Fedde Readies For Next Step

WASHINGTON—The start of the 2016 season carried extra meaning for high Class A Potomac righthander Erick Fedde, who jumped to a new level in his recovery from Tommy John surgery.

Fedde had the operation just before the draft in 2014. Still, the Nationals took the Nevada-Las Vegas ace 18th overall, and he signed for $2.5 million.

He didn’t make his pro debut until last summer, when he went 5-3, 3.38 in 14 starts at short-season Auburn and low Class A Hagerstown. Fedde struck out 59 and walked 16 in 64 innings while allowing two homers.

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This spring, Fedde showed team officials he was ready to jump to the Carolina League. The organization has established a program for rehabbing pitchers from Tommy John surgery that has worked for the likes of Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann as well as No. 1 prospect Lucas Giolito.

Fedde has followed similar guidelines and is ready for an expanded workload this year.

“My arm feels completely different to where it was at the end of last year,” said Fedde, 23, after a Potomac debut in which he struck out seven and walked one while allowing three runs in 41/3 innings. “My command is 10 times better than it was last year. I’m starting to feel like my old self.”

Fedde said his slider is almost back to where it was at UNLV, when it served as what he called a “get-out-of-jail-free card.”

Fedde, who was teammates at Las Vegas High with Bryce Harper, also throws a fastball that is back in the mid-90s, a two-seamer and a changeup. A solid athlete, Fedde is able to repeat his delivery well.

“His stuff is improving across the board, and we are beginning to see what Erick is capable of,” farm director Mark Scialabba said.

CAPITAL GAINS

• Third baseman Drew Ward, back at Potomac after logging 111 games there as a 20-year-old last season, hit .435/.536/.739 with two home runs through his first 23 at-bats. He connected for those two homers on the road at Wilmington, which plays as an extreme pitcher’s park.

• Early-season postponements at Syracuse meant the team had to push back its 100th birthday celebration for former team president and World War II POW camp survivor Don Waful to a later date. Waful also will receive the “spirit of the International League” award for 2016.