The Nationals have signed top 2011 draft pick Anthony Rendon to a four-year, $7.2-million major-league contract with a club option for a fifth year.
As they did each of the previous three years with first-round picks Aaron Crow (2008), Stephen Strasburg (2009) and Bryce Harper (2010), the negotiations came down to the final minutes before the midnight Tuesday signing deadline. But Washington general manager Mike Rizzo again came to a last-minute agreement with Scott Boras, the advisor for Rendon as well as Harper and Strasburg before him. Crow was the only one of the three who chose not to sign and re-entered the draft the following year.
That adds the consensus best college hitter to the organization. Rendon, a 21-year-old third baseman from Rice University, was long expected to be the No. 1 pick in a deep draft on June 6. But plagued by a sore shoulder and two serious right ankle injuries – torn ligaments in 2009 and a broken bone in 2010 – Rendon dropped to No. 6, where the Nats happily chose him.
“This just solidifies us as one of the great scouting and player development organizations in baseball,” said Rizzo, who signed each of his top five draft picks on Monday and his first 13 overall. “We feel really good about ourselves tonight and I think you’re going to see the fruits of the [scouting department’s] labor in the very near future and for many, many years to come.”
Washington, of course, already has a third baseman in star Ryan Zimmerman. No matter. Rendon will start at third in the minors next year, according to Rizzo, and can always switch positions later, if needed. For now, he is expected to head to Viera, Fla so the organization can determine if he’s ready to play some late-season minor league games.
“We think [Rendon is] athletic enough to play several different positions,” Rizzo said in June. “We feel that he has gold-glove caliber defensive skills at third base. We’re going to see where and when we have to make a decision on that. What we think we have is a very polished, accomplished college hitter.”
Rendon’s sore shoulder limited him mostly to designated hitter with Rice in 2011. But the Nats did extensive research on his medical history, Rizzo said, and the 6-foot-1, 190-pounder passed a team physical. He did not need surgery this summer. Washington’s doctors saw him and cleared him and Dr. Lewis Yocum, a renowned Los Angeles-based orthopaedic specialist, did so as well. Nats officials met with Rendon and his family during the team’s trip to Los Angeles in late July to play the Dodgers.
Rendon’s approach at the plate is professional. He gets on base at a high clip (.520 on-base percentage as a junior) and has a fine batting eye (NCAA-best 80 walks in 2011). His pitch recognition is considered elite with just 33 strikeouts as a junior.
Rizzo also said Rendon uses the whole field with a balanced swing, possesses a line-drive stroke and has raw power – though his shoulder issues may have limited him to just six homers in his final year with the Owls. Rendon won the Dick Howser Trophy, awarded to the nation’s top collegiate baseball player, as a sophomore in 2010 after hitting .394 with a career-high 26 home runs and 85 RBI.
A native of Houston, Texas, Rendon hit .371 (253-for-682) with 46 doubles, 52 home runs, 194 RBI and 176 walks in 187 career games at Rice. He also posted an on-base percentage of .505. In 63 games in 2011, Rendon batted .327 with a career-best 20 doubles. He is expected to start next season at either low-A Hagerstown or high-A Potomac.
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