Nationals announce Minor League award winners

The Washington Nationals named outfielder Daniel Johnson their 2017 Minor League Player of the Year, right-handed pitcher Wander Suero their 2017 Minor League Pitcher of the Year, and catcher Raudy Read as the recipient of the fifth-annual Bob Boone Award. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo, Vice President & Senior Advisor to the GM Bob Boone, Assistant General Manager & Vice President, Player Personnel Doug Harris and Director of Player Development Mark Scialabba made the announcements.
Johnson, 22, enjoyed a breakout season in 2017, hitting .298 with 29 doubles, four triples, 22 home runs, 72 RBI, 35 walks, 22 stolen bases and 83 runs scored in 130 games between Single-A Hagerstown and Single-A Potomac. Johnson ranked among Washington Nationals farmhands in home runs (3rd, 22), RBI (5th, 72) and stolen bases (4th, 22). Among full-season players, Johnson's .298 batting average was good for third in Washington's system. His .505 slugging percentage was good for eighth among all Single-A players, combined, and his .861 OPS was 10th.
Johnson began his second professional season with Single-A Hagerstown before a promotion to Single-A Potomac on July 23. For his efforts in 88 games with the Hagerstown Suns, Johnson was named a mid-season and post-season All-Star while also earning South Atlantic League Player of the Week honors on June 25. Johnson paced the South Atlantic League in many offensive categories during his stay with the Suns, and his 17 home runs in South Atlantic League play were ultimately tied for the second-most in the league during the 2017 season.
A native of Vallejo, CA, Johnson was one of just 10 players in all of Minor League Baseball (one of four at the Single-A level) to record at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases. Moreover, he was one of just two players in Minor League Baseball - and the only player at the Single-A level - to record a season with at least 29 doubles, 22 home runs and 22 stolen bases.
Johnson was selected in the fifth round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of New Mexico State University and was signed by Nationals scout Mitch Sokol.
Suero, 26, paced Washington's Minor League system with 20 saves while going 3-2 with a 1.79 ERA (13 ER/65.1 IP) and 65 strikeouts in 54 games between Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Syracuse. He began the season with the Harrisburg Senators before he was promoted to the Syracuse Chiefs on June 2. Suero did not allow an earned run in 47 of his 54 games between the two clubs and surrendered just three home runs during the 2017 season. His 20 saves were tied for 11th in all of Minor League Baseball.
In his final 14 appearances prior to his promotion to Triple-A, Suero pitched to a 0.53 ERA (1 ER/17.0 IP), recorded 18 strikeouts, and two walks, and was 9-for-9 in save opportunities. He capped his 2017 season in similar fashion, going 2-0 with seven saves and a 0.39 ERA (1 ER/23.0 IP) in 19 games for the Chiefs from July 17 through the end of the season. He struck out 18 batters and did not allow a home run during that stretch.
A native of Sabana Larga, Dominican Republic, Suero signed with the Nationals on Feb. 2, 2010 as a non-drafted free agent. He was signed by Nationals scout Modesto Ulla.
Read, 23, spent the entire Minor League season with Double-A Harrisburg where he hit .265 with 25 doubles, one triple, 17 home runs, 61 RBI, 27 walks and 44 runs scored in a career-high 108 games. He also set career marks in home runs (17) and RBI (61). His .455 slugging percentage was good for third among Eastern League catchers in 2017. Known for his strong defensive skills, Read threw out 30.6% (22-for-72) of would-be base stealers for Harrisburg.
Read's strong 2017 season earned him a promotion to the Major Leagues when rosters expanded on Sept. 1. He recorded his first Major League hit on Sept. 4 at Miami and made his first MLB start on Sept. 9 vs. Philadelphia. In seven games for the Nationals, Read is 3-for-10 (.300) with a run scored.
Signed by the Nationals as a non-drafted free agent on Jan. 24, 2011, Read is a native of San Jose de Ocoa, Dominican Republic. He was signed by Nationals scout Moises de la Mota.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS ORGANIZATIONAL AWARD WINNERS
2017: OF Daniel Johnson (Player of the Year), RHP Wander Suero (Pitcher of the Year), C Raudy Read (Boone)
2016: 1B Jose Marmolejos (Player of the Year), RHP Reynaldo Lopez (Pitcher of the Year), OF Rafael Bautista (Boone)
2015: 1B Jose Marmolejos (Player of the Year), RHP Austin Voth (Pitcher of the Year), RHP Austen Williams (Boone)
2014: OF Steven Souza Jr. (Player of the Year), RHP Lucas Giolito (Pitcher of the Year), INF Wilmer Difo (Boone)
2013: OF Billy Burns (Player of the Year), RHP Taylor Jordan (Pitcher of the Year), 2B Tony Renda (Boone)
2012: INF Matthew Skole (Player of the Year), RHP Nathan Karns (Pitcher of the Year)
2011: INF Steve Lombardozzi (Player of the Year), RHP Brad Peacock (Pitcher of the Year)
2010: OF Tyler Moore (Player of the Year), LHP Tom Milone (Pitcher of the Year)
2009: C Derek Norris (Player of the Year), RHP Brad Meyers (Pitcher of the Year)
2008: OF Leonard Davis (Player of the Year), RHP Jordan Zimmermann (Pitcher of the Year)
2007: OF Justin Maxwell (Player of the Year), LHP John Lannan (Pitcher of the Year)
2006: INF Kory Casto (Player of the Year), RHP Zechry Zinicola (Pitcher of the Year)
2005: INF Kory Casto (Player of the Year), LHP Michael O'Connor (Pitcher of the Year)