Nationals promote Giolito to Double-A

The Washington Nationals were cautious with Lucas Giolito at the start of the season. On Saturday, they promoted their top prospect from Class A Advanced Potomac to Double-A Harrisburg.

Giolito did as much as he could to force the Nationals' hand, pitching to a 0.99 ERA in seven starts since June 7. The highlight came on July 1, when he tossed seven hitless innings out of the bullpen in a 4-0 shutout of Frederick.

"The biggest thing I've learned so far is the matter of keeping your emotions under control and keeping your demeanor pretty much the same the entire time," Giolito said earlier this month. "It's kind of like you want anyone to walk into the game at any point and see you on the mound and not know whether you're up six runs or down six runs. It's just keeping that good mentality and competing every pitch."

He followed that start by recording 10 strikeouts and allowing an unearned run on three hits over six innings against Wilmington on July 6.

"I feel like I've hit a little bit of a good stride," Giolito said. "I've got my mechanics working pretty good. I'm doing all the things I need to do to throw strikes low in the zone consistently.

"I had a little bit of a rough start, especially since I kind of had an augmented Spring Training throwing program. I showed up to the team late, but I feel like I've definitely been able to internalize some things and make some good adjustments on some of the things I was doing incorrectly earlier this year -- both from the mental side and the physical side. I'm feeling very good right now."

Overall, the 20-year-old right-hander went 3-5 with a 2.71 ERA in 13 games, including 11 starts. Despite spending the first month of the season in extended spring training, he ranks third in the Carolina League with 86 strikeouts over 69 2/3 innings.

Ranked No. 3 overall by MLB.com, Giolito is the top prospect not currently in the big leagues. He was selected 16th overall in the 2012 Draft and made one start in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League before undergoing Tommy John surgery at the end of August.

The California native returned to the mound in July 2013 and went 2-1 with a 1.96 ERA in 11 starts between the GCL and Class A Short Season Auburn. He enjoyed a breakout season in 2014, earning Most Outstanding Pitcher honors in the South Atlantic League after going 10-2 with a 2.20 ERA and 110 strikeouts over 98 innings for Class A Hagerstown.

Making his second straight Futures Game appearance, Giolito started for the U.S. team and worked two scoreless innings earlier this month.