Washington Nationals' Cole Kimball Claimed Off Waivers By Toronto Blue Jays, Corey Brown Outrighted To Triple-A.

A strong showing in the Arizona Fall League in 2010 set then-25-year-old '06 12th Round pick Cole Kimball up for a big year in 2011. The hard-throwing Brooklyn, NY-born right-hander had an (8-1) record and a 2.17 ERA, 39 walks (4.46 BB/9) and 101 K's (11.56 K/9) in 78.2 IP between Class-A Potomac and Double-A Harrisburg in 2010 then went out to the AFL and walked just two, striking out 15 and allowing just one run in 11 games and 12.0 IP. Kimball was reportedly so excited to start the 2011 season that he couldn't sleep the night before pitchers and catchers were scheduled to report, so, as the Nats' PR department on Twitter (@NationalsPR) wrote back in February, he decided to just go to the Nats' training facilities at 5:00 a.m. that first day.

Though he impressed everyone who watched him pitch, Kimball didn't make the Nats' roster out of Spring Training. Sent to Triple-A Syracuse, Kimball walked eight (5.27 BB/9) and K'd 14 (9.22 K/9) in 12 games and 13.2 scoreless innings pitched, going (1-0) with a 0.00 ERA, 2.91 FIP, .229 BABIP and .163 BAA. The right-hander was called up to replace Rule 5 pick Brian Broderick on the roster and after making his MLB debut on May 14, Kimball appeared in 12 games and 14.0 IP over which he allowed eight hits, three runs and eleven walks while recording eleven K's.

Kimball was placed on the 15-Day DL in the second week of June with what was described then as "right shoulder inflammation." Kimball later admitted his shoulder had bothered him since April. He would eventually undergo season-ending surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder. Kimball was claimed off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays this afternoon. The Nationals also announced that they'd outrighted outfielder Corey Brown to Triple-A Syracuse, clearing out two more spaces on their 40-Man roster before they have to have it set this Thursday at midnight.