District Daily: Nats Draft UNLV Righty Fedde, No Timetable for Harper
By Pablo Roa
Jun 5, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals celebrate winning over Philadelphia Phillies at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: H.Darr Beiser-USA TODAY Sports
With No. 18 pick, Nats take UNLV righty Fedde
WASHINGTON — The Nationals took a gamble on an injured pitcher in the first round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft, selecting UNLV right-hander Erick Fedde, who recently had Tommy John surgery, with the No. 18 pick. One baseball source believes Fedde had the best stuff before he went down with his injury.
Before the surgery, which was performed Tuesday, the 6-foot-4, 180-pound Fedde had a great final season for UNLV, going 8-2 with a 1.76 ERA in 11 starts. He also had 82 strikeouts in 76 2/3 innings. Fedde is a graduate of Las Vegas High School, where he played alongside Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper.
It marks the third consecutive year in which the Nationals have selected a pitcher in the first round. The team selected Lucas Giolito and Jake Johansen in 2012 and ’13, respectively. Read full article here.
Harper confirms there’s no timetable for return
WASHINGTON — Nationals left fielder Bryce Harper (torn left thumb ligament) confirmed Thursday that there is no set timetable for his return.
Harper suffered his injury sliding into third base against the Padres on April 25. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list two days later and has missed 33 games. Manager Matt Williams said Wednesday he hopes for a July 1 return for Harper, but the 21-year-old slugger is not as set on any specific date. Read full article here.
Andrew Suarez: Prospect Profile for Washington Nationals’ 2nd-Round Pick
…Usually when a pitcher gets drafted in the early rounds out of high school, the advice is to sign right away to get into professional baseball, learn the craft and get the best care possible if or when an injury occurs.
Andrew Suarez bucked that trend, as have many others, by forgoing an MLB career in 2011 when Toronto made him a ninth-round pick. He opted to attend college, hoping to improve his draft stock. Read full profile here.