Washington Nationals’ 2018 1st Round pick Mason Denaburg plays catch-up...

WASHINGTON – Mason Denaburg, 21 and a right-handed pitcher, has been limited to seven games in pro ball since he signed with the Nationals in July 2018.

MASN’s Byron Kerr reported earlier this year that Denaburg, “had a little shoulder cleanout,” this past winter, but the ‘18 1st Round draft pick was back throwing in Spring Training 1.0.

“Denaburg is rehabbing,” Washington’s GM Mike Rizzo told reporters in a mid-August Zoom.

“He’s in his throwing program,” Rizzo added. “He’s progressing in his mound progression, and we’re optimistic that he’ll be full-go by Spring Training next year.”

Right now, Denaburg is making up for lost time as part of the Instructional League roster this month in Florida.

“He has battled some injures and he had to rehab,” pitching coordinator Brad Holman told Federal Baseball from Florida. “We have kept in touch with some Zoom calls” during the shutdown.

Denaburg was drafted out of Merritt Island High in Florida by the Nationals.

He has received some personal attention from Mark Grater, the rehab pitching coordinator in player development who pitched in the majors for Detroit and St. Louis.

Grater, 56, played in college at Florida International before he was drafted by St. Louis in 1986.

“Grater drove to Orlando and watched him throw sides,” Holman said of Denaburg. “He has done a really good job with him, it is almost miraculous.”

Denaburg, a 6-foot-4 righty, pitched in seven games with four starts in the Gulf Coast League in 2019. “He is a good place,” Holman said.