NYPL Vermont Lake Monsters

Josh Smoker, Jack McGeary Join Lake Monsters

Published on August 29, 2007 under New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Vermont Lake Monsters News Release


BURLINGTON, VT --- 2007 Washington Nationals draft picks Josh Smoker and Jack MeGeary, were added to the Vermont Lake Monsters roster today and both left-handed pitchers will make their professional debuts sometime during Vermont's last 10 games of the season.

Smoker was Washington's second pick of the first-round in the 2007 draft and 31st selection overall out of Calhoun High School in Georgia. His pick was a supplemental pick for the Nationals after losing outfielder Alfonso Soriano to free agency after the 2006 season.

A native of Sugar Valley, Georgia, the 18-year-old Smoker was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Georgia after going 13-0 with a 1.24 ERA and 152 strikeouts in just 73 innings for Calhoun in 2007. He was ranked by Baseball America as the 11th best pitching prospect (16th best player overall) heading into the 2007 draft, signing with Washington instead of attending Clemson.

McGeary was the Nationals sixth-round selection in the 2007 draft, but went into the draft as Baseball America's 18th best pitching prospect (27th best player overall). The 18-year-old, who had committed to playing college baseball at Stanford University, signed shortly before the August 15th deadline to sign 2007 draft picks.

The 2007 Gatorade Player of the Year for Massachusetts, McGeary was 6-1 with a 0.88 ERA and 80 strikeouts over 40 innings in seven starts for Roxbury Latin this season. He was also a ABCA/Rawlings Third-team High School All-American selection.

To make room for Smoker and McGeary on the roster, pitcher Matt Perks and infielder Stephen King were placed on the disabled list. Perks was 1-0 with a 5.76 ERA in 14 games for the Lake Monsters, while King was batting .333 (8-for-24) and had hit safely in all six games for Vermont since joining the team on August 19th from the Gulf Coast League Nationals.

Vermont plays at Tri-City again on Wednesday night before beginning a six-game homestand at historic Centennial Field on Thursday. The Lake Monsters will host the Oneonta Tigers on Thursday and Friday, then close out the 2007 home season with a four-game series against the Lowell Spinners (Boston Red Sox affiliate) Saturday through Tuesday.

Check out the Vermont Lake Monsters Statistics

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