Wire Taps: Washington Nationals announce 60-Man Player Pool for 2020 season; Nats’ prospects on list + more...

Barring any changes to their plans (and assuming they get approval from Washington, D.C. to return to Nationals Park if they haven’t already — which we don’t think they, the Nationals, have), the defending World Series champions are supposed to arrive in the nation’s capital on Wednesday (July 1st) to get tested for the coronavirus before they start working out as a group to prepare for the 2020 season on Friday (July 3rd). It’s all happening*. Go read your links...

[ed. note - “* = Things actually happening up to the coronavirus.”]

NATS BEAT:

60-Man Player Pool:

Nationals announce 60-man player pool for 2020 MLB season - (Washington Times)
"The Washington Nationals finalized their 60-player pool for the coronavirus-abridged 2020 season Sunday, which included 2019 first-round draft pick Jackson Rutledge among 22 non-roster invites."

Nats' 60-man player pool includes first-round picks Rutledge, Romero - (MASN)
"The Nationals this afternoon announced their 60-man player pool for the 2020 season and it includes 2019 first-round pick Jackson Rutledge and 2017 top draft selection Seth Romero."

Don’t expect to see prospects on Nationals’ 60-man player pool in majors this season - (NBC Sports Washington)
"Teams will open the season with 30 players on the active roster, plus a road taxi squad (of up to three players) and another pool of players left behind."

Nationals set 60-player pool for shortened season - (WaPost)
“The 60 players are the ones eligible to participate in 2020. The list is subject to change for a variety of reasons.”

Nationals announce 60-man player pool for 2020 - (MLB.com)
"In addition to [Jackson] Rutledge, the Nationals included several other top prospects in their player pool who had not been on their Spring Training roster in mid-March..."

Moar Nats Links:

Nationals' Prospect Rankings: Top 15 minor leaguers in their farm system - (NBC Sports Washington)
"No amount of success in the draft was going to change the overall outlook of their farm system, but the Nationals still put together a strong 2020 class that helped shake up their top 15 prospects list."

NATIONAL(S) BEAT:

Bacus lands spot in Nationals' 60-player pool - (qctimes.com)
"Moline’s Dakota Bacus inched his way closer toward baseball’s major leagues on Sunday."

DH doesn't shut door on pitchers hitting in 2020 - (MLB.com)
"When the A’s drafted [Sean] Doolittle as a first baseman in 2007, he might have imagined one day stepping to the plate in Oakland with the game on the line."

NL EAST UPDATES:

Phillies release OF Matt Szczur, RP Drew Storen - (NBC Sports Philadelphia)
"The Phillies made a couple of cuts ahead of Sunday’s 4 p.m. deadline for MLB teams to submit their 60-player pools of players eligible to participate in the 2020 season."

Conforto’s Italian Sunday Dinner - (New York Mets on YouTube)
"Michael Conforto talks about his Sunday dinners from his Italian upbringing."

Marlins announce player pool; 3 spots open - (MLB.com)
"The Marlins are gearing up to get back on the field, and they will have a pool of 57 players set to work out when summer camp opens at Marlins Park and the Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium complex in Jupiter, Fla."

Braves announce initial player pool for 2020 season - (AJC.com)
"The Braves have released their initial player pool for the 2020 season. These are the players who will be eligible for the Braves throughout the 60-game campaign."