Spring Training Report on Whitesell

There was a little write up today on the Washington Nationals site about Josh Whitesell. With Dmitri Young and Nick Johnson a head of Whitesell on the depth chart, it seems as though Josh will be starting the season in Columbus. Here is what the article had to say:

On the move: The odds of first baseman Josh Whitesell being put on the 25-man roster are slim, but he already is showing the Nationals that he is making progress in the Minor Leagues. Last year was arguably Whitesell's best season. He hit .284 with a career high 24 home runs and a .425 on-base percentage for Harrisburg.

Going into that season, Whitesell, 25, had a reputation of being a mediocre first baseman, but he cut down on his errors and was named the Eastern League's best defensive first baseman in a survey conducted by Baseball America.

A sixth-round pick in the 2003 First-Year Player Draft, Whitesell said maturity is the reason everything clicked for him last season.

"I put in all the hard work on offense and defense. It really started to pay off," Whitesell said. "I feel more comfortable out there. I feel [like] more of a professional. I was able to take a professional at-bat every time."

The Nationals rewarded Whitesell by putting him on the 40-man roster last fall. "I was pleased. It was a promotion for a new job. It is something I have been working toward since being drafted," he said. "I want to continue to work hard and try to make the big league club.

Source: washington nationals