Tyler Moore locked in for Potomac

Many question the depth the Washington Nationals have in their minor league system for field players. Names such as Chris Marrero, Danny Espinosa and Michael Burgess are usually mentioned. It might be time to add first baseman Tyler Moore to that list. The 2008 draftee out of Mississippi State has been scorching it at the plate. As one coach told me, Moore is "locked in right now." The 23-year-old first baseman from Brandon, Mississippi went 21-39 (.538) with nine doubles, seven homers and 24 RBI in a nine-game span from July 15-24. During the last week and a half, Moore has had a pair of 5 RBI games and 8 multi-hit games during an incredible streak in which his slugging percentage was 1.214 and his on-base percentage was at .553. With this amazing run, others are taking notice. Moore was named Player of the Week in the Carolina League on July 19. Moore was selected by the Nationals in the 16th round (481st overall) of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft. Beginning in 2008, Tyler has had stops at Vermont and Hagerstown before moving up this year to the P-Nats High A. I caught up with Moore in Woodbridge recently to talk about how he is feeling at the plate. "I am trying not to think up there. All first half I was thinking about stuff and now I am just trying to compete with somebody out there. That is what I want to do. That is what I needed to be doing in the first half and I wasn't doing it. Now I am getting back to it." Moore says he has been able to get in a groove during this recent streak, and his recent success has paralleled the P-Nats' success in the second half of the year. Prior to this 21-39 outburst, Moore was batting just .196. "The season really had not gone as good as I wanted to, or the team wanted it to. We are trying to win something around here. We got something going good (now). I am trying to contribute to the team and win some ballgames before we get done."