Nationals Farm Authority

Center fielder Stephen Englund was a 2006 second selection out a high school in Washington. Englund is arguably the most athletic bat the Nationals have in their system. The 19-year old Englund possesses above average speed and an above average arm in center. He’s also still a work in progress who needs to fine tune his approach at the plate. In 24 games in the GCL, Englund batted 253/454/291 with 13/17 stolen bases. Englund seems likely to begin 2008 in short-season Vermont.

The Nationals went well above the slot recommendation to sign the left-handed Jack McGeary out of the sixth round of last year’s draft.  They offered him a deal which allowed him to pursue his education at Stanford full-time while pitching for the Nationals over the summer. The 19-year old has arguably the best curveball in the organization though he only logged two innings of work as a professional. He’s not going to be a flame-thrower but McGeary has drawn comparisons to Tom Glavine and Mark Buehrle as a lefthander who knows how to pitch. The biggest challenge he will face is logging enough time on the mound over the next couple of years. It would not surprise me to see McGeary focus more energy on his development as a pitcher, even as early as 2009. McGeary will likely return to Vermont in 2008.