Nationals agree to terms with Alex Meyer

The Washington Nationals tonight agreed to terms with University of Kentucky right-handed pitcher Alex Meyer, their first-round (23rd overall) selection in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft. To date, the Nationals have agreed to terms with 28 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. Meyer went 7-5 with a 2.94 ERA in 14 starts for Kentucky in 2011, fanning 110 (ninth in NCAA) in 101.0 innings (9.8 per 9.0 innings pitched). In 10 starts against Southeastern Conference competition, Meyer posted five wins (beat Tennessee, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Georgia and Florida), three complete games and 71 strikeouts in 73.1 innings to garner second-team All-SEC accolades. Meyer, who stands an imposing 6-foot-9, 220 lbs., has three "plus" pitches: a fastball that approaches triple digits, a slider and a changeup. As a prep, Meyer was named an Aflac All-American, Louisville Slugger High School All-American and Gatorade Indiana Player of the Year. He was drafted by the Red Sox in 2008, but did not sign in order to attend Kentucky.