Nationals Farm Authority

and with that I’m done … I’ll recap later

Round 20: #592 pick is Jack Walker, 3B from Concordia University … a college senior

Another slice and dice

• College senior RHPs = 3
• College junior RHPs = 4
• College junior LHP = 1
• College sophomore RHP = 1
• College junior 2B = 1
• College senior SS = 1
• College junior OF = 1
• Junior College Junior LHP = 1
• Junior College Sophomore RHP = 1
• Junior College Sophomore OF = 1
• High School LHP = 1
• High School SS = 3
• High School 1B = 1

Round 19: At #562, the Nationals select Frank Corolla University of Houston RHP

and Cincy takes Stephen Perez along with Marrero

Round 18: With the 532nd pick, the Nationals select Marcus Stroman NY HS SS … from BA “Scouts love two-way talent Marcus Stroman, but he’s a Duke signee and stands just 5-foot-9, so don’t expect a club to make a serious run at him this year. A switch-hitter with plus speed and good hands at shortstop, Stroman will play both ways for the Blue Devils; scouts prefer him on the mound. He has an electric arm and throws strikes with a 90-93 mph fastball and an excellent hammer curveball.”

BA best available remaining plus other names

• 81. Austin Maddox, c, Eagle’s View Academy, Jacksonville, Fla.
• Stephen Perez, Gulliver Prep HS, Miami, FL
• Michael Broad, Nova HS, Plantation, FL

and there goes Brian Goodwin to the White Sox

Orioles grab unsigned Nats 2008 draft pick Jeff Walters (RHP in 47th round) and Chris Marrero’s cousin Deven goes to Cincy a few picks later

Round 17: Into the 500s we go … with #502, the Nationals choose Chad Jenkins a LHP from Cecil Community College … another redraft by the Nats (44th round of the 2006 draft)

A different slice/dice … four college seniors, six college juniors, one college sophomore (Storen, already signed), four high schoolers, and two JuCo sophomores

Round 16: With the #472nd pick, the Nationals choose Sean Nicol, a college senior SS from U of San Diego

2:20PM – The Nationals have selected eight RHPs (seven college and one JuCo), two LHPs (one college and one HS), one 2B (college), two SS (both HS), one 1B (HS), and two OFs (one college and one JuCo)

Round 15: The Nationals use the #442 pick to select Corey Davis, a GA HS 1B 6′2″ 245-lbs

The Nationals have selected eight RHPs (seven college and one JuCo), two LHPs (one college and one HS), one 2B (college), two SS (both HS), and two OFs (one college and one JuCo)

BA best available remaining plus other names

• 81. Austin Maddox, c, Eagle’s View Academy, Jacksonville, Fla.
• Stephen Perez, Gulliver Prep HS, Miami, FL
• Michael Broad, Nova HS, Plantation, FL

Round 14: With pick #412, the Nationals select Naoya Washiya OF from College of Desert … a redraft from 2008

The Nationals have selected eight RHPs (seven college and one JuCo), two LHPs (one college and one HS), one 2B (college), two SS (both HS), and one LF (college)

Round 13: The Nationals use pick #382 to select Patrick Lehman RHP from GWU … go Colonials

Chris Heston, an unsigned 2008 Nats draft pick, goes to the Giants in rd 12

The Nationals have selected seven RHPs (six college and one JuCo), two LHPs (one college and one HS), one 2B (college), two SS (both HS), and one LF (college)

Round 12: With pick #352, the Nationals select Nathan Karns RHP from Texas Tech… from BA “Righthander Nathan Karns positioned himself to go in the first three rounds after flashing a 95-96 mph fastball and a plus curveball in the Cape Cod League last summer. After an inconsistent spring, he may go closer to the 10th round, where the Astros drafted him out of high school in 2006. “He looks like Roger Clemens in the bullpen,” one scout said, “but he gets whacked.” Karns has a strong 6-foot-3, 223-pound frame and showed a 91-94 mph fastball and hard curve in his second season at Texas Tech after transferring from North Carolina State. He’s still figuring out how to pitch, as he has trouble throwing strikes and locating his pitches when he can find the zone. Scouts don’t love his delivery and question his mental toughness.”

from PGCC “Karns has a big-time fastball that normally sits in the 92-94 mph range, but has also crept up to 95 and 96, and even 97 on occasion. He also has an impressive slider and decent changeup, but the issue with Karns has always been his command. It has been very inconsistent throughout his career. When he is able to locate his stuff, particularly his fastball, he can be nearly unhittable. His ability to improve his command will be the major determining factor where Karns is drafted “

So far the Nationals have selected eight college players, one junior college player and three high schoolers

Round 11: With pick #322, the Nationals select LF Justin Bloxom from Kansas St … BA “First baseman Justin Bloxom fueled Kansas State’s playoff run by leading the team in all three triple-crown categories at .361-12-63. A 6-foot-1, 195-pound switch-hitter, he’s a gap hitter with more power from the left side. He’s a decent athlete with some arm strength, so he may be able to play left field as a pro.”

BA best available remaining plus other names

• 65. Brian Goodwin, of, Rocky Mount (N.C.) HS
• 68. Dane Williams, rhp, Archbishop McCarthy HS, SW Ranches, Fla.
• 74. Jacob Stewart, of, Rocky Mountain HS, Fort Collins, Colo.
• 81. Austin Maddox, c, Eagle’s View Academy, Jacksonville, Fla.
• 94. Matt den Dekker, of, Florida
• Stephen Perez, Gulliver Prep HS, Miami, FL
• Deven Marrero, American Heritage HS, Plantation, FL
• Michael Broad, Nova HS, Plantation, FL

And the Astros grabs Strasburg’s catcher, Erik Castro, as a 3B

And Oakland grabs Dyson in rd 10 (Volz went to Boston in rd 9)

Broad and Perez are still out there

Round 10: With pick #292, the Nationals select Paul Applebee LHP UC Riverside … from BA “UC Riverside’s Paul Applebee is the prototypical crafty lefthander, moving his 86 mph fastball around the strike zone and keeping hitters off-balance with an excellent curveball and changeup. He doesn’t miss many bats, but Applebee doesn’t give up a lot of solid contact either. After a solid summer in the Cape Cod League, Applebee went 10-2, 3.74 this spring. His track record and ability to keep the ball in the ballpark (five homers allowed in 89 innings) could make him the second Highlander drafted, after closer Joe Kelly. At 6-foot-2. 170 pounds, he’s got similar stuff to UC Irvine ace Daniel Bibona but with better pro size, as Bibona is just 5-foot-11, 165 pounds.”

Round 9: Pick #262 has the Nationals going with RHP Taylor Jordan FL JuCo … nothing I can find

BA best available remaining (if I didn’t miss a name)

• 65. Brian Goodwin, of, Rocky Mount (N.C.) HS
• 68. Dane Williams, rhp, Archbishop McCarthy HS, SW Ranches, Fla.
• 74. Jacob Stewart, of, Rocky Mountain HS, Fort Collins, Colo.
• 81. Austin Maddox, c, Eagle’s View Academy, Jacksonville, Fla.
• 94. Matt den Dekker, of, Florida

Round 8: With pick #232, the Nationals select Roberto Perez a SS from HS in Puerto Rico; he’s a relative of Dickie Thon!!! from PGCC “An angular 6-foot-2, 175-pound shortstop, Perez is a nephew of former major-league infielder Dickie Thon and long-time Rangers scout Frankie Thon, and cousin to potential top 2010 Puerto Rican prospect Dickie Thon Jr., so the baseball genes are on his side. Perez has very good defensive tools and skills in the middle infield. He’s a 6.7 runner in the 60 with easy, gliding actions and balanced footwork around the ball. His throwing arm is among the best in the 2009 high-school class and his throws carry easily across the diamond. He’s also a pitcher of some note with an upper-80s fastball. Perez’s defensive game is ahead of his offense at this point. He shows very good bat speed at times and gap power, but has an aggressive, drifting approach at the plate that leaves him off balance frequently. Perez is a good student from an educated, professional family and has signed with Oklahoma State, so his signability may not be as automatic as it is with most top Puerto Rican prospects”  The updated scouting report says he may move behind the plate or to the mound

back to back pick of unsigned 2006 Nats draft picks, Sean Black to the Yankees followed by Khris Davis to Brewers

Round 7: With #202, the Nats select Andrew “Dean” Weaver, Georgia RHP … teammate of Holder … from PGCC “Weaver struggled as a freshman at Georgia in his role as a mid-week starter (1-3, 8-04) and was jettisoned to the bullpen as a sophomore. He flourished there, working mainly as a set-up man for standout closer Josh Fields, going 6-1, 4.24 with a save in 31 appearances. With Fields gone to the Seattle Mariners as a first-round pick in last year’s draft, Weaver inherited the closer role this spring and had a solid season by saving 10 games and going 4-2, 3.60 with 11 walks and 32 strikeouts in 40 innings. Though his stuff is nowhere near as dominant as Fields’, Weaver attacked hitters with a sneaky-fast, 88-92 mph fastball. He got outs more on deception than raw stuff as he hides the ball well in his over-the-top arm slot. Weaver’s secondary pitches (curve and changeup) are just fair, and don’t project to plus offerings. His short-stride, fall-off-the-mound delivery didn’t work for Weaver as a starter, but seems to give him enough funk to disrupt hitters’ timing when he’s used in shorter relief stints. Most scouts don’t see Weaver as a potential big-league closer, but believe he can become a credible set-up man”

Marlins grab unsigned 2006 Nats draft pick Dustin Dickerson

Storen signing is official per the Nationals

Round 6: With pick #172, the Nationals select Michael Taylor a FL HS SS … got nothing other than he’s committed to North Florida

and there goes Louis Coleman to KC and former Nats draft pick D’Vontrey Richardson to the Brewers

Round 5: With pick #142, the Nationals select TX  HS LHP Miguel Pena … need to look him up … from BA “Miguel Pena appeals to scouts because he’s a three-pitch lefty who’s projectable and signable. He has a lot of room to add strength to his 6-foot-2, 160-pound frame, and he uses a loose, easy delivery to throw an 86-88 mph fastball with good life. He also spins a curveball better and has more feel for a changeup than most high school pitchers. He has committed to San Jacinto JC.”

Round 4: At pick #112, the Nationals select Kansas St RHP AJ Morris to kick off day 2 … another collegian; seems to profile best as a RHRP but a solid pick to start off

Question for the commenters … I have class this evening so I’ll have to leave around 5PM. Obviously, the comments are open for discussion but would anyone be interested in posting the picks after I leave? I can set up an account for you

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I’ll liveblog the draft here …

Baseball America as their list of best available (based on their top 100) to start day two of the draft

• 38. Sam Dyson, rhp, South Carolina
• 65. Brian Goodwin, of, Rocky Mount (N.C.) HS
• 68. Dane Williams, rhp, Archbishop McCarthy HS, SW Ranches, Fla.
• 74. Jacob Stewart, of, Rocky Mountain HS, Fort Collins, Colo.
• 81. Austin Maddox, c, Eagle’s View Academy, Jacksonville, Fla.
• 92. Kendal Volz, rhp, Baylor
• 94. Matt den Dekker, of, Florida

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Before I get started, I had heard rumors last night that Nats #10 pick Drew Storen had agreed to a deal already and a comment he makes in this article seems to back that up.

“It’s a done deal,” he said. “I can’t get a better situation than this. It’s a perfect situation for me.”

Yes this could just be draft day excitement but from things I have heard, Storen is going to be a quick/early sign.