Nationals select eight players on second day of MLB's 2013 First-Year Player Draft

The Washington Nationals today selected eight players on the second day of Major League Baseball's 2013 First-Year Player 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. The Nationals kicked off today's action selecting prep third baseman Drew Ward with their third-round pick (105th overall). Ward hit .507 (67-for-131) with 9 HR, 39 RBI and 57 BB in 32 games for Leedey (OK) High School. In the fourth round, the Nationals tabbed one of the top junior college arms in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft, Nicholas Pivetta out of New Mexico Junior College. The Victoria, British Columbia native went 9-2 with a 3.36 ERA over 13 starts in 2013. He tossed six complete games and posted a .235 batting average against. The Nationals selected first baseman James Yezzo in the seventh round (256th overall) out of the University of Delaware. Yezzo, the first Blue Hen to be drafted since 2010, led the Colonial Athletic Association in batting average (.410), hits (96), doubles (28), RBI (64) and slugging percentage (.714) en route to being named CAA Player of the Year and first team All-American by Louisville Slugger. Over the first two days of the three-day Draft, the Nationals have selected a total of nine players: four right-handed pitchers, one left-handed pitcher, and four infielders. Of Washington's nine selections, one came from the high school ranks, six from four-year universities and two junior college players.