole Henry, Marquis Grissom Jr., Andry Lara and Connor Pilkington.