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Washington Nationals first round pick Lucas Giolito scheduled for Tommy John surgery

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Lucas Giolito, the Washington Nationals first round pick (No. 16 overall) in the 2012 draft, will indeed need ligament replacement surgery (Tommy John), as reported by Amanda Comak of The Washington Times. Giolito was examined by Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles on Wednesday and Yocum, the same surgeon who performed the procedure on Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann, confirmed the original diagnosis that the 18-year-old right-hander’s torn ulnar collateral ligament required surgery. Giolito made one appearance for the Gulf Coast Nationals, pitching two innings, but complained of the same pain he experienced as a high school senior, cutting that season off after just a game and a half. Giolito, 6'6", 230, regularly hit 100 as a prep, but now his path as a pro will follow that of Jordan Zimmermann, Stephen Strasburg and Sammy Solis as high Nats draft picks to undergo the procedure.