Nationals pick 3B Rendon of Rice at No 6 in draft

WASHINGTON  Well, that was familiar. The Washington Nationals proudly announced they had selected a college third baseman, boasting that he is an accomplished hitter who can win Gold Gloves. They say it shouldn't be long before he's in the majors.

Just like Ryan Zimmerman six years ago.

The Nationals chose Anthony Rendon with the No. 6 overall pick in the baseball draft Monday. They really didn't have much choice — there were six players considered head and shoulders above the rest, and the junior from Rice was the last of the six still available.

"I think he will be quick to the big leagues," general manager Mike Rizzo said.

Rendon, drafted on the day he turned 21, won the Howser Trophy as the nation's top amateur player last year, when he hit .394 with 26 home runs and 85 RBIs as a sophomore, but injuries and antsy pitchers left him idle for much of this season. He drew a Division I-leading 80 walks while batting .327 with six home runs and 37 RBIs for the Owls in 2011, and two ankle surgeries and a strained shoulder limited him mostly to the designated hitter role.

Rizzo said the Nationals painstakingly checked Rendon's medical reports but will "probably be very cautious" with him initially.

"Our medical staff has cleared his health," Rizzo said.

Rizzo said Rendon will start off in Class A as a third baseman, despite the apparent roadblock at the position in the name of Zimmerman, the current face of the franchise.

"Right now we feel that third base is his position," Rizzo said. "We evaluate him as a Gold Glove-caliber defensive guy at third base. We're going to delay that decision until he gets to the big leagues and establishes himself here, and we'll make those decisions down the road."

As expected, the Nationals went for pitching in their next selection, taking Kentucky junior Alex Meyer at No. 23.

Meyer was considered to be a top 15 pick, sporting a mid-90s fastball that can get up to 100 mph, not to mention a solid slider and changeup to go along with an intimidating, 6-foot-9 mound presence. The right-hander went 7-5 with a 2.94 ERA for the Wildcats this year, but his 46 walks are evidence he needs more work on his mechanics and control.

"This guy is a tweak away from being a front-of-the-rotation guy," Rizzo said.

At No. 34, Washington took outfielder Brian Goodwin, who batted .382 this year for Miami Dade College, where he transferred after facing academic suspension at North Carolina. The Nationals see him as a leadoff hitter playing center field.

For the first time in three years, the Nationals went into draft day unsure of their selection. They went first in 2009 and 2010, selecting Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper. This year they had three picks in the top 34, having been given two compensatory selections for losing free agent Adam Dunn.

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