Nationals draft giant right-hander at No. 68
The Washington Nationals selected at No. 68 this season, the latest first pick they have had in the draft while in D.C.
Players such as Stephen Strasburg, Bryce Harper and Anthony Rendon, the fruits of their top selections in recent years, are on the 25-man roster at this time, although Strasburg and Harper are on the disabled list.
With the No. 68 selection, the Nationals selected Jacob Johansen, a right-handed pitcher from Dallas Baptist University.
Nationals scouting director Kris Kline was impressed with what he saw from Johansen when he saw him pitch this season.
"There (are) a lot of things to like about this young man," Kline said. "This is what we seek when we go out to the ballpark every day. He is a 6-foot-6, 235-pound, right-handed pitcher. If you put him next to Lucas Giolito, you have some pretty good bookends."
Johansen, 22, struck out 75 hitters in 88 2/3 innings as a redshirt junior, going 7-6 with a 5.40 ERA in 15 starts for the Patriots. He struck out 10 against Texas-San Antonio and Mississippi Valley, and nine strikeouts at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
In three seasons at Dallas Baptist, Johansen finished 13-7 with one save and a 6.03 ERA (99 runs in 147 2/3 innings) in 46 games (23 starts). Johansen is a graduate of Allen (Texas) High School and participated in the Texas Scout Association All-Star Game in spring 2011.
Johansen can throw his fastball 95-96 mph and has touched 99 mph, but some felt his fastball was too straight and he had no other secondary pitches. Kline disagreed.
"You've got a guy who is 94 mph, touching triple digits in his fastball," Kline said. "He maintains his velocity in the sixth inning, he is still 96-98 mph. He has got a curveball, slider and a changeup. The slider is an out pitch now. It is a hard cutter that he will throw 88-90 mph and will blend into a slider."
Kline said the curveball and slider are good, although inconsistent.
"The curveball is at times an above-average pitch. It is a 75-78 mph power downward curveball," Kline said. "This guy is, at 22 years old, just scratching the surface and a late bloomer. If we look at him from his high school days until last year and until this year, it is a very positive, encouraging change in progression to where he is today."
"His delivery is very similar to Josh Beckett."
Kline believes contract will not be an issue with Johansen, who appears eager to pitch and get into the Nats' system.
