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The 2005 Potomac

Nationals

• B-T: R-R

• AGE: 25

• HEIGHT: 5-10

• WEIGHT: 190

• COLLEGE: Georgia

• LAST YEAR: High-A Lancaster, AA El Paso

• HOMETOWN: Phenix City, Ala.

• HOW ACQUIRED: Taken in the 2004 Rule 5 draft from the Arizona

Diamondbacks • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Originally drafted

by San Diego in the 2001 draft. Hit .332 in 90 games with High-A Lancaster

last season, before a call-up to AA El Paso, where he hit .283 in 16 games.

With a strong finish in 2003, he helped rebound from a big slump: Since

2001, he was a .234 hitter until joining Low-A South Bend 29 games into

the season.

Doc Brooks – OF

• B-T: R-R

• AGE: 24

• HEIGHT: 6-1

• WEIGHT: 185

• COLLEGE: Indiana

• LAST YEAR: Low-A Savannah, High-A Brevard County

• HOMETOWN: Louisville, Ky.

• HOW ACQUIRED: Selected in the 38th round of the 2003 draft • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Struggled a bit in 2004,

his first full season in professional baseball. He played 24 games at Low-A

Savannah, hitting .236 with one home run and three RBI. Later, when he was

called up to High-A Brevard County, his numbers didn’t change much:

In 20 games, he hit .235 with one homer and three RBI.

Seth Bynum – SS

• B-T: L-R

• AGE: 23

• HEIGHT: 6-1

• WEIGHT: 200

• COLLEGE: University of Portland

• LAST YEAR: Low-A Savannah

• HOMETOWN: Aurora, Ore.

• HOW ACQUIRED: Selected in the third round of the 2003 draft • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Ranked by Baseball America

as the organization’s No. 9 prospect. Hit .286 in 124 games at Low-A

Savannah last year — good enough for 10th among all Nationals minor

leaguers. His 88 RBI put him in second place in the Nats’ farm system,

and his 16 home runs placed him in a tie for fourth.

Kory Casto – 3B

• B-T: L-L

• AGE: 24

• HEIGHT: 6-0

• WEIGHT: 185

• COLLEGE: None

• LAST YEAR: High-A Brevard County

• HOMETOWN: Valencia, Venezuela

• HOW ACQUIRED: Taken in the 2003 Rule 5 draft from the N.Y.

Mets • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Played his first season with

the Nationals organization in 2004, and spent the entire season in Brevard.

In 20 games there, he hit .380 with no home runs, 12 runs and eight RBI.

He walked 11 times — including one intentional walk — while striking

out only 12 times. He stole four bases, but was caught five times.

Ender Chavez – OF

• B-T: L-L

• AGE: 25

• HEIGHT: 6-4

• WEIGHT: 210

• COLLEGE: Vanguard University

• LAST YEAR: High-A Brevard County

• HOMETOWN: Santa Ana, Calif.

• HOW ACQUIRED: Selected in the sixth round of the 2002 draft • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Played in 122 games for Brevard

last season, the most on the team, and only two other players appeared in

100 games or more. He hit .218 with nine home runs and 46 RBI. He walked

51 times and struck out 66 times, but he did hit into a team-high 16 double

plays. His 444 at-bats also led the team.

Chad Chop – OF

• B-T: R-R

• AGE: 21

• HEIGHT: 6-2

• WEIGHT: 180

• COLLEGE: None

• LAST YEAR: High-A Brevard County

• HOMETOWN: Valencia, Venezuela

• HOW ACQUIRED: Signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2000 • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Starting his second year

at High-A. In 2004 with Brevard County, hit .242 in 114 games with eight

home runs and 57 RBI. His 17 doubles tied for the team lead with Greg Thissen.

In 2003 in Low-A Savannah, Diaz hit .270 with seven home runs and 49 RBI.

He has stolen 56 bases in his career as well.

Frank Diaz – OF

• B-T: R-R

• AGE: 24

• HEIGHT: 6-4

• WEIGHT: 190

• COLLEGE: None

• LAST YEAR: R-GCL Expos, Low-A Savannah, High-A Brevard County

• HOMETOWN: Oceanside, Calif.

• HOW ACQUIRED: Selected in the 17th round of the 1999 draft • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Spent time in Low-A Savannah

and High-A Brevard County in each of the last two seasons. In 2004, played

in 46 games at Brevard, hitting .234 with two home runs and 13 RBI. In 2003,

he spent most of the year in Savannah, where he hit .224 with three home

runs and 23 RBI.

Joshua Emmerick – C

• B-T: R-R

• AGE: 23

• HEIGHT: 6-4

• WEIGHT: 170

• COLLEGE: None

• LAST YEAR: Low-A Savannah

• HOMETOWN: Caracas, Venezuela

• HOW ACQUIRED: Signed as a non-drafted free agent in 1998 • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: One of Sports Weekly’s

Best of the Rest among Nationals right-handed pitching prospects. Spent

his first five seasons in professional baseball in rookie leagues: the Venezuelan

Summer League in 1999 and 2000 and the Gulf Coast League from 2001-03. Last

year, he went 5-5 with a 4.65 ERA with 94 strikeouts and 31 walks.

Armando Galarraga – RHP

• B-T: S-R

• AGE: 23

• HEIGHT: 6-1

• WEIGHT: 180

• COLLEGE: Arizona

• LAST YEAR: SS-A Vermont, Low-A Savannah, High-A Brevard County

• HOMETOWN: Benson, Ariz.

• HOW ACQUIRED: Signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2003 • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Appeared in 32 games at three

different levels last season, compiling a 1-5 record in 92 innings. In 48

games as a professional, he’s walked only 32 batters while striking

out 108. His best stint came with A Vermont in six games in 2003: Goodman

went 3-0 with a 0.84 ERA with five walks in 32 innings.

Chris Goodman – RHP

• B-T: R-R

• AGE: 24

• HEIGHT: 6-1

• WEIGHT: 190

• COLLEGE: None

• LAST YEAR: High-A High Desert

• HOMETOWN: Palmetto, Fla.

• HOW ACQUIRED: Taken in the 2004 Rule 5 draft from the Milwaukee

Brewers • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: In 37 games last year in

the California League, Kolb — no relation to the Atlanta Braves closer

of the same name — went 3-3 with a 5.42 ERA and three saves. He struck

out 75 and walked 44. He was originally a 24th-round draft pick by Milwaukee

in the 2001 amateur player draft.

Dan Kolb – RHP

• B-T: R-R

• AGE: 22

• HEIGHT: 6-1

• WEIGHT: 190

• COLLEGE: None

• LAST YEAR: SS-A Vermont, Low-A Sav-annah, High-A Brevard County,

AA Harrisburg

• HOMETOWN: Guacara, Venezuela

• HOW ACQUIRED: Signed as a non-drafted free agent in 1999 • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Played at least 10 games

for four different teams last season. He started the year in Low-A Savannah,

where he got the most work and had the most success — in 33 games,

he hit .264 with three home runs and 19 RBI. For his career, Manriquez has

hit .239 with 16 home runs in 292 games.

Salomon Manriquez – C

• B-T: R-R

• AGE: 26

• HEIGHT: 6-2

• WEIGHT: 160

• COLLEGE: None

• LAST YEAR: Low-A Savannah, High-A Brevard County

• HOMETOWN: Santo Domingo, DR

• HOW ACQUIRED: Signed as a free agent in 2003 • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Originally signed by Atlanta

in 1999, Martinez was released after three seasons in the Dominican Summer

League, where he went 5-9 in 86 innings. Since joining the Nationals organization,

Martinez has gone 4-10 in two seasons with three different teams.

Samuel Martinez – RHP

• B-T: L-L

• AGE: 26

• HEIGHT: 6-2

• WEIGHT: 205

• COLLEGE: West Virginia

• LAST YEAR: AA Harrisburg

• HOMETOWN: Morgantown, W.Va.

• HOW ACQUIRED: Selected in the 17th round of the 2001 draft • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Spent parts of the last two

seasons in AA and High-A. Maust pitched in 44 games with the Senators last

season, compiling a 3-8 record with a 6.43 ERA in 44 games and 85.1 innings.

In 2003, he opened the year in Brevard, going 1-2 in 31 games, but he had

a 1.31 ERA before a call-up to Harrisburg.

David Maust – LHP

• B-T: R-R

• AGE: 22

• HEIGHT: 5-11

• WEIGHT: 170

• COLLEGE: Oakton (Ill.) Comm. Coll.

• LAST YEAR: High-A Brevard County

• HOMETOWN: Mt. Prospect, Ill.

• HOW ACQUIRED: Selected in the 46th round of the 2003 draft • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Morales’ first stint

in professional baseball came in the independent Northern League with the

Joliet Jackhammers in 2003. Soon after, he was signed by the Nationals,

and he spent all of last season at Brevard. There, he notched a 2-6 record

with a 4.55 ERA in 32 games. He registered 55 strikeouts against 41 walks.

Alex Morales – RHP

• B-T: L-L

• AGE: 24

• HEIGHT: 6-3

• WEIGHT: 170

• COLLEGE: George Washington

• LAST YEAR: High-A Brevard County

• HOMETOWN: Ellicott City, Md.

• HOW ACQUIRED: Selected in the seventh round of the 2002 draft • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Holds an 18-14 career record

in 89 games with a 3.83 ERA. Spent all of last season with Brevard, where

he went 8-8 with a 4.11 ERA in 103 innings. He had a strikeout-to-walk ratio

of better than 2:1 (104 strikeouts, 42 walks). In 2003 in Savannah, O’Connor

went 8-3 with a 3.86 ERA in 42 games.

Mike O’Connor – LHP

• B-T: R-R

• AGE: 23

• HEIGHT: 6-3

• WEIGHT: 190

• COLLEGE: Jackson State

• LAST YEAR: Low-A Savannah

• HOMETOWN: Baton Rouge, La.

• HOW ACQUIRED: Selected in the fifth round of the 2002 draft • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Has spent three years in

the minor leagues, but entering this season, had only one win to show for

it. In 33 games at Savannah last season, Pearson improved on his numbers

prior to that: He went 1-4 with a 3.81 ERA in 33 games, including three

starts. He also recorded 106 strikeouts.

Anthony Pearson – RHP

• B-T: R-R

• AGE: 22

• HEIGHT: 6-7

• WEIGHT: 225

• COLLEGE: Grand Canyon University

• LAST YEAR: Low-A Savannah

• HOMETOWN: Glendale, Ariz.

• HOW ACQUIRED: Selected in the seventh round of the 2003 draft • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: At 6-foot-7, Perrin is behind

only 6-11 Jon Rauch (and the same as 6-7 Brett Nyquist) as the tallest players

in the Nationals organization. At Savannah last season, Perrin went 5-6

with a 4.50 ERA in 122 innings; he struck out 108 batters and walked 62;

he appeared in 36 games, including 15 starts.

Devin Perrin – RHP

• B-T: L-L

• AGE: 25

• HEIGHT: 5-10

• WEIGHT: 165

• COLLEGE: South Carolina

• LAST YEAR: High-A Brevard County

• HOMETOWN: Leesville, S.C.

• HOW ACQUIRED: Traded from Oakland in Dec. 2003 • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Spent each of the last three

years at High-A, but his numbers have been decent: In two years with Modesto

and one with Brevard, he recorded an 8-10 record with a 3.28 ERA. Last year

with Brevard, he was 6-4 with a 3.53 ERA, recording 100 strikeouts and issuing

53 walks.

Brett Price – LHP

• B-T: R-R

• AGE: 26

• HEIGHT: 6-2

• WEIGHT: 220

• COLLEGE: None

• LAST YEAR: High-A Brevard County

• HOMETOWN: Miami

• HOW ACQUIRED: Signed as a free agent in 2004 • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Released by Cincinnati after

just one season in SS-A Billings, where he went 2-1 with a 4.11 ERA in seven

games. After signing with the Nationals, Quintero was 3-2 last season at

Brevard with a 2.75 ERA in 21 games, with one start. He struck out 32 batters

and walked 15.

Mayque Quintero – RHP

• B-T: R-R

• AGE: 25

• HEIGHT: 6-0

• WEIGHT: 175

• COLLEGE: Avila University

• LAST YEAR: Low-A Savannah

• HOMETOWN: Liberty, Mo.

• HOW ACQUIRED: Drafted in the 15th round of the 2003 draft • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Pitched well as a reliever

at Low-A Savannah last season. In 46 games, Reid went 5-4 with a 1.98 ERA

and 15 saves. In 63.2 innings, he struck out 84 batters and walked only

20. He made 19 appearances in 2003 with Vermont, but made only one save

and his only two decisions were losses.

Brett Reid – RHP

• B-T: R-R

• AGE: 26

• HEIGHT: 5-11

• WEIGHT: 170

• COLLEGE: Miami

• LAST YEAR: High-A Rancho Cucamonga, AA Arkansas, AAA Salt

Lake

• HOMETOWN: Miami

• HOW ACQUIRED: Acquired from the Angels • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Rodriguez spent 2004 in the

higher levels of the Angels’ farm system. He played in 20 AAA games,

hitting .263 with one home run and seven RBI. At AA, he hit an even .300

in 37 games, with two homers and 11 RBI. At High-A, Rodriguez played in

14 games, hitting .262 with four RBI.

Javier Rodriguez – SS

• B-T: R-R

• AGE: 24

• HEIGHT: 5-10

• WEIGHT: 180

• COLLEGE: Brevard (Fla.) Comm. Coll.

• LAST YEAR: Low-A Savannah, High-A Brevard County

• HOMETOWN: Miami

• HOW ACQUIRED: Signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2002 • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Played at High- and Low-A

in each of the past two seasons. He spent the majority of 2004 with Savannah

after appearing in only three games at Brevard. At Savannah, Rodriguez hit

.230 in 22 games with no home runs and seven RBI. For his career, Rodriguez

is a .214 hitter.

Robert Rodriguez – C

• B-T: R-R

• AGE: 23

• HEIGHT: 6-4

• WEIGHT: 185

• COLLEGE: Triton (Ill.) College

• LAST YEAR: High-A Brevard County

• HOMETOWN: Davenport, Iowa

• HOW ACQUIRED: Selected in the eighth round of the 2001 draft • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Spent each of the last two

seasons at High-A with Brevard. In seven fewer games, Thissen showed solid

improvement from 2003 to 2004. He hit .225 (.178 in ’03), hit seven

home runs (zero in ’03) and drove in 32 runs (13 in ‘03). He also

went from committing 17 errors in 2003 to seven in ’04.

Greg Thissen – 2B

• B-T: L-L

• AGE: 23

• HEIGHT: 6-3

• WEIGHT: 220

• COLLEGE: Loyola Marymount

• LAST YEAR: Low-A Savannah

• HOMETOWN: Redlands, Calif.

• HOW ACQUIRED: Selected in the sixth round of the 2003 draft • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Tied with teammate

Kory Casto for fourth among Nationals’ minor leaguers with 16 home

runs in 2004. With Savannah last year, he hit .250 and had a slugging percentage

of .453. Had 95 hits in 113 games, including 29 doubles. This is his third

season in minor-league baseball.

Josh Whitesell – 1B

• B-T: S-R

• AGE: 23

• HEIGHT: 5-10

• WEIGHT: 160

• COLLEGE: None

• LAST YEAR: Low-A Savannah, High-A Brevard County

• HOMETOWN: Caracas, Venezuela

• HOW ACQUIRED: Taken in the 2002 Rule 5 draft from the Florida

Marlins • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: After spending all of 2003

with Savannah, Yepez made the jump to Brevard and played in 16 games before

returning to Savannah. There, he hit .238 in 77 games, hitting two home

runs and driving in 24 runs. With Savannah in 2003, Yepez hit .264 with

three home runs and stole 28 bases.

Marcos Yepez – 2B

• SEASON: 3rd

• AGE: 32

• LAST YEAR: Low-A Savannah

• SCHOOL: Okaloosa Walton Community College

• HOMETOWN: Grand Bay, Ala.

• FAMILY: Wife, Catina; daughter, Anna (4) • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Henley has moved up a level

in each of his three years as a manager: He began with the rookie-level

GCL Expos in 2003 and moved to Low-A Savannah last year. Spent a year in

the major leagues with the Expos, hitting .304 with three home runs and

18 RBI before various injuries forced him to retire.

Bobby Henley – MGR

• SEASON: 2nd

• AGE: 28

• LAST YEAR: SS-A Vermont

• SCHOOL: Arizona

• HOMETOWN: Apache Junction, Ariz.

• FAMILY: Wife, Lauren • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: A year ago, Gingrich was

playing in the minor leagues, but decided to retire to take a job with Vermont

of the New York-Penn League. Played in four seasons as a minor-league outfielder,

where he hit .231 with six home runs, 79 RBI and 44 stolen bases. He played

collegiately at Arizona.

Troy Gingrich – COACH

• SEASON: 2nd

• AGE: 36

• LAST YEAR: Low-A Savannah

• SCHOOL: None

• HOMETOWN: Guayama, PR

• FAMILY: Wife, Wanda; daughters Britny (10) and Witney (4);

son Ricky Jr. (4) • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Pitched in the majors for

seven different teams over a 10-year big-league career. While he was with

the Milwaukee Brewers, he was selected to the 1994 American League All-Star

squad. Finished his career with a 63-82 record with a 4.85 ERA. This is

his second year as a coach in the Nationals’ organization.

Ricky Bones – COACH

• SEASON: 6th

• AGE: 30

• LAST YEAR: High-A Brevard County

• SCHOOL: Shenandoah

• HOMETOWN: Whitehall, Pa.

• FAMILY: Wife, Michelle • CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Graduated from Shenandoah

in 1998, where he played baseball. After college, he served as a strength

and conditioning intern with Low-A Capital City. From there, he became the

Mets’ minor-league strength and conditioning coordinator before joining

Brevard County. His wife is a Brentsville graduate.

Steve Gober – TRAINER

Photos by Joe Brier

Compiled by the Potomac News sports department