Top prospect Giolito tosses four shutout innings in sixth start for GCL Nats

Right-hander Lucas Giolito had a very good outing for the rookie-level Gulf Coast Nationals, tossing four shutout innings and striking out four, walking none and allowing only two hits. This outing came after a couple of starts were he allowed five runs in a total of 3 1/3 innings. Giolito is now 0-1, with a 4.26 ERA. The GCL Nats won the game 10-3 over the GCL Cardinals and are 30-6 in the East division. It was the first time Giolito had allowed no runs in a road start in three games. Nationals director of player development Doug Harris reiterated that Giolito is on course and they will not rush him. "Really for him it is building repetitions," Harris said. "He hasn't pitched really since his high school season and even that was limited. So really for us it is him settling into a routine every five or six days and going out there and competing. "Obviously, there are things we are trying to accomplish, continuing to evolve delivery-wise and stuff-wise and building volume." As a matter of fact, the 19-year-old Giolito had his final high school season cut short because of the elbow injury that eventually led to the Nationals shutting him down for Tommy John surgery. Over a year later, Giolito is back in the system and making progress each start. "We are thrilled with where he is," Harris said. "For us it is about building a foundation and develop this guy properly. This is a young player. A.J. Cole went through this." Cole was drafted at a young age as well with the Nationals, when he was 18-years-old pitching for the short-season Single-A Vermont Lake Monsters. The now 21-year-old Cole is pitching well with the Double-A Harrisburg Senators, winning his first two starts.