Nats reach deal with Dominican Franco

The Nationals have come to an agreement with international free agent Anderson Franco, an athletic 16-year-old who projects as a powerful right-handed hitter with a strong arm from third base. According to a baseball source, the deal is worth $900,000.

Franco, a native of the Dominican Republic, was ranked No. 16 on MLB.com's international prospects list and was the highest-ranked player still available. Thursday marked Franco's 16th birthday, the milestone that allows a team to sign him.

Franco is 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds. He's the first top-30 international prospect the Nationals have signed this year.