Voth content to listen, learn and prove his worth

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - If not for the fact that Austin Voth's name is stitched onto the back of his Nationals jersey, you might not even know the promising right-handed pitcher is part of spring camp.

Most mornings, Voth sits quietly in front of his locker stall in the home clubhouse at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. Lately, while his teammates are playing cards or choosing their sunglasses for the upcoming season, Voth has his eyes trained on a television broadcasting live World Baseball Classic action.

The 24-year-old has pitched only twice in Grapefruit League action, working three innings without surrendering a run, but hasn't appeared in a game since March 3.

But that doesn't mean Voth isn't serious about the work he's putting in during his second spring training with the big league club.

"Last year was kind of just be a fly on the wall, observe, talk to guys and see how they go about their business," he said. "This year, I'm just trying to get my work in still, but I definitely want to work as hard as these other guys to prove that I could potentially be worth something down the road. Just trying to prepare myself for the season."

Most likely, Voth's 2017 will begin at Triple-A Syracuse, which is exactly where his 2016 campaign ended. He spent the full season with the Chiefs, going 7-9 with a 3.15 ERA in 27 games (25 starts).

Now a little more comfortable in his professional skin, the fifth-round pick in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft happily sponges whatever he can glean from the veterans around him. Reliever Blake Treinen, his next-door neighbor in the clubhouse, and veteran starter Gio González, whose stall is two to Voth's left, have become trusted friends from who he learns.

"You're always going to do that," Voth said. "Absorb what you can because all these older guys have so much knowledge - more than I do, at least. Whatever they can give me, I'll take it. They kind of take me under their wing and help me up a little bit."

From Treinen, Voth gets the viewpoint of a 28-year-old with three major league seasons under his belt. González has logged nine seasons in the bigs, has won 20 games and appeared in an All-Star Game. Both pitchers offer different perspectives to a younger guy eager to learn.

"They both help me out in different ways," Voth said.

One thing Voth has learned from them is the art of being patient - even if it's a trait that comes with doing hard work that most fans will never see. The fact that Voth is quiet and easygoing probably helps in this area.

"It's probably about my personality," Voth said. "Knowing I have capabilities as a pitcher and trusting in the process, I guess. Trusting that my time will come. As long as I keep my head down and keep doing my work, I trust that something good will come."

Last season, the Nationals chose top pitching prospect Lucas Giolito over Voth when they needed a spot start in late June. Now Giolito is gone, traded to the White Sox in the deal for center fielder Adam Eaton, and Voth is in next-man-up territory should a starting pitcher go down.

"You always want to be ready," he said. "You always want to be prepared. If your name does get called, then you don't want to be not prepared, not ready. I just want to keep my body in good shape and be ready for the phone call so I won't be surprised."

Voth said being passed over last year when he was on turn to make the start the Nationals needed wasn't hard to accept.

"I know some day it will come," he said. "I'm in a good organization. They've given me so many opportunities and I know those opportunities will come in the future."

The work he's putting in now, even if it's under the radar, is important in the bigger picture.

"Just to prove myself. Prove that I can go out and perform against the top, the best of the best in the big leagues," he said. "If I can go out on a day-to-day basis and get outs, I can prove that I belong up here."