The Washington Nationals promoted top prospect Anthony Rendon to Double-A Harrisburg Tuesday morning, ending the 22-year-old’s stay in Single-A Potomac after just nine games.
Rendon, who suffered a right ankle fracture in just his second professional game, spent much of his first season in the Nationals’ organization rehabbing the injury. After a rehab assignment that took him through the Gulf Coast League and short-season Single-A, Rendon re-joined Single-A Potomac on Aug. 7. Now he’s on his way to Harrisburg.
In nine games at Single-A this season, Rendon hit .438 with two doubles and three triples. Including his rehab assignments, Rendon is hitting .423 with 11 extra-base hits this season.
Rendon was the No. 6 overall selection in the 2011 draft and the Nationals signed him to a major league deal last August that put him on the team’s 40-man roster. He drew rave reviews in spring training as teammates, coaches and officials marveled at his sweet swing.
If not for the injury, as the Nationals go into the stretch run in a pennant race, Rendon may have been a September call-up. While that is unlikely as he’s played just 22 professional games to this point, the promotion could be an indication of a different kind of move.
It seems extremely likely the Nationals will send Rendon to the Arizona Fall League and having him at a level above Class A makes that easier.
Rendon was supposed to attend the top prospect league in 2011 as a taxi squad member but was still working his throwing arm into shape at that point so the Nationals sent infielder Zach Walters instead. Walters was recently promoted to Triple-A.
• Amanda Comak can be reached at acomak@washingtontimes.com.
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