Nationals select Sammy Solis, Michael Taylor and Aaron Barrett

The Washington Nationals today selected the contracts of left-handed pitcher Sammy Solis, outfielder Michael Taylor and right-handed pitcher Aaron Barrett. The club also designated left-handed pitcher Fernando Abad and left-handed pitcher Tyler Robertson for assignment. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements.

The Nationals' second-round selection in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft (University of San Diego), Solis recently led the hitter-friendly Arizona Fall League in wins (5) and strikeouts (29) en route to a 2.17 ERA in seven starts/29.0 innings. Solis, 25, is 10-4 with a 3.20 ERA in 33 games/32 starts spanning three professional seasons. Solis was recently rated by industry-insider Baseball America as the Nationals' No. 6 prospect. 

The 22-year-old Taylor hit .263 with a career-high 57 extra-base hits (41 doubles, six triples, 10 home runs), 87 RBI and 51 stolen bases in 133 games this season with Potomac of the Single-A Carolina League. Taylor's RBI and stolen base totals ranked second among Nationals farmhands and earned him a spot on the Carolina League's post-season All-Star team. Regarded as the Nationals' top defensive outfield prospect, Baseball America recently rated Taylor as Washington's No. 7 prospect and the system's "top athlete." He was the Nationals' sixth-round pick in the 2009 Draft (Westminster Academy, Fort Lauderdale, FL). Taylor is currently leading the Puerto Rican Winter League with a 1.042 OPS (.381 AVG/.441 OBP/.595 SLG).

A power righthander out of the bullpen, Barrett fanned 12.3 batters per 9.0 innings this season for Harrisburg. Barrett's 26 saves ranked second in both the Eastern League and Washington's system and he earned a spot on the Eastern League's mid-season All-Star team. Baseball America credited the 25-year-old Barrett with the system's "best slider" (some label the pitch a power curve). Barrett was the Nationals' ninth-round selection in the '10 First-Year Player Draft (University of Mississippi).

Abad, 27, posted a 3.35 ERA in 39 games for the Nationals in 2013. He signed with the Nationals as a minor-league free agent on January 15, 2013.  

The 25-year-old Robertson fashioned four wins, two saves and a 3.04 ERA in 47 Triple-A International League games/one start for Syracuse and Rochester in 2012. He was claimed off waivers from the Twins on June 7, 2013.