Now that the MLB trade deadline is less than a month away, and the first major midseason trade occurred earlier this week between the Orioles and the Cubs, I figured that it is an opportune time to focus to how general manager Mike Rizzo will try to improve the roster in the upcoming weeks. 

Last month I briefly examined a few of the more prominent names the Nationals might be interested in acquiring for the playoff chase.  Building off that previous article, I thought it might be valuable to highlight some of the top trade chips the Nationals have that other teams will inquire about in trade discussions later this month.  Today in Part 1, I examine a few hitters who should be at the top of other organization’s wish lists when general manager Mike Rizzo engages them in potential trades.

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5)            Zach Walters

Recently named to the International League All-Star game, Walters was impressive in spring training earlier this season and has continued his success during the year, batting .246/.275/.508 with 18 home runs and 20 doubles in 77 games for Triple-A Syracuse.  A former 9^th round pick of the Diamondbacks, Walters was acquired by the Nationals in the Jason Marquis trade in the summer of 2011.  Scouts question if his defensive skills and inability to draw walks will allow him to be a starter in the majors, but a 23-year-old switch-hitting middle infielder with power will always intrigue general managers in trade discussions.

4)            Danny Espinosa

After struggling early this season in Washington batting only .158/.193/.272, Espinosa was sent to the minor leagues to find his swing.  Unfortunately the demotion has not sparked a fire under Espinosa, as he is currently batting .094/.169/.125 with 33 strikeouts in 64 at-bats at Triple-A Syracuse. 

That said, the 26-year-old Espinosa has a track record of success at the major league level, the ability to play both shortstop and second base, and is under contract through 2016.  A shrewd general manager will likely try to buy-low on Danny, in hopes a change of scenery and a new hitting coach helps him rediscover his previous form.  I expect Espinosa will be frequently mentioned in trade talks, and I hope the Nationals fight any potential urge to sell low on this capable and talented young middle infielder.

3)            Michael Taylor

Nationals Outfielder Michael Taylor

One of the best pure athletes in the Nationals farm system, Michael Taylor is repeating High-A Potomac this season as a 22-year-old and has found his groove at the plate recently to bolster his batting line to .259/.332/.407 with 6 home runs and 28 stolen bases.  A dynamic defender in center field, Taylor has the necessary speed and throwing arm to be an above-average major league defensive centerfielder with some thump in his bat.  Questions exist amongst his detractors if he will ever make enough contact to reach the big leagues, but Taylor has the tools team’s covet and should be a popular name when opposing team’s scout the Nationals farm system.

2)            Jason Martinson

Jason Martinson May 2013

Martinson, a 5^th round pick of the Nationals in the 2010 draft, had a breakout year last season, batting .245/.340/.430 with 22 home runs, 106 runs batted in, and 30 stolen bases between Hagerstown and Potomac.  Martinson returned to High-A to begin this season and has continued to hit, batting .268/.379/.484 with 12 home runs and 15 stolen bases before forcing the Nationals to promote him to Double-A Harrisburg about ten days ago. 

A former college football player, Martinson has a strong, athletic build, reasonably good speed, and a strong throwing arm, meaning with some further refinement he should be able to play shortstop defensively in the majors.  An asset on the bases with good power for a middle infielder, Martinson must improve his approach and make more contact at the plate, as evidenced by his 88 strikeouts in 268 at-bats this season, if he hopes to realize his immense potential.  Considering Ian Desmond, Danny Espinosa, and Zach Walters are ahead of Martinson at shortstop in the organization, expect the 24-year-old Martinson to receive plenty of attention this month.    

1)            Brian Goodwin

Drafted by the Nationals in the supplemental 1^st round (34^th overall) in 2011, Goodwin has moved quickly through the minor league system, reaching Double-A by the end of 2012.  The Nationals decided to have him return to Harrisburg for 2013, and Goodwin has performed reasonably well, hitting .256/.353/.403 with 7 home runs and 16 stolen bases.  On the other hand, Goodwin still needs development time in the minor leagues to improve defensively, and reduce his tendency to swing-and-miss, as he has struck out 84 times in 313 at-bats this season. 

While his weaknesses are rather obvious, with more refinement the 22-year-old Goodwin has the potential to develop into an above-average offensive and defensive centerfielder.  With starter Denard Span under contract through 2015, the Nationals might be tempted to part with Goodwin in the right deal.  Unless the return is enormous, here’s hoping the Nationals ignore the numerous pleas from opposing general managers trying to acquire this potential first-division starter. 

Quick, which Nationals player hit the first grand slam in team history? Who was the first Nats player to hit for the cycle after relocating to Washington? Heck, who was the first hitter in Nationals’ history? The answer to each of these trivia questions is the subject of this Time Capsule: former Montreal Expos and Washington Nationals outfielder Brad Wilkerson.

Drafted out of the University of Florida, Wilkerson was selected by the Montreal Expos in the first round, 33rd overall, in the 1998 MLB Draft. While in college, Wilkerson became the first collegiate player in history to hit 20 home runs, steal 20 bases, and win 10 games as a pitcher in the same season. After trudging through the minor leagues for three seasons, Wilkerson made his major league debut for Montreal on July 12, 2001 and spent the rest of the season getting acclimated to the big leagues, hitting .205/.304/.325 in his 117 at-bats.

However, Wilkerson built upon his experience in 2001 and truly blossomed in his sophomore season in the majors, batting .266/.370/.469 with 20 home runs and finishing as runner-up in the 2002 National League Rookie of the Year voting. Proving that 2002 was not a fluke, Wilkerson returned in 2003 and posted virtually identical statistics, providing the Expos with a .268/.380/.464 batting line with 19 home runs and 13 stolen bases, and in doing so, made a strong case as one of the top young players in baseball.

The Expos’ last season in Montreal in 2004 would represent his career year, as he broke out with a .255/.374/.498 slash line, with 32 home runs, 13 stolen bases, and 106 total walks while playing all three outfield positions and first base. Wilkerson will also be remembered for hitting the last home run in Expos history.

As we know, the following season Montreal moved to the nation’s capital, with Wilkerson and the likes of Jose Guillen, Livan Hernandez, Nick Johnson, and Jose Vidro forming the nucleus of an overachieving franchise that spent a great deal of time in first place that season. Wilkerson did his part, hitting .248/.351/.405 with 11 home runs and 57 runs batted in, acting as the catalyst for the offense as the leadoff hitter and playing solid defense all over the outfield.

Yups, a glimpse of the woman’s kesehatan reproduksi information, be very obliged to know us as people, that we should only use western toilets at our home and office. tadalafil viagra So among all the available forms and dosages your physician will provide you with more information viagra 100 mg medication and how it can help you. It cialis tadalafil is very important that you find a qualified physician. Other prescription ED drugs you may have heard alcohol addiction cialis on line is not an incurable brain disease. After playing an integral part of the inaugural Nationals team, Wilkerson was used as the key piece in the first blockbuster trade in Nationals’ history that December, as the Nats shipped him, outfielder Terrmel Sledge, and pitcher Armando Galarraga to the Texas Rangers in exchange for future outfielder Alfonso Soriano. Normally a trade to the hitter’s paradise at the Ballpark at Arlington is a nice boost to a batter’s statistics, yet Wilkerson’s career took a turn for the worst after leaving the Nationals organization and arriving in Texas.

As a member of the Rangers in 2006, Wilkerson provided Texas with a .222/.306/.422 line with 15 home runs and 116 total strikeouts in only 95 games played, as he battled injuries much of the season. Wilkerson did rebound in 2007 to post a .234/.319/.467 and 20 home runs in 119 games played before the Rangers decided to part ways with him after the season.

That off-season Wilkerson signed with the Seattle Mariners and struggled in his 56 at-bats before the team decided to release him in early May. Wilkerson quickly signed with Toronto and gave the Blue Jays a .216/.297/.332 and four home runs in 208 at-bats before injuries prematurely ended his 2008 season. Wilkerson decided to sign with the Boston Red Sox that off-season but retired from baseball before the beginning of the 2009 season. For his eight-year major league career, Wilkerson posted a .247/.350/.440 batting line with 122 home runs and 53 stolen bases over 972 games played.

Wilkerson was a player ahead of his time, and under-appreciated during his career, as he spent most of his prime in Montreal and his excellent on-base skills were overlooked compared to his low batting average and high number of strikeouts. Today, with the influence of sabermetrics and the organization now in a major media market, Wilkerson would have had a larger reputation amongst fans and likely would have made an All-Star appearance or two in his career. Nevertheless, although his time with Washington was rather brief, he should hold a special place in Nats fans’ memories as the center fielder on the 2005 inaugural Nationals team and the first player to get a hit in team history.

This article was also published at RedPorchReport.com.

After a week full of speculation, the Washington Nationals have finally announced that right-handed pitching prospect Taylor Jordan will be promoted from Double-A Harrisburg to serve as their starting pitcher Saturday against the New York Mets.  After Friday night’s comeback victory, the Nationals optioned first baseman Chris Marrero to Triple-A Syracuse to make room on the active roster for the 24-year-old starting pitcher.

Jordan, Washington’s 9^th round selection in the 2009 MLB Draft from Brevard Community College, moved relatively slowly through the lower minor leagues before an impressive season at Low-A Hagerstown in 2011, throwing 94.1 innings with a 2.48 ERA and 63 strikeouts before having to undergo Tommy John surgery that summer.  Jordan spent most of 2012 recovering from surgery, but did return later in the summer to pitch 54.1 innings mostly at Hagerstown with only mediocre results. 

However, in his second season apart from surgery, Jordan has blossomed into one of the Nationals top prospects, posting a 1.24 ERA in 36.1 innings at High-A Potomac this spring before forcing a promotion to Double-A.  Jordan has not slowed down since arriving in Harrisburg, providing the Senators with a 7-0 record with a 0.83 ERA and 43 strikeouts over 54 dominating innings, which when combined with Dan Haren’s injury, forced the Nationals to give him a promotion to the major leagues. 

Taylor Jordan attacks hitters with a solid three-pitch arsenal including a 90-95mph fastball with heavy sink and movement, a sharp, late-breaking slider that generates swings-and-misses, and an inconsistent but promising changeup.  In addition Jordan is blessed with an impressive, athletic pitcher’s build as he is listed at 6-3 190lbs. and his repeatable delivery allows him to control the strike zone well, as evidenced by his career 2.07 BB/9 ratio.  Because he does not have plus velocity or devastating off-speed pitches, scouts project Jordan as more of a #4 starter in the major leagues; that said, his solid arsenal, feel for pitching, and ability to limit walks give him a good chance to develop into a productive starting pitcher if he stays healthy.

In his first full season after Tommy John surgery, the Nationals are expected to cap Jordan’s innings this season as they have with their other young pitchers; Jordan pitched a total of 54.1 innings in 2012, which means he is likely to be shut down around 155-165 innings pitched this season. Currently standing at 90.1 innings pitched in 2013, Jordan probably has 9-12 additional starts before his season is over, which should take him through about Labor Day. 

Saturday’s start should be viewed as an audition, as the Nationals will need a 5^th starter two or three more times before Haren is able to return from the disabled list next month.  If he pitches poorly this could be a spot start and he could be back in Harrisburg next week.  Conversely, if Jordan’s success can continue and he pitches well, he could potentially find himself as part of the pitching staff until he reaches his innings shutdown.  While he may not have the ceiling of a Stephen Strasburg or Jordan Zimmermann, Jordan is a talented pitcher who should be part of the Nationals’ pitching staff in the future, and will be a much discussed name by other teams in trade talks as the trade deadline approaches.  Jordan is a testament to the excellent Nationals scouting and development staff as they have nurtured a 9^th round pick through arm surgery and into a legitimate major league pitcher. 

Now that the Major League Baseball draft is in the rearview mirror, general managers and front office executives will now shift their attention to the big league roster and the upcoming July 31^st trade deadline. 

The Nationals’ farm system has rebounded nicely in 2013, after a rather disappointing development year in general in 2012, and I expect GM Mike Rizzo to capitalize on this newfound prospect depth to bolster the roster this summer.  Most certainly the needs of the team could change in the upcoming weeks due to injuries, or poor performance, but these are a few players I expect the Nationals to consider trading for later this summer. 

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Mike Gonzalez LHRP Milwaukee Brewers

Signed midseason by the Nationals in 2012, Gonzalez provided excellent veteran leadership to the relatively youthful bullpen and held left-handed batters to a .179/.257/.269 average last year.  This season he has continued to pitch well in Milwaukee posting a 2.78 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 22.2 innings pitched.  Fernando Abad and Ian Krol have done a nice job of late as the Nats lefty relievers, but the team could look to add a veteran left-handed relief specialist for the playoff chase.  With the Brewers struggling and Gonzalez only signed through 2013, he should be readily available in trade talks next month.

Bud Norris RHSP Houston Astros

The Astros are still in the early stages of their long-term rebuilding project, and Houston has not so casually stated that everyone on the roster is available in trade for the right price.  Norris is not a #1 or #2 starter, but has good stuff and would upgrade the back-end of most teams starting rotation.  Under contract through 2015 and only 28-years-old, Norris should have plenty of suitors as one of the best starters available on the market. 

Ricky Nolasco RHSP Miami Marlins

Similarly to Norris and the Astros above, Miami is attempting to rebuild after going for broke and failing in 2012, and needs to turn assets at the major league level into resources in their farm system.  Nolasco is the Marlins highest paid player and a free agent at the end of the season, meaning he should be readily available to the highest bidder this summer.  Nolasco is having a strong 2013 season, providing Miami with a 3.80 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 72 strikeouts in his 87.2 innings pitched.  If the Nationals are looking to upgrade from Dan Haren as their 5^th starter for the stretch run, Nolasco could fill the role well and should not seriously deplete the farm system. 

John Buck Catcher New York Mets

As Wilson Ramos has continued to struggle to stay healthy, Nationals catcher Kurt Suzuki has scuffled with the additional playing time, batting only .243/.274/.257 in May and a paltry .115/.148/.192 thus far in June.  Buck has played fairly well in 2013, batting .223/.281/.416 with 11 home runs, but considering the Mets poor record and he’s a free agent at the end of the season, the Mets may want to trade Buck to clear a path for prospect Travis d’Arnaud.  If Ramos cannot get himself healthy, Buck might be a nice platoon partner for Suzuki the rest of the season. 

David DeJesus OF Chicago Cubs

A left-handed hitter with some power and the ability to play all three outfield positions, DeJesus should be in high demand if the Cubs decide to clear a path for centerfield prospect Brett Jackson later this summer.  Considering the lousy season from Roger Bernadina and recent injuries to Bryce Harper and Jayson Werth, DeJesus could be an excellent, versatile player to add to the Nationals bench.  DeJesus has a $6.5 million dollar team option for 2014, with a $1.5 million dollar buyout, so the Cubs may be inclined to keep him next season.  However, for the right package, DeJesus would be a shrewd pickup for the Nationals or another team sometime in July.