GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Furman pitcher Mason Smith has signed a free agent contract with the Washington Nationals, the club confirmed Thursday.

Smith, a 6-foot-5, 225-pound right-hander from Columbia, S.C., has joined the Nationals’ Gulf Coast Rookie League (GCL) squad in Viera, Fla., in preparation for the team’s Friday season opener against the GCL Cardinals.

This past spring Smith posted a 5-4 record with a 4.05 earned run average. In 18 appearances, which included 16 starts, he threw 73 1/3 innings and allowed 85 hits and 33 earned runs.  He struck out 54 and surrendered 25 walks.  Opponents hit .287 against him.

Smith helped Furman record a school record 33 wins in 2008 as part of a 33-24 campaign that also included 17-10, third place Southern Conference regular season finish.

The Dreher High School product graduated from Furman in May with a degree in political science.

Smith is the second Paladin to sign a professional contract this spring. Earlier this month Jay Jackson signed with the Chicago Cubs after being selected in the ninth round of the 2008 Major League Draft.  Jackson is now with the Cubs’ Northwest Rookie League Boise Hawks.

Furman now has five former players in professional baseball.  In addition the Smith and Jackson, former Paladins in the professional ranks include right-handed pitcher Tom Mastny of the Triple A International League Buffalo Bison (Cleveland), right-handed pitcher Matt Klinker with Single A Midwest League Dayton Dragons (Cincinnati), and catcher Tony Maccani of the Single A South Atlantic League Savannah Sand Gnats (New York Mets).