Nats Prospects Getting Ready For Instructs

Many of the Nationals' top prospects will make the overseas trip to the Dominican Republic on October 4th to begin their 7-week Instructional League. Nationals' Minor League Hitter of the Year Kory Casto headlines a young and promising group of talented players at the 2005 "Instructs".

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3B Kory Casto of the Potomac Nationals hit .290 with 22 home runs in 90 RBI this past season. CapitolDugout.com has learned that Casto, who also drew 84 walks in 135 games and slugged 36 doubles, will most likely begin his transition over to second base during Instructs as first-round pick Ryan Zimmerman currently blocks his path to the Major Leagues.

Also joining Casto among the positional players will be Vermont outfielder Francisco Plasencia. The 21-year old Venezuelan hit .300 with 31 extra-base hits, including 11 home runs, and stole 14 bases with the Expos in the short-season New York Penn League this past summer. He has propelled himself into top prospect discussions after hitting .403 with runners in scoring position this past season.

Highlighting the pitchers going to Instructs this year is former first-round draft pick Clint Everts. Drafted in 2002, Everts missed the majority of the 2005 season after Tommy John surgery. He entered this season with a career 3.07 ERA in 36 starts and was relegated to a combined 15 appearances for the Vermont Expos and Gulf Coast League Nationals this year.

Joining Everts on the pitching front is Savannah ace Collin Balester. Drafted in the 4th round of the 2004 MLB Draft, Balester held opposing South Atlantic League batters to a .222 batting average, lowest on the starting the staff in 2005. The 19-year old hurler went 8-6 with a 3.67 ERA in 24 games for the Sand Gnats but struggled down the stretch, posting a 4.68 ERA in his final 11 games.

Below is a list of all the players attending this year's Nationals Instructional League.

Last	First	B/T	HT	WT	DOB	2005 Team
Balester	Collin	R/R	6'5	190	6/6/86	Savannah
Campbell	Brett	R/R	6'0	170	10/17/81	Potomac
Everts	Clint	R/R	6'2	170	8/10/84	Vermont
Francisco	Bartolo	R/R	5'9	155	8/24/82	Savannah
Harrison	Ryan	R/R	6'2	190	7/12/86	Gulf Coast
Jackson	Aaron	S/R	6'0	175	3/28/86	Vermont
Kolb	Daniel	R/R	6'1	190	6/5/80	Potomac
Lehman	James	R/R	6'2	185	3/14/85	Vermont
Lira	Oscar	R/R	6'3	185	7/17/82	Vermont
Lugo	Christopher	R/R	6'1	185	11/10/86	Vermont
Martinez	Carlos	R/R	6'4	177	3/30/84	Vermont
Mavroulis	Coby	L/L	6'3	180	2/7/83	Gulf Coast
Morales	Alex	R/R	5'11	170	12/8/82	Savannah
Morales	Ricardo	L/L	6'1	170	12/9/83	Savannah
Norderum	Jason	L/L	6'3	220	11/21/81	Potomac
Perks	Matthew	R/R	6'7	200	8/20/85	Gulf Coast
Perrin	Devin	R/R	6'7	225	5/14/81	Potomac
Plexico	Gerald	L/L	6'4	210	2/24/80	Gulf Coast
Trahan	David	R/R	6'3	185	5/21/82	Savannah
Wilson	Thomas	R/L	6'2	185	5/21/82	Savannah
Catchers
Last	First	B/T	Ht.	Wt.	DOB	2005 Team
Ivany	Devin	R/R	6'2	185	7/27/82	Savannah
Montz	Luke	R/R	6'2	205	7/7/83	Savannah
Peacock	Brian	R/R	6'1	185	8/26/84	Gulf Coast
San Pedro	Erick	R/R	6'0	205	10/5/83	Potomac
Infielders
Last	First	B/T	Ht.	Wt.	DOB	2005 Team
Alvarez	Jean	R/R	6'2	185	2/15/87	Vermont
Casto	Kory	L/R	6'1	190	12/8/81	Potomac
Contreras	Jose	S/R	6'0	170	4/26/85	Vermont
Davis	Leonard	L/R	5'10	195	12/24/83	Vermont
Desmond	Ian	R/R	6'2	185	9/20/85	Potomac
Figuereo	Johan	R/R	6'2	195	3/2/86	Vermont
Torres	Carlos	R/R	6'4	190	4/3/84	Vermont
Webb	Trey	R/R	6'0	170	2/11/82	Savannah
Whitesell	Josh	L/L	6'3	220	4/14/82	Potomac
Outfielders
Last	First	B/T	Ht.	Wt.	DOB	2005 Team
Baez	Edgardo	R/R	6'2	190	7/12/85	Savannah
Bernadina	Rogearvin	L/L	6'0	175	6/12/84	Savannah
Brown	Dee	R/R	6'0	230	10/21/82	Vermont
Daniel	Mike	L/R	6'3	180	8/17/84	Vermont
Guzman	Francisco	R/R	6'4	195	12/21/83	Vermont
Lowrance	Marvin	L/L	6'0	215	7/16/84	Savannah
Plasencia	Francisco	L/L	6'1	192	6/19/84	Vermont

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