Today, the Washington Nationals announced a handful of moves, including selecting the contracts of Zach Brzykcy, Cole Henry, DJ Herz, and Mitchell Parker.

RHP Zach Brzykcy signed with the Washington Nationals as a non-drafted free agent out of Virginia Tech following the 2020 First-Year Player Draft; Brzykcy missed the 2023 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in April.  In 2022, RHP Zach Brzykcy had a record of  8–2 with 14 saves and a 1.76 ERA in 51 games across three levels of Washington’s minor league system.

Zach ranked second in the organization with 14 saves and ranked among all Minor League pitchers (min. 60.0 IP) in opponents’ batting average (3rd, .157), ERA (5th, 1.76), and strikeouts per 9.0 innings (14th, 13.94). Brzykcy was the only pitcher in all of Minor League Baseball with at least 14 saves and eight wins in 2022.

RHP Cole Henry, 24,  pitched to a 3.29 ERA, a .189 opponents’ batting average, 1.02 walks/hits per inning pitched, and 11.30 strikeouts per 9.0 innings in 34 games across his three professional seasons. Henry has recorded 141 strikeouts with 39 walks in 112.0 innings pitched since making his debut in 2021. Henry was selected in the second round of the 2020 First-Year Player Draft out of Louisiana State University.

Herz, 22, went 3–3 with a 3.43 ERA in 22 starts between Double-A Tennessee and Double-A Harrisburg in 2023. He ranked third in all of Double-A and 13th in all of Minor League Baseball (min. 90.0 IP) with a .196 opponents’ batting average. His 133 strikeouts in 94.1 innings pitched ranked second among all Double-A left-handed pitchers. He was acquired by the Nationals along with shortstop Kevin Made from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Jeimer Candelario on July 31, 2023.

In 2022, DJ Herz tied for the lead in Chicago’s Minor League system with 141 strikeouts in 95.1 innings pitched between High-A South Bend and Double-A Tennessee. He was named Chicago’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2021 after leading the system with 131 strikeouts.

2023 ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE: Updated look at the Nationals Prospects

Richard • Oct 16, 2023

With about a month’s worth of games left to play in the Arizona Fall League, the Nationals affiliate team, the Scottsdale Scorpions, sit in third place with a 6-4-1 record. The Washington Nationals prospects on this year’s team: RHP Jack Sinclair, RHP

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Additionally, Herz is coming off an Arizona Fall League season in which he went 1–0 with a 3.71 ERA in five starts, earning him a spot as an Arizona Fall League Fall Star. He also tied for third in the league with 25 strikeouts.

Additionally, the Washington Nationals announced that they are  designating for assignment Cory Abbott and Dominic Smith.

The Nationals also granted unconditional release to Andrés Machado.

Their roster is now at 40.

More to come…

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