With less than two weeks remaining to sign second-round draft pick Sean Black, the Nationals remain "far apart" in negotiations with the high school right-hander, according to general manager Jim Bowden.
However, the stalled talks have done nothing to dampen the organization's enthusiasm over its haul in the draft, a high-priced gamble that has paid off in a collection of high-ceiling prep players flooding the team's once-barren farm system.
"We've really hit all the highlights of all the things going into the draft that the team wanted to achieve," said Mike Rizzo, the Nationals' vice president for baseball operations. "I think we've achieved greatly. We're very excited with the state of the organization since the middle of June."
Tasked with rebuilding the team's minor league system by the Lerner family, the team's new owners, Washington's player development department may have even overachieved.
Even without signing Black, who will be under Washington's control until he attends class at Seton Hall University Sept. 5, the Nationals signed seven of their first eight draft picks, including several at-risk players like Black. The Nationals took third-rounder Stephen King and fourth-rounder Glenn Gibson later than the players were expected to be drafted and knowing they would be tough to sign.
It hasn't come cheap.
The Nationals have invested close to $6 million in signing bonuses on five draftees and one 16-year-old free agent: outfielder Chris Marrero ($1.625 million), right-hander Colton Willems ($1.425 million), outfielder Stephen Englund ($515,000), King ($750,000) and Dominican shortstop Esmailyn Gonzalez ($1.4 million).
Terms for Gibson's signing bonus were not revealed, though the 121st pick has received an average bonus of $267,000 the last three years, according to Baseball America.
"We all feel this is a pivotal time in the organization," Rizzo said. "You build things from the ground up and it's an exciting time, a time to build the foundation the right way for sustained success."
Early returns on the group of draftees has been mixed, but Rizzo said the influx of talent from the draft and trades--right-handers Garrett Mock and Shairon Martis and left-hander Matt Chico were acquired in July and immediately bolster the pitching corps--has already started to affect depth in the minor leagues.
"We've really created much more depth in our minor league system and a good stable of good young prospects who would rank high in just about any organization's prospect rankings," Rizzo said.
From the draft, sixth-rounder Zechry Zinicola has been the fastest riser, and months removed from Arizona State, the reliever is pitching well at Double-A Harrisburg.
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