Nationals Sign Top Pick Erick Fedde

Apr 21, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo on the field before the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit:

-USA TODAY Sports

Prior to Friday’s 5 p.m. ET deadline to sign draft picks, the Nationals came to terms with first-round pick Erick Fedde on a deal worth $2,511,100, according to MLB.com. Fedde was advised by Scott Boras in the negotiation process. 

The Nationals selected Fedde with the 18th overall pick in the June draft, just days after the 21-year-old right-hander underwent Tommy John surgery. Had he not been injured, the pitcher likely would have been chosen earlier in the first round.

 “He’s really progressed since being in high school,” general manager Mike Rizzo told MLB.com. “He’s really come on the last two years and just took it to a different level this year as a junior. Before the injury he was really climbing up a lot of Draft boards.

Fedde was impressive in his final season at UNLV, going 8-2 with a 1.76 ERA in 11 starts. The right-hander was rewarded for his performance during the season and in conference play as he was named the 2014 Mountain West Pitcher of the Year. He was also named to the All-Mountain West First Team and a Louisville Slugger Second-Team All-American.

For a while it seemed like the Nationals would fail to sign Fedde prior to the deadline but they were able to work out a deal in time. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for second round pick Andrew Suarez, whom the Nationals failed to sign prior to the deadline.

It is not known why the Nationals were unable to come to terms with the left-hander from the University of Miami, where Suarez will return for another year after going 9-3 with a 2.95 ERA this past season.

Since they were unable to sign Suarez, the Nationals will receive compensation in next year’s draft, where they’ll have two second round picks.