Washington Nationals News: Nats sign Jhonatan Solano to minor league deal

Today’s District Daily discusses the Washington Nationals signing Jose Lobaton to a minor league deal and how Oliver Perez found success as a reliever.

Good afternoon DoD readers, and welcome to today’s District Daily. Get caught up on the latest Nats news and opinions with some great Washington Nationals articles from around the web below.

We start off todays Daily with the Nationals’ latest minor league signing — a move that brings a familiar face back to the nation’s capital. According to the team’s official Twitter account, the Nationals have signed catcher Jhonatan Solano to a minor league deal with an invitation to big league Spring Training.

Solano, 30, returns to the Nationals after spending the 2015 season with the Miami Marlins organization. The Nationals originally signed Solano as an amateur free agent in 2005 and he made his big league debut with the team in 2012.

While Solano was never an everyday big league catcher for the Nationals, he filled in several times when Wilson Ramos was injured or unavailable. During his two big league seasons with the Nationals, Solano played in 36 games and hit .217 with two home runs and eight RBIs.

More from District on Deck

• Latest DraftKings Sportsbook Promo Code in Maryland: Bet $5, Win $200 Guaranteed
• Nationals Claim Jeter Downs Off Waivers
• Washington Nationals Minor League Spotlight: Robert Hassell III
• Washington Nationals Tuesday Q&A
• 3 Free Agents the Nationals Should Gamble On

Barring an unexpected move this offseason, the Nationals are already set at catcher for 2016. Wilson Ramos will be the team’s everyday backstop, and Jose Lobaton will likely be the team’s backup catcher for the third season in a row.

While all signs indicate that Solano will start the season in the minors, catching depth is crucial for the Nationals. Ramos was healthy last season, but he’s been one of the most injury-prone players on the team for years — playing more than 88 games in a season just twice in his career.

Also in today’s Daily, Patrick Reddington of Federal Baseball discusses how Nationals left-hander Oliver Perez found success as a reliever with the help of Nationals senior advisor for player development Spin Williams.

Washington Nationals’ lefty Oliver Perez on Spin Williams, finding success in relief

(Patrick Reddington, Federal Baseball)

The Washington Nationals signed Oliver Perez in March of 2011, on the recommendation of Spin Williams, who knew the left-hander from the time the two spent with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Williams was the Bucs’ pitching coach then and Perez was a Pirates’ starter.

Perez moved on the New York Mets in 2006, and Williams left the Pirates and joined the Nationals as an advisor and later a minor league pitching coordinator.

Perez started at Double-A in the Nats’ system in 2011, putting up a 3.09 ERA, a 4.83 FIP, 27 walks (3.21 BB/9) and 58 Ks (6.90 K/9) in 75 ⅔ innings pitched. Read full article here.