Nationals select former first-rounder Zack Cox in minor league Rule 5 draft

NASHVILLE - The Nationals survived this morning's Rule 5 draft without losing any players. They passed on their pick in the major league portion of the draft, then selected Marlins minor league third baseman Zack Cox during the Triple-A phase.

The Cardinals drafted Cox with the 25th overall selection in the 2010 First-Year Player draft after an All-American season at the University of Arkansas, where he set records for batting average (.429) and hits (102).

Cox reached Triple-A Memphis in 2012 before the Cardinals shipped him to the Marlins in exchange for veteran reliever Edward Mujica. He battled injuries in 2013, but posted a .282/.344/.436 slash line with eight homers and 18 doubles in 104 games at Triple-A New Orleans the following year.

Cox spent 2015 primarily at Double-A Jacksonville, where he batted .321/.393/.422 with four homers and 19 doubles in 103 games.

Nationals director of player development Mark Scialabba received positive reports from assistant general manager/vice president of scouting Kris Kline, who scouted Cox as a high-profile player coming out of Arkansas.

"The left-handed bat appealed to us," Scialabba said from the ballroom of the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center where the Rule 5 draft was held. "To be able to play third base and add him to the inventory of left-handed bats in the organization and provide some depth there is something that we were targeting going into this phase. We felt like he was a top target for us in the Triple-A phase."

After six seasons in the minors, the 26-year-old Cox will get a shot with the Nationals.

"He's someone we had our eyes on," Scialabba said. "He didn't necessarily develop as well as he hoped, probably, in his original drafted team. He has some youth on his side, obviously. Sometimes guys don't develop into the hitter they hoped they would be. We're just hoping to add someone that can barrel up the ball and put it in play and help us from the left side and equal out some of the depth in our system."