Nothing comes easy for Nats prospect Ross Detwiler. Just when it looked like the team’s first-round draft pick in 2007 – No. 6 overall – was on track after a strong September he injured his hip in the offseason and needed surgery in January. After months of rehab the left-hander finally returned to the mound on Wednesday night at Single-A Potomac. Detwiler faced 14 batters for the P-Nats, pitching three innings with four hits and a walk allowed. No runs scored against him though and the 24-year-old struck out two batters.Nats manager Jim Riggleman said Detwiler also had to cover first on a couple of plays – a good test for the hip. His velocity was good, though it will take a while for him to get back to where he was last fall.
So don’t expect him back in the big-league rotation any time soon. Even in spring training, Detwiler was going to have to fight for a spot and beat out a handful of other candidates. He never even got the chance. Consider the next month his version of spring training. Detwiler’s next rehab start will be at Double-A Harrisburg, where he might stick for a while.
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“That’s a good one to build on. I think the timetable now is something in the month range,” Riggleman said. “But again there’s no guarantees for anybody that somebody down on the farm that’s doing something is going to be up here. Because the guys who are here already are hopefully pitching well enough to hold onto those jobs. That means that we’re doing well.”
