Washington Nationals principal owner Mark Lerner, right, shakes hands with pitcher Drew Storen, the team's first-round draft pick and 10th pick overall in the baseball draft during a news conference at Nationals Stadium in Washington, on Wednesday, June 10, 2009. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Updated: Thursday, 11 Jun 2009, 7:07 PM EDT
Published : Wednesday, 10 Jun 2009, 11:03 PM EDT
WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) - The Washington Nationals signed Brownsburg native Drew Storen to a deal worth more than $1.5 million on Wednesday, a day after selecting him with the 10th pick in the draft.
Storen was 7-1 with seven saves and a 3.80 ERA during his sophomore season at Stanford. The Nationals assigned him to Class A Hagerstown.
"His goals and aspirations matched up with our time frame and he wanted to get out and sign right away," acting general manager Mike Rizzo said.
Storen was the Nationals' second pick in Tuesday's draft. Washington selected San Diego State right-hander Stephen Strasburg with the No. 1 overall pick.
Storen cited Strasburg as one of the reasons he was happy to join the Nationals, and said he was excited to start pitching again. He warmed up for his professional career with a ceremonial first pitch before Washington's game against Cincinnati on Wednesday night.
"I just wanted to get going," Storen said. "I miss playing."
Storen has a childhood connection to the Nationals franchise. While growing up in Indiana, he was a batboy for the Montreal Expos when they played at Cincinnati. He kept following the team after it moved to Washington in 2005.
"I've always been a Nationals fan," he said.
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