Fredericksburg shortstop has been impressive in his Single-A debut …
WASHINGTON – It was a rough day for the pitchers on Wednesday afternoon down in Fredericksburg.
And it was loud as well with a crowd of more than 4,000 fans on hand – many of them young students – in a rare midweek day game.
But infielder Brady House continues to ignore the noise, both at the stadium and with all of the hype on social media about one of the top prospects for the Nationals.
House had two more hits on Wednesday and he is batting .500 in his first five games over 22 at-bats with Single-A Fredericksburg.
A first-round pick last year, House also has seven RBI this year at the low Single-A level.
He made his pro debut last year for the Florida Complex League team and his manager at both stops has been Richmond native Jake Lowery, who ended his playing career in a few games with Double-A Harrisburg in 2019.
“He has good feet and his range is very good,” Jeff Garber, who has worked with infielders for more than 10 years in Washington system, told Federal Baseball about House last season.
“He is very athletic out there with a strong, accurate arm.”
It was a rough day for the pitchers in Virginia as the farm team of the Nationals gave up 12 hits in a 13-6 loss to the Carolina Mudcats on Wednesday.
Andrew Alvarez, drafted out of Cal Poly by the Nationals in 2021, was the starting pitcher for Fredericksburg.
He went 4.2 innings and allowed five runs on five hits while striking out five with three walks.
Pedro Gonzalez, from Panama, came on out of the bullpen and went 2.1 innings and gave up three hits and one run.
It was a rough day for the second reliever for the Nationals – Orlando Ribalta.
A draft pick out of community college in Florida in the 12th round in 2019, he gave up six runs on three hits and three walks without retiring a Carolina batter.
Besides House, there were two other Fredericksburg batters who had two hits Wednesday.
That included infielder Leandro Emiliani, who is hitting .300 in his first 10 at-bats this year.
Second baseman Yoander Rivero also had two hits and is batting .500 in his first 10 at-bats this year.
The series will continue Thursday night.