The 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft starts tonight at 7, and you can catch it live on the MLB Network, if you have that already. The Nationals have a few early picks, and good opportunity to help themselves going forward.
Their first pick is the sixth overall. This is the first time in two years that the Nationals aren't picking first overall, and it just so happens to be the first time in two years that a super prospect like Stephen Strasburg or Bryce Harper on the board, so that's convenient.
Their next pick is later in the first round at 23, compensation for the Chicago White Sox signing Adam Dunn (retribution!). The Nationals can still get a real impact player here if they are willing to take a risk on a guy who might have some signability issues. They have shown in the past that signability isn't an issue for them, and that they are willing to throw some cash at these young players. If they do it again, they could get a pretty good player here.
The Nationals also have the 34th overall pick in the Draft, which is also compensation for the Adam Dunn signing. That pick is part of what is known as the sandwich round pf picks that comes between rounds one and two. This is a round that is made up of completely compensatory picks. After that, the Nationals will have the sixth pick in every round from 2-50.