Top 2012 pick Giolito to make season debut Wednesday for GCL Nats

By Byron Kerr

Nationals

July 02, 2013, 11:59am

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Right-hander Lucas Giolito will make his season debut for the rookie league Gulf Coast League Nationals on Wednesday, according to Nationals director of player development Doug Harris. The 2012 first-round selection, who is 12 days short of his 19th birthday, has recovered from Tommy John surgery and has looked good in workouts at the Nationals' training facility in Viera, Fla. The 6-foot-6, 225 lb., Giolito "has thrown the ball well," Harris said. "Ball is coming out of his hand with good life and his curveball has shown very good depth." No specifics were given as to how many innings Giolito will pitch against the GCL Cardinals, but previous Tommy John survivors have gone around three innings or 30 or so pitches. Last season, Giolito got into one game for the GCL Nats, tossing two innings, allowing one hit, one run and striking out one. He was ranked the No. 3 prospect by Baseball America at the start of the season, but with Anthony Rendon moving up to the big leagues, many believe Giolito is, alongside Brian Goodwin, the top prospect in the Nationals system.