Courtesy of Baseball America
Signed OF Ender Chavez, RHP Daniel Foli, RHP Juan Ovalles, SS Marcos Cabral, and SS Melvin Dorta.
Chavez spent the majority of the season in Potomac (81 games) where he batted 276/401/326. He’s likely to start off 2007 in Harrisburg.
Foli has been pitching in the Arizona Fall League (8G 12IP 7.50ERA) after spending the 2006 season primarily in Potomac (23G) with brief stops in Savannah, Harrisburg, and New Orleans (where he played for his father manager Tim Foli). Foli has a shot to pitch out of the pen in Columbus in 2007.
Juan Ovalles was a teammate of Foli’s in Potomac where he compiled a 6-8 record in 38 games, striking out 80 batters in 62.2IP. Ovalles has a nasty slider that may allow him to progress as a RP for the Nationals, though control remains an issue as demonstrated by performance in the Venezuelan Winter League (10BB in 11.1IP so far). A start in Harrisburg is most likely.
Cabral last placed for Jamestown (Marlins affiliate) of the NY-Penn League in 2005 where he batted 224/258/306 in 24 games. He’ll be 23 at the start of the 2007 season. Hagerstown or possibly Potomac should be his 2007 starting place.
Melvin Dorta is the lone name here that made a major league appearance for the Nationals in 2006. Dorta spent the majority of his season in Harrisburg playing all over the field while batting 257/307/347 in 108 games. After a quick stop in Washington, he finished the season in New Orleans (433/438/567 in 8 games [30AB]). Dorta’s versatility may allow him to be a 25th man for the Nationals in 2007, but an utility role in Columbus is his likely placement in 2007.
Released 3B Scott Schade, C Melvin Mancebo, C Robert Rodriguez, RHP August Hlebovy, RHP Oscar Lira, and RHP Brett Reid.
Schade was picked up off of waivers for Savannah about halfway through the season. Mancebo played for GCL. Rodriguez spent most of the year in Potomac before retiring mid-season. Hlebovy pitched for GCL and Savannah in 2006. Lira pitched primarily for GCL and Savannah in 2006. Reid pitched for Potomac and Savannah in 2006.
Released 1B Victor Hamisevicz, 2B Nicholas Schnabel, C Anthony Ambrosini, C Ivanosky Wong, LHP Jonathan Price, OF Charles Haynes, RHP Anthony Johnson, RHP Ancil Baldwin, RHP George Preston, LHP Jason Stevenson, RHP David Thorne, SS Wesley Carroll, SS Jose Docen, RHP Manuel Mercedes, and SS Scott Hodges
None of these guys played for the Nationals minor league affiliates in 2006 and these moves are likely cleaning up transactions.
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