Taylor Jordan hit 94 mph at instructional league

Right-hander Taylor Jordan completed his season with the low Single-A Hagerstown Suns and moved on to Florida for instructional league workouts that wrapped up last week. A ninth-round selection from the 2009 draft, Jordan recovered from 2011 Tommy John surgery to get back and pitch six games at short-season Single-A Auburn and then joined the Suns for nine starts. Potomac Nationals pitching coach Chris Michalak worked with Jordan in Viera, Fla., up until Oct. 1 while he was at instructional league and had a positive update. The Nationals never let the 6-foot-3, 190 lb., right-hander go past five innings in any start and he had a run of three straight wins from Aug. 13-23 in which he surrendered just one earned run in 15 innings. He had 13 strikeouts and two walks in that surge. "He is throwing the ball really well," Michalak said. "He is coming back obviously and looking good. He definitely has the stuff, no doubt about it. And just like (Aaron) Barrett, his fastball has a lot of movement, changeup is outstanding and he has got a good breaking ball." Jordan finished up 3-4 with a 4.05 ERA in nine starts for Hagerstown. In 40 innings of work, he struck out 28, walked nine and allowed 18 earned runs, with only two home runs. Michalak said the organization really likes what Jordan can do with the ball and that even with movement on his best pitches, they end up called strikes. "He can definitely get people out in the strike zone," Michalak said. "His stuff is that good and his velocity was fine. It was up there 93, 94 and maybe even 95 mph. "He is another one we are excited about. We are excited to see him throwing out there and doing what he is capable of doing."