Sports stats



Potomac Nationals

Potomac Nationals Players Recognized in 2019 Minor League Awards

September 26, 2019 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Potomac Nationals News Release


FREDERICKSBURG, Va. - The Washington Nationals selected the following former Potomac Nationals players for their 2019 Minor League Players of the year:

Pitcher of the Year - Left-Handed Pitcher Tim Cate (2019)

Defensive Player of the Year - Infielder Luis Garcia (2018)

Baserunner of the Year - Infielder Cole Freeman (2019)

Seventh-annual Bob Boone Award Winner - Catcher Jakson Reetz (2017-2018)

These players will each be recognized for their awards in a ceremony during 2020 spring training.

Pitcher of the Year recipient, Left-Handed Pitcher Tim Cate, 21, finished out his 2019 season with the Potomac Nationals after being signed on June 17, 2019. He led qualified National Minor League pitchers in strikeouts (139), starts (26) and ranked second in ERA (3.07) and WHIP (1.14) between the Single-A Hagerstown Suns and the Single-A Potomac Nationals. Cate had 139 strikeouts, 32 walks, and six home runs in 143.2 innings pitched in his third professional season.

At the Potomac Nationals from July 27- Aug. 26, Cate went 4-1 with a 2.43 ERA, 33 strikeouts, seven walks and two home runs allowed.

Cate was selected in the second round of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft from the University of Connecticut and was later signed by Washington Nationals Scout John Malzone.

Defensive Player of the Year recipient, Infielder Luis Garcia is the youngest player in the Double-A Eastern League and the youngest recipient of the Defensive Player of the Year Award at 19-years-old. Garcia was assigned to the Potomac Nationals from July 4 to July 16, 2019. He also capped his 2019 season as the No. 82 prospect in baseball by Baseball America and as the No. 92 prospect by MLB Pipeline.

Garcia ranked among Nationals Minor Leaguers in hits (4th, 135) and runs scored (7th, 66), in his third professional season. From May 30, through the end of the season, Garcia hit .282 with 17 doubles, three triples, four homers, 22 RBI and 43 runs scored. He was signed as a non-drafted free agent on July 2, 2016. He was signed by Nationals scout Carlos Ulloa.

Baserunner of the Year recipient, Infielder Cole Freeman, 24, was a member of the Potomac Nationals 2019 season for 123 games between Mar. 31 and Sept. 4, 2019.

In 2019, Freeman hit .311 with 27 doubles, three triples, three homers, 49 RBI, 53 walks, 31 stolen bases and 82 runs scored. He struck out just 60 times while posting a .394 on-base percentage and a .404 slugging percentage. Both his .311 batting average and .394 on-base percentage ranked second in the Carolina League.

Freeman was selected in the fourth round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of Louisiana State University. He was signed by Nationals scout Ed Gustafson.

Seventh-annual Bob Boone Award Winner, Catcher Jackson Reetz, 23, was assigned to the Potomac Nationals in the end of his 2017 and 2018 seasons. The Bob Boone Award is given annually to the Nationals Minor League player who best demonstrates the professionalism, leadership, loyalty, passion, selflessness, durability, determination and work ethic required to play the game the "Washington Nationals Way."

Reetz hit .253 with 18 doubles, two triples, 13 home runs, 55 RBI, 46 walks, three stolen bases and 54 runs scored in 96 games for the Single-A Potomac Nationals. He made 86 starts at catcher and his 13 home runs bested his previous career-high of five in 2018.3 home runs bested his previous career-high of five in 2018.

Reetz was originally selected in the third round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of Norris High School in Firth, Nebraska. He was signed by Nationals Scout Ed Gustafson.

Fredericksburg Baseball is set to begin Carolina League play in 2020 at a brand new, state of the art stadium facility, located at Celebrate Virginia South on Carl D. Silver Parkway near the Fredericksburg Expo & Convention Center in Fredericksburg, VA. Stay up to date with the progress of the new ballpark facility and the team online at www.fredericksburgbaseball.com, and follow Fredericksburg Baseball on Facebook (@PotomacNationals), on Twitter (@PNats42), and on Instagram (@PNats42) until the new team name and social handles are announced on October 5th, 2019.

Check out the Potomac Nationals Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Carolina League message board...

Carolina League Stories from September 26, 2019


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central