Steve Mortimer
Mortimer leads the Carolina League with 40 RBIs entering play yesterday and is second in the circuit with 12 homers. Mortimer broke his left hand and hit .224 with six homers and 23 RBIs in 60 games last season.
Mortimer, 25, concentrated mostly on football at Washington State, but he signed a free agent contract with the Nationals in 2003.
Right-hander
Clint Everts
continues to struggle in his return from ligament replacement surgery on his right elbow.Washington's first-round pick in 2002 missed parts of 2004 and 2005 because of the surgery and is still trying to recover what made him the fifth overall pick--ahead of high school teammate Scott Kazmir.
Everts has lost his last six decisions with Single-A Potomac, and in 42 innings, he has a 5.53 ERA, has walked 26 batters and given up 48 hits.
Darnell McDonald
continues to feast on International League pitching. The Triple-A outfielder is tied for the league lead with 65 hits and he ranks third in the IL with a .342 batting average.The Nationals signed 2006 draft pick
Brad Peacock
shortly before the right-handed pitcher would've been eligible to re-enter Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft Wednesday.Peacock was taken in the 41st round of last year's draft out of Palm Beach (Fla.) High School. Because he attended Palm Beach Community College, the Nationals retained negotiating rights until Wednesday.
--Todd Jacobson