Nationals agree to terms with third-round selection Matt Purke

By Josh Land

Nationals

August 15, 2011, 8:43pm

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The Washington Nationals tonight agreed to terms with Texas Christian University left-handed pitcher Matt Purke, their third-round (96th overall) selection in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft. To date, the Nationals have agreed to terms with 26 players from this year's Draft. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo, Nationals Assistant General Manager & Vice President of Player Personnel Roy Clark and Nationals Director of Scouting Kris Kline made the joint announcement. Purke, widely considered one of the most-complete pitchers in the Draft, went 5-1 with a 1.71 ERA in 11 starts with the Horned Frogs in 2011, posting a .187 batting average against with 61 strikeouts in 52.2 innings. The consensus National Freshman of the Year in 2010, the 21-year-old Purke went 21-1 with a 2.61 ERA and 203 strikeouts in 31 games/29 starts during his collegiate career. He was originally selected by the Texas Rangers with the 14th-overall pick in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft (did not sign), after Rivals.com ranked him the top high school prospect in the nation.