For Major League Baseball’s youngest team, the evaluations continue, every game an open casting call.
Some of the under-24-years-old crowd — which now numbers seven players — will become major pieces of what the Nationals hope is a future contender. Others will fall behind.
Recommended Stories
Pitcher Collin Balester, a 2004 fourth-round draft pick, is trying to prove himself a future piece of the puzzle. A forearm injury forced starter Shawn Hill from the rotation and has given Balester his first shot. And while the 22-year-old right-hander is still feeling his way in the big leagues through six starts, there has been evident improvement. Despite tiring in the sixth inning of Sunday’s 4-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds, Balester left with just one run allowed.
“He’s getting confidence up here,” said Nats manager Manny Acta. “Collin’s changeup is developing very well and [the Reds] saw more of them [Sunday].”
At 6-foot-5, 190-pounds, Balester has a fastball the reaches the low-90’s and a hard, biting breaking ball. Ranked the organization’s No. 3 prospect by Baseball America before the season, Balester has a 4.55 ERA with 10 walks in his six starts, but has also struck out just 21 batters in 31 2/3 innings. That low total increases his pitch count and he has finished the sixth inning only one time.
“It’s about the quality of my pitches,” Balester said. “Some of the time I just waste pitches instead of just going after [hitters] when I have two strikes. That’s something I need to work on.”
