He gets to the ballpark early to work on his hitting and catching, sticking with a routine he rarely varies from -- Freitas wants to prepare himself for whatever could happen in a game. He doesn't want to get caught by surprise.

"He's got his routine almost down to a science," Potomac manager Brian Rupp said. "I think it helps him a lot."

Freitas hits off a tee and checks out information on opposing hitters, especially if it's at the start of a series. He'll also stretch and then take batting practice. About one hour before the game, Freitas begins stretching to get ready for catching the game.

This is a routine he's developed over time and is working again this season. He's hitting .295 with three homers and 18 RBIs and has been one of Potomac's top players while also preparing himself for bigger things.

"I don't want to forget something," Freitas said. "They say the game is 90 percent mental. I honestly feel it's 100 percent for me."

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound Wilton, Calif., native believes strongly in working on all of his skills each day. But he's trying to improve and test himself -- something he'll often do when taking batting practice.

Instead of just going up to the cage and swinging, Freitas will make himself think that it's a certain situation. Like if there's runners on and he should hit to the right side, how should that be handled on this swing?

"Staying with that same schedule ... helps me feel ready for every game," Freitas said.

Freitas also gives a lot of credit to his mother, Cheryl Hogge, who boasts a similar personality. He talks to her after every game. His mother also made sure that Freitas never missed a game or a practice growing up.

While playing in high school, if Freitas struggled, his mother would tell him things like, "Even Albert Pujols goes 0-for-3." And that would make Freitas see the whole picture.

Freitas played a lot of first base and pitched in high school but eventually shifted to a full-time catcher in junior college and at the University of Hawaii. He'll still play other positions at times -- he helped at first base recently -- but catching is the full-time job.

The shift hasn't hurt him at all. The Nationals picked him in the 15th round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, and he hit .307 and .288 in his first two Minor League seasons the last two years, earning mid-season All-Star honors each time.

And it's a safe bet that his work-filled routine helps a lot.

"There's not a lot of idle time there," Rupp said. "He's preparing himself for higher levels."

No-hitter: Nicholas Tepesch and Jimmy Reyes combined on a no-hitter Saturday for Myrtle Beach in a 3-0 victory over Wilmington. Tepesch (2-3) struck out nine in 7 1/3 innings befre Reyes earned the final five outs for his first save.

A shared effort: The Carolina Mudcats got plenty of offense in last Friday's 12-5 victory over Potomac. Every player in the lineup got at least one hit, and seven finished with at least two -- a big reason Carolina ended up with 18 hits.

A bit hit: Winston-Salem continues to ride the league's best offense. The Dash, fighting for first place in the Southern Division, had a .282 team batting average through Monday, tops in the Carolina League. Winston-Salem also boasts a league-best 232 runs scored.