Jake Johansen focuses on throwing strikes and a new breaking pitch

Right-hander Jake Johansen was able to break through with his consistency in the Arizona Fall League. Johansen found the strike zone and got out good hitters to the tune of a 2.13 ERA over 12 2/3 innings in nine appearances. He struck out five and walked three, allowing only three total runs.

Glendale Desert Dogs pitching coach Sam Narron, whose regular season job is with the Single-A Hagerstown Suns, has worked with Johansen a lot since he was selected by the Nationals in the second round of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft out of Dallas Baptist.

"I've been lucky to see Jake a couple of years now," Narron said. "What happens with him is he has a tendency to get out of the strike zone and he gets himself in trouble at times. But he did not do that down there in the fall league. He pounded the strike zone with the fastball - he's got that got up to 97 mph early in the fall league and settled in around 95 mph. It's got really good sink. He's got some cut to it at times.

"But when he throws the ball over the plate, it's going to be down in the zone with the movement that he gets. He gets soft contact. He's very effective. That's exactly what he did out there. He forced those guys to put the ball in play and got a lot of good results."

While right-hander Austin Voth focused on his changeup, Johansen, 25, tinkered with a breaking pitch. But he did not show it much in games. He is perfecting it for use in the 2017 season.

"(Johansen) started to work on a breaking ball," Narron said. "We're excited about seeing that come out. He didn't throw it a lot in the games. He's starting to throw it in his side works there in the bullpen. We are really excited about seeing that, possibly being a good pitch next year. Really, the main thing with Jake is he gained a lot of confidence out there and improved himself. He can get out high-caliber hitters pounding that strike zone with exactly what he has."

Johansen pitched at three levels for the Nationals last season and finished with a combined 4-1 record and a 3.19 ERA. He began his pro career as a starter, but has been working exclusively out of the bullpen since 2015. Narron believes the consistency Johansen displayed in November for Glendale indicates good stuff to come for the spring and summer next year.

"I've seen some ups and downs with him throughout the seasons, and to see that growth where he knows now that he can get out really good hitters, it's going to be fun to watch him going forward," Narron said.