Nationals campaigning for a big future

The idea that Washington will be the nation's baseball capital before long doesn't sound too farfetched these days. There was a time when the Nationals, formerly the Expos, were the butt of many a joke around baseball.

Now, however, the joke's on everyone else. Thanks to a few shrewd offseason moves -- importing Lastings Milledge being one of them -- and a very strong series of drafts, the Nats are clearly headed in the right direction. They've rebuilt mostly from within and with a bevy of superb young arms and a few booming bats, the future looks bright in the District of Columbia.

Chris Marrero, OF/1B
The 15th pick in the 2006 draft began to blossom last season while splitting time between Hagerstown of the South Atlantic League and Potomac of the Carolina League. He combined to hit .275 with 23 homers and 88 RBIs. He did appear to run out of steam toward the end of the season, but considering this was his first full season of professional baseball, the teenager did all right for himself.

The kid has power and projects to be a wonderful addition to the middle of Washington's lineup before long. Marrero will likely split the season between the Carolina and Eastern Leagues and could have a Major League ETA of sometime in 2009. There's really no need to rush him, especially since the Nats tried him out at first base in the Instructional League, a position at which they seem more inclined to keep him.
Audio: Marrero homers for Hagerstown
Audio: Marrero's double puts Potomac in front

Collin Balester, RHP
Don't look now, but the former fourth-round pick is steamrolling his way through the Washington system after coming out of a California high school in 2004. He's done nothing but excel at just about every level he's played, reaching Triple-A Columbus last summer as a 21-year-old. At 6-foot-5, he has great mound presence and a nice low-90s fastball to go with it.

ON THE VERGE
Here are some players on the brink of breaking into the Major Leagues:

• Tyler Clippard, RHP -- Clippard appeared to be on the verge of joining the hot group of young starters in the Yankees system after winning 12 games and posting a 3.35 ERA at Double-A Trenton in 2006. Though he went 3-1 in six starts with the Bombers last year, he didn't look good doing it, getting mostly eaten up as big-league hitters took advantage of his finesse approach. His confidence took a hit and he was ultimately sent back to Double-A, finishing the season in unspectacular fashion at Trenton.

The Nats picked him up this winter and are hopeful that a change of scenery and a new voice in the coaching department will make a difference. He'll have a chance to make some noise at the big-league level.

• Kory Casto, IF/OF -- The outfielder-turned-infielder (then turned outfielder again) is one of the few higher-tier prospects left over from the previous regime in Washington/Montreal, and it remains to be seen whether he'll reach the plateau many expected after he combined to hit 42 homers and drive in 170 runs in 2005-06. Casto had an opportunity at the Major League level last year and didn't take advantage of it. He then struggled when he went back to Columbus, hitting .246 with 11 homers and 55 RBIs in 411 at-bats. Washington's acquisition of Lastings Milledge this winter could crimp his future, leaving him as more of a role player than starter.

• John Lannan, LHP -- The New York native went to Sienna, a small school in Upstate New York. The Nats took a flier on him in the 11th round in 2005 and through two seasons, he was an unspectacular 9-13 with a 4.92 ERA. But he blossomed this year, going 12-3 with an organization-leading 2.31 ERA while pitching for Potomac, Harrisburg and Columbus. He also made six starts for the parent club, going 2-2 with a 4.15 ERA.

Lannan, who was named Organizational Pitcher of the Year by MiLB.com, threw a boatload of innings last year (159 1/3 at four stops), so they put the brakes on him at the end of the year. Still, he made enough of an impression in his six games with the Nats (2-2, 4.15 ERA) that he'll spend this spring vying for a full-time spot on the big-league roster.

Balester doesn't walk many, but he doesn't strike out many either. He'll give up his share of hits -- he's certainly not a swing-and-miss kind of pitcher -- but in the long run he simply seems to get the job done. Balester will more than likely begin the year back in Columbus (he was 2-3 with a 4.18 ERA in 10 starts there last year), but don't be surprised if he's in D.C. at some point this summer.
Audio: Balester snaps off a curve

Colton Willems, RHP
Here's another high school product, this one the result of a first-round selection in 2006. Willems, a highly touted prep star on Florida's Treasure Coast, had an exceptional sophomore season in the pros, though he was kept on a short leash. He made 12 starts for Vermont in the New York-Penn League but didn't go longer than six innings in any outing, finishing the season with 58 2/3 frames.

The light workload seemed to agree with him as he posted a 0.92 ERA in 29 1/3 innings over his final six starts. He worked extensively with former big leaguer David West while in high school and shows some polish based on that experience. He's got a nice mid-90s fastballs and knows how to use it. He'll likely begin the season in the Sally League, but don't be surprised if he moves up to Potomac.

"Whatever his high-water mark is, we'll probably start him low and let him get his feet on the mound," assistant general manager Mike Rizzo said. "We want him to have consistency and success. He's throwing tremendously this spring and he's a great prospect. What the scouts saw in him is starting to come to the top."
Audio: Willems gets season-high fifth K

Adam Carr, RHP
The former first baseman was an 18th-round draft pick out of Oklahoma State in 2006 and pitched sparingly in college. The Nats saw the pitcher within, though, and despite the fact he hit a ton of home runs in college, they've kept him on the mound. The results have been impressive as the smooth-throwing Carr blisters the opposition with his mid-90s fastball.

He was 4-2 last year while splitting time between Potomac and Harrisburg, posting a 1.78 ERA in 60 2/3 innings. He also had 12 saves and held the opposition to a .175 batting average over 212 at-bats. Carr is 5-1 with a 2.08 ERA in 64 Minor League appearances, all in relief. Whether the Nats think he still has something to prove in Harrisburg is the question. He could be in Columbus next month and in Washington by midseason.
Audio: Carr saves one for Senators

• Monday, Feb. 25: Chicago Cubs
• Tuesday, Feb. 26: Milwaukee Brewers
• Wednesday, Feb. 27: Cincinnati Reds
• Thursday, Feb. 28: Astros and Pirates
• Friday, Feb. 29: St. Louis Cardinals
• Saturday, March 1: Baltimore Orioles
• Sunday, March 2: Tampa Bay Rays
• Monday, March 3: Boston Red Sox
• Tuesday, March 4: Toronto Blue Jays
• Wednesday, March 5: New York Yankees
• Thursday, March 6: Los Angeles Angels
• Friday, March 7: Seattle Mariners
• Saturday, March 8: Oakland Athletics
• Sunday, March 9: Texas Rangers
• Monday, March 10: New York Mets
• Tuesday, March 11: Atlanta Braves
• Wednesday, March 12: Philadelphia Phillies
• Thursday, March 13: Nationals and Marlins
• Friday, March 14: Cleveland Indians
• Saturday, March 15: Kansas City Royals
• Sunday, March 16: Minnesota Twins
• Monday, March 17: Detroit Tigers
• Tuesday, March 18: Chicago White Sox
• Wednesday, March 19: Colorado Rockies
• Thursday, March 20: Arizona Diamondbacks
• Friday, March 21: Los Angeles Dodgers
• Saturday, March 22: San Francisco Giants
• Sunday, March 23: San Diego Padres

Garrett Mock, RHP
Mock came over in the Livan Hernandez deal with Arizona in 2006. Because of knee surgery at the end of that season, he tossed only 65 innings this year, spending the bulk of his time at Double-A Harrisburg. He was shaky as he continued to work his way back into the form that saw him win 14 games in the California League in 2005. He had a 5.12 ERA overall in 2007, then compiled a 2.31 ERA in 23 1/3 Arizona Fall League season innings before allowed eight runs over three innings in his final appearance.

Still, he shows signs of being an effective starter and has enough stuff, combining a low-90s fastball with a slider and big-time curve, to be effective on the Major League level. He'll probably need some time in Columbus to complete his comeback, but he's definitely someone whom Washington won't hesitate to call up when the need arises.

"He's finally injury-free," Rizzo said. "He had been pitching on a gimpy knee and he's a tough Texan; he wanted to gut through it. He had never missed time before because he was hurt, so he tried to pitch through adversity and it turned out it was affecting his left knee, which is his landing knee. And when you favor your knee, it affects your arm slot, but he's healthy for the first time in two years now. He looks phenomenal and will be an impact starter for us in the very near future."
Audio: Mock picks up another strikeout

Ross Detwiler, LHP
The Nationals grabbed the Missouri State product with the sixth overall pick in the draft last year. He signed quickly and was able to make nine appearances in the Gulf Coast and Carolina Leagues, going 2-2 with a 3.78 ERA in 33 1/3 innings. The Nats rewarded him by allowing him to pitch an inning in Atlanta on Sept. 7 and it was scoreless with a strikeout.

He sports a solid two- and four-seam fastball, both of which can touch 96 on the gun. His off-speed stuff is equally impressive and he knows how to spot it effectively. While his cameo in the big leagues was a nice touch, it doesn't mean he'll be seeing the Majors again any time soon. The Nats figure to give Detwiler a full season in the Minors before possibly giving him another taste in September.

"He's not a polished product by any means, but his ceiling is unlimited," Rizzo said. "He's a lefty who can throw 95-96 with two plus breaking pitches. He just has to learn his craft and he needs to throw strikes more consistently. But he has a tremendous upside and a chance to be a superstar. His stuff is hard to find in the Major Leagues, and you can count on one hand the lefties who throw 93-plus. There are not a whole lot of them.

"When this guy dropped to us, it was an easy decision. These kinds of guys aren't falling off trees. But for him to get to the big leagues and stick long term, he has to make a few improvements just like everyone else. He really has a chance to be an impact guy for us and it's hard to say that about a lot of guys."
Audio: Detwiler baffles with a breaking ball

Josh Smoker, LHP
Here's another youngster with lightning in his left arm and a world of potential to back it up. The Nats grabbed him in the supplemental round last year, making the Georgia prep star one of the centerpieces of the club's rebuilding project. He's got a low to mid-90s fastball that gets on the hitter in a hurry, though he has several other pitches, including a splitter, that can be equally effective.

Smoker holds the Georgia State record for strikeouts in a season but didn't get to flash too much of that power last year after pitching only four innings for Vermont. The club hasn't been shy about throwing its young pitchers directly into the fray, so don't be surprised if he starts the season in the Sally League rather than extended spring. Smoker was the youngest player in Washington's Major League camp this spring and threw a pair of scoreless innings against Georgetown University in his exhibition debut.
Audio: Smoker strikes out the side

Michael Burgess, OF
Blessed with a thunderous bat and a big-time arm, he could draw comparisons to Dave Parker someday even though Parker is a good six inches taller. Burgess, whom the Nats took in the supplemental round last year, knows how to hit and he does have a low-90s fastball should he ever get on the mound, so he could ultimately become the type of deterrent in right field that Parker was for many years.

Burgess hit 11 homers in 198 at-bats last season between the Gulf Coast and New York-Penn Leagues. He was third in the GCL with eight homers and first in slugging (.617) and OBP (.442). But he also struck out once every 3.3 at-bats, the best indication that he still has some growing up to do at the plate.
Audio: Burgess belts second homer of game

Jordan Zimmerman, RHP
A Division III phenom a year ago, Zimmerman wasn't known by many folks while at Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He had gotten hurt before his last collegiate season (a broken jaw) and was pitching at a northern Midwestern D-III school that not too many people had followed, so his exposure was limited. He's been exposed now though, and that's a good thing.

The Nats grabbed him in the second round last year and he proceeded to go 5-2 for Vermont with a 2.38 ERA (which would have been fourth best in the New York-Penn League had he qualified). He fanned 71, walked only 18 and held the opposition to a .228 batting average in 53 innings. He owns a lead weight of a fastball that hovers consistently in the low 90s. He's mature enough and has some poise on the mound, leaving the impression that he won't have a problem with whatever level of A-ball the Nats put him at.

"He's the kind of guy we really pride ourselves on," Rizzo said. "He might turn out to be the best of all of them. He's an upper Midwest kid and I had the honor of scouting that area for 12 years. Here's a kid who came down to Florida and, after a week, breaks his jaw, loses 14 pounds and doesn't really pitch up to his capabilities.

"He goes back up there in anonymity and pitches tremendously and courageously. He has great command of four pitches and I saw him start last year. We got him late in the second round, but if he went to Texas or UCLA or one of those schools, he would have been one of the top eight or 10 picks in the country. I know what Division-III, cold-weather kids go through. He's going to be such a success story."
Audio: Zimmerman collects ninth K

Justin Maxwell, OF
Don't look now but here comes one heck of a ballplayer. Maxwell, whom the Nats took in the fourth round in 2005, had a nice season last year between Hagerstown and Potomac, combining to .281 with 27 homers, 83 RBIs and 35 stolen bases. The cherry on the sundae came when he got to show his stuff for the folks in Washington, wherehe hit .269 with two homers and five RBIs in 26 September at-bats. He still needs some seasoning in the Minor Leagues but figures to be an exciting player in D.C. with his time possibly coming this summer.

He strikes out some (once every 3.6 at-bats last year), but what young slugger doesn't create a breeze at least that often? He's got excellent speed and power, and if he continues to cut down on his swing and show patience at the plate, there's no reason Maxwell won't be in Washington at least as a fill-in this season.
Audio: Maxwell hammers walk-off homer

Shairon Martis, RHP
The Nats acquired him from the Giants in the Mike Stanton deal and he quietly went out and had a nice 2007 in the Carolina League. He went 14-8 with a 4.23 ERA in 27 games (26 starts). His repertoire is complete without one pitch standing above the others. They're all solid, leaving him with the makings of a decent back-of-the-rotation guy.
Audio: Martis retires eighth straight batter

Ian Desmond, SS
There was a time when some folks talked about him forming a left side of the infield with Ryan Zimmerman that would compare to the one the Mets have in David Wright and Jose Reyes. Now, some folks simply talk about whether Desmond will even make it to the Major Leagues. He spent a full season in the Carolina League last year, the third consecutive year in which he has made a stop at Potomac. And while his numbers were generally better across the board than the two previous seasons, he was older and had nearly 150 Carolina League games on his resume heading into the season.

Desmond is solid defensively, but who knows how his bat will react to life in Harrisburg or beyond this season. He hit .182 in his last stint in the Eastern League (121 at-bats in 2006). He's come a long way since the Nats first tried to force feed him in Double-A, but he still has a long way to go, leaving him under the radar.

"He's an outstanding middle-infield prospect," Rizzo said. "He can play shortstop in the Major Leagues and he's really coming into his own swinging the bat."
Audio: Desmond delivers two-run homer

SS Jake Smolinski (second round, Boylan Catholic High School, Ill.) hit .305 with 16 RBIs in 105 GCL at-bats. He stole seven bases and drew 13 walks. ... 3B Steven Souza (third round, Cascade High School, Wash.) hit .194 with 46 strikeouts in 144 GCL at-bats. ... RHP Brad Meyers (fifth round, Loyola Marymount) had a 0.30 ERA in 29 2/3 frames in the Gulf Coast and South Atlantic Leagues. He was bumped up to Potomac, where he had a 5.06 ERA in 10 2/3 innings. ... RHP Adrian Alaniz (eighth round, Texas) went 8-2 with a 2.39 ERA in 13 games (eight starts) for Vermont. He fanned 62 and walked eight in 60 1/3 innings, holding the opposition to a .187 average. ... LHP Patrick McCoy (10th round, Sahuaro High School, Ariz.) went 1-2 with a 3.81 ERA in 10 GCL games (five starts).
Audio: Meyers fans two in the first inning

Organizational Player of the Year -- Michael Burgess
You can't compare Burgess to Dave Parker and then not pick him as the Organizational Player of the Year. He may not be the Cobra, but he can sure play like one.

Cy on the Farm -- Adrian Alaniz
There's so much depth on the mound here, it's difficult to focus on just one pitcher. But we're going to surprise everyone and go with last year's eight-round pick, Adrian Alaniz, who had a big season in Vermont.

Team to Watch -- Hagerstown
Hagerstown looks like the place to be. With Jack McGeary, Josh Smoker, Jordan Zimmerman and Colton Willems likely there for part or all of the season, this group could challenge Rome as the Sally League staff of the season.

"He showed a lot of what my philosophy was when I was in Arizona in that, when you get a kid in those kinds of rounds, you want to know the history of the kid. And he was the Friday night starter at Texas and went 12-0 there. Stats aren't everything, but that tells you something. Those kinds of things are important, especially down low there. There's a case to be made for those guys in the draft." --Rizzo on Alaniz

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.