According to Ben Goessling of MASNSports.com, Danny Espinosa will be one of the Washington Nationals september call ups:

"Danny Espinosa, a shortstop at Triple-A Syracuse and one of the Nationals' top middle infield prospects, will be among the team's September call-ups, according to a tweet from Espinosa's sister Christina....A scout I talked to last month in Philadelphia said Espinosa's athleticism is just a hair behind Desmond's, though both players have a penchant for making errors. Still, the two of them together could give the Nationals one of the rangiest middle infields in baseball next year, if Espinosa proves he can stick in the big leagues."

Espinosa has been one of the hottest Nationals minor leaguers this year, combining between Harrisburg and Syracuse to hit .268/.337/.464 with 22 homers and 69 RBI while snagging 25 stolen bases in 123 games. While most of Espinosa's power came during his time in Harrisburg (18 homers in 99 games, it seems Espinosa has been better with the bat in Syracuse - batting .295/.349/.463 in 24 games since his promotion.

The 23-year-old shortstop was drafted in the third round of the 2008 draft out of Long Beach State, a school well known for producing top infield talent. In the last decade the school nicknamed "Shortstop U," has produced Bobby Crosby, Troy Tulowitzki and now third baseman Evan

According to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post, Bryce Harper put on a show at Nationals batting practice this afternoon:

"Washington Nationals top pick Bryce Harper took batting practice today at Nationals Park before his introductory news conference, and in front of team executives, agent Scott Boras, players from both teams and a throng of media he promptly deposited a pitch into the third deck in right field...Harper's best power output came in his final round of batting practice, when he homered on three straight pitches. The first landed in the left field bullpen, the next in the right field bullpen and the third to straightaway center field."

Harper, 17, is at Nats park today to officially be introduced as a National. It seems he let his bat do the talking before his mouth got a chance. The recently signed first-overall draft pick is well known for his massive natural power and impressive bat speed, he gave the Nationals brass a first had show of it today.

Hearing this news I couldn't help but think about the exhibition game in R.F.K. before the Nationals moved here where Mark McGwire put on a show in batting practice. Many swore it was one of the most amazing feats they had ever seen. Who knows, in four or five years such a feat could be a weekly occurance if you get to Nats Park early enough for a home game.

Hopefully all the Nats fans who got tickets for today in order to see fellow phenom Stephen Strasburg pitch showed up early to watch Harper hit some bombs in Nats park...it might be the only chance to see such a feat for the next several years as many expect the outfielder to have a few years of development in the minors.

Are you excited yet?

The below graphic is from Baseball America and represents the amount spent by the teams in Major League Baseball on signing bonuses for draft picks in their respective year. Three things worth noting here:

1. The Nationals outspent everybody in 2010 and 2009, yet it seems that 2009 raised the bar as three other teams spend over $10 million in 2010 when the Nats were the only to do so in 2009.

2. There is a distinct change between 2008 when Bowden ran the team and 2009/2010 when Rizzo and Kasten have been in charge. While you have to remember that the Nats failed to sign their first pick in 2008, Aaron Crow, even with a $4 million bonus (which was more than they offered) they were still pretty far back.

3. It's really interesting to see a team like the Red Sox on this list considering they have been in contention all three of these years...perhaps it says something about the value Theo Epstein places in young talent.

Ben Goessling of MasnSports.com reports that Bryce Harper, the Nationals number one overall pick in 2010, will not play in the Gulf Coast League this season:

"Bryce Harper's professional career will begin sometime next week, when the Nationals introduce him to the media at Nationals Park and send him to the Nationals' Gulf Coast League affiliate in Viera, Fla., for the end of their season. But Harper won't play any games for the rookie league team, general manager Mike Rizzo said today...Rizzo said Harper will work out with the team in the final days of its season, getting ready to play in the Nationals' instructional league this fall."

Comments leading into last weeks signing indicated that the 17-year-old Harper was "dying to play," however, it looks like he will have to wait to get his chance. The Nationals want to get Harper into their camp and give him some coaching before they expose him to professional competition, which makes sense. While Harper dominated his junior college opponents last season, batting .443 with 31 home runs and 98 RBIs, there are some who claim there are holes in his left-handed power stroke and that there are parts of his game that are a bit immature.

The Nationals are also doing themselves a favor by making sure they get Harper his coaching, before any opportunity for failure. It is a lot easier to make adjustments in a player while he still has strong confidence, and the last thing they want to do is put him in a situation to fail...especially before he turns 18.

Harper will be introduced as a National during the next home stand.

With their collective backs against the wall, and time ticking away, both the Washington Nationals and Bryce Harper came together to get a deal done before the midnight deadline. As a result, the 17-year-old Harper will begin his journey towards his ultimate dream, becoming a major league star, and the Nationals will shell out a big check.

Reports are saying that Harper will receive a $6.25 million signing bonus, to be paid in five equal payments of $1.25 million. The actual contract is a five-year major league deal where he will earn $500K in 2011 and 2012, $700K in 2013, $900K in 2014, and $1 million in 2015. That works out to a total of $9.9 million over five seasons, making it the largest contract ever given to a position player out of the draft.

The deal reportedly came down to the final seconds before the deadline, with Kasten expressing afterwords to reporters that going into the last minute neither he nor Mike Rizzo was sure a deal would be made.

1. Bryce Harper, C/OF - There really isn't much more to be said about Harper that hasn't been said already. By Monday evening at midnight Eastern Time, Nats' fans will know whether or not they have added their second franchise-changing prospect in as many years. While significantly farther away from major league readiness, Harper projects to have comparable effect on the major league level, particularly since he is a position player who will see the field on a daily basis. Assuming he signs, his career at catcher is likely over so that the franchise can preserve his health in order to maximize his prodigious offensive abilities. Though most fans are well aware, his numbers are worth repeating. In his lone college season, Harper hit an absurd .443/.526/.987 with 31 home runs in just 228 at bats. He walked nearly as many times as he struck out (39 BB/43 Ks), and stole 20 bases in 24 attempts. In short, the kid is a stud, the total package, and it would behoove the Nationals to do anything and everything in their power to sign the rising star.

2. Yunesky Maya, RHP - Maya is major league ready now and looks to contribute with the Nationals sooner rather than later. The 28 year-old signee from Cuba joins the Nationals after a very successful stint in the Cuban National Series, where he went 13-4 with a 2.22 ERA and seven complete games in garnering their equivalent of the Cy Young Award. The Nationals obviously think very highly of Maya, signing him to a four year, $8 million contract, and he quickly backed it up by going three innings without allowing a hit in his minor league debut. With a rash of injuries and incompetence plaguing the major league staff, it appears likely that Maya will quickly climb the minor league ranks.

3. Derek Norris, C - Although Norris' struggles this year have been well-documented (the young backstop has endured everything from a broken wrist to a pitch to the head), he remains a top prospect for the Nationals. The second offensive-minded catcher on this list, Norris - like Harper - seems poised for a position change ultimately. The presence of Ivan Rodriguez, coupled with the acquisition of Wilson Ramos, apparently solves Washington's need at catcher, but Norris' bat is and will remain his meal ticket. Though he is currently hitting just .221 and slugging only .387, Norris is still getting on base at a very high rate (.406) and is just one year removed from .286/.413/.513 with 23 home runs. His injuries this year, combined with his banner 2009 campaign, make it far too early to discount the player Baseball America ranked the 38^th overall prospect entering the 2010 season.

Bill Ladson of MLB.COM reports that the once thought finished deal for right-handed high-school pitcher A.J. Cole is now off:

"A last-minute problem has surfaced between the Nationals and right-hander A.J. Cole, which means the two parties may not be doing a deal, according to a baseball source. It's not known what the problem is.

Early Sunday morning, it was reported by Baseball America -- then confirmed by MLB.com -- that Cole, the fourth-round pick in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, and the Nationals agreed to terms on a $2 million deal."

Analysis:

We're trying to get to the bottom of this here. The Nationals had offered Cole a record high bonus for a fourth round draft pick, giving him first round money with a $2 million deal. To put that in perspective, Drew Storen, who the Nats took 10th overall last year, received a $1.6 million signing bonus.

It can't be about money, unless the two sides hadn't actually agreed on terms when it hit the media. My best guess is an 18-year-old who was all but set to go to college in a few weeks is having second thoughts about not going to school. Again..that's only a guess...more will come out soon.

Bill Ladson of MLB.com reports that the Washington Nationals have signed right-hander A.J. Cole, the club's fourth-round draft pick in 2010. Cole, a 6-5 high school talent, was set to attend the baseball hotbed that is the University of Miami, but the club was able to lure him away with a way above slot bonus of $2 million.

Cole was considered one of the higher potential pitchers in the 2010 draft, but also arguably the least signable, which is why he slipped to the fourth round. General Manager Mike Rizzo decided to take a chance by selecting him in an early round, and was able to convince Cole that Washington was a good place to build a future.

According to scouting reports, Cole's biggest asset is his massive potential. While his fastball currently sits in the low 90's (good for a high schooler), scouts project it to reach the mid-to-high 90's when he fully develops. He also reportedly throws an curve in the high 70's and is developing a change-up and a slider.

The Nationals have also reportedly signed left-handed starter Sammy Solis out of the University of San Diego. Solis, the clubs second-round pick in 2010 signed for a $1 million bonus.

Solis provides a low 90's fastball with a lot of movement and was thought to be a potential top ten pick coming out of high-school. He also throws a big, looping left-handed curve and a change-up. His history of back issues cause some to worry that he may not make it through the minors, but if he can stay healthy people believe he projects to be a mid to back of the rotation starter.

Mark Zuckerman of Nats Insider reports that Yunesky Maya, the Washington Nationals recent Cuban free-agent acquisition pitched three hitless innings in his organizational debut for the Gulf Coast League Nationals:

"In his minor-league debut, Maya tossed three hitless innings for the Nationals' rookie Gulf Coast League squad, allowing only one of 10 batters faced to reach base...The 28-year-old starter hit the first Marlins batter who stepped in against him, then proceeded to record eight straight outs on groundballs before striking out the final batter he faced in the third."

Maya recently signed a four year $8 million contract with the Washington Nationals after defecting from Cuba this summer. The starting pitcher is projected to be a number two or three starter.

Analysis:

At 28-years-old, Maya isn't going to be getting any better. His stint with the GCL Nationals was more likely precautionary than anything else. I'd be very surprised to see him in the Nats minor league system much longer unless he runs into some trouble at the higher levels. We should instead probably just view this as almost a rehabilitation

Washington Nationals fans entered Spring Training 2010 with a lot of hopes and expectations. One of those expectations was likely not that the Nationals would award potential starting outfielder Elijah Dukes his outright release before the season even started. Yet, the club did just that in March and the troubled outfielder could not find a major league team that would even give him a minor league contract.

Seven months into the season and few around Nats Town question if the move was the right decision. Dukes was given several years to develop at the Major League level, and while he had developed as a grown-up, his game showed little progress. In his stead the Nats may have found a gem in rookie Roger Bernadina who is hitting a respectable .270/.331/.418, and the club drafted a corner outfielder of the future in Bryce Harper.

Yet still people have to wonder, what the hell happened to Dukes? How could he go from a potential starting outfielder for the Nationals to not even a minor league player on any other MLB organization? While his behavior had been questionable through his earl career, why did no one even take a chance on his talent?

We may never know.

After initially being reluctant to play in the independent league, Dukes signed with the Newark Bears at the beginning of July. Since he has been on a tear (which I assume is to be expected), hitting .367 with 5 homers and 18 RBI in 25 games. However, what's much more interesting, is the motley crew of former MLB players he joins in Newark:

Manager - Tim Rock Raines

CL - Armando Benitez 22 IP 7 SV 0.82 ERA
1B - Carl Everett .281 BA 9 HR 38 RBI 
OF - Daryle Ward .295 BA 14 HR 71 RBI
OF - Tim Raines JR. .300 BA 
IF - Eric Munson .182 BA, 4 HR 7 RBI

If the Bears are looking for a set up man, I hear John Rocker is available.