More early camp updates on Sagdal and young outfielders

The early camp invitees take on the Mets in two games of a home-and-home series this week. Low Single-A Hagerstown manager Patrick Anderson is working with this roster all camp and had an update on infielder Ian Sagdal, a lefty-hitting 23-year-old second baseman out of Washington State.

"He really can swing the bat from the left side," Anderson said. "Defensively, (infield instructor Jeff) Garber is really putting his hands on him to get him going defensively so he can maximize as much as he can play at second base, third and short. Mainly a middle infielder."

Sagdal is a 16th-round selection from 2015 and the Nationals admire his experience from NCAA Division I play. Similar to Andrew Stevenson out of LSU, they like to sprinkle in some kids from the draft who have advanced skills thanks to years in college baseball.

Sagdal played 49 games at short-season Single-A Auburn in 2015, slashing .235/.323/.327 with six doubles, three triples, one homer and 20 RBIs.

"He's doing really good," Anderson said. "I was really impressed with the way he swings the bat from the left side."

In the outfield, the buzz about this group of players is top of the charts.

Nationals director of player development Mark Scialabba said the combination of talent and athleticism from this group might be some of the best he has seen in his experience with the Nationals.

One kid we haven't asked about is U.S. Virgin Islands outfielder Telmito Agustin. The 19-year-old lefty swinger played for the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Nats and Auburn last season.

"He can run," Anderson said. "He gets the barrel to the ball. His stance is a little bit of a throwback, he's kind of closed off a little bit. He uses the whole field and he competes, doesn't strike out that much. They liked what they saw at Auburn.

"From what I've seen, he really intrigues me in the outfield, he's tracking down balls. He's moving really well."

Agustin joins this youthful talent in the outfield, with the likes of Stevenson, Rafael Bautista, Victor Robles, Rhett Wiseman and Blake Perkins. Four of this group can hit from the left side and three are teenagers.

"You don't miss a beat with any one of those guys," Anderson said. "All of them have range. Robles has some tools. It's fun to watch him. Robles is a five-tool guy possibly. You just got to hone it and play more. Really, he's just got to play. That's the big thing with Victor. He's really talented. It's fun to watch. You go to the ballpark and you look for him. You really watch him to see what he's got.

"Stevenson is exciting. He hit a home run (last week) in intrasquad that I was pretty impressed with. We're trying to slow him down because he's shagging balls, diving, going all over the place. Hey man, you've got 140 games (coming up), take your time. He's just that guy. He doesn't slow down at all.

"Wiseman, he's nonstop as well, full go," Anderson continued. "Max effort, gets after it in right field for us. Swings the bat, turned around somebody throwing 95, 96 mph that I was impressed with and I saw some adjustments from instructional league to now that are really intriguing. (Hitting instructor) Troy Gingrich did a great job with him.

"Perkins doesn't look like an 18-year-old out there. He's matured past his years. He's raw, learning how to swing on the left side, but he's under control and very smooth. He glides the ball, gets every single ball in the air. He is smart, intellectual type with baseball. I was very impressed with his baseball IQ."