Evaluating Ian Stewart’s Roster Chances

Dan Uggla and Heath Bell aren’t the only veteran players that the Nationals have signed to minor league deals. The team also inked former Rockies third baseman Ian Stewart, who spent last season with the Angels where he saw limited action. Stewart played in a mere 24 games, posting a line of .176/.222/.382 with two home runs.

Stewart, who will be only 30 in April, was originally a first round pick of the Colorado Rockies back in 2003. He showed early promise as a power hitter in the minor leagues over several years, and in 2007 he made his major league debut.

In 2008, Stewart played in 81 games for the Rockies and earned Rookie of the Month for July. He posted his best power numbers the following season when he hit 25 homers and hit .228 as the Rockies regular third baseman.

But, after holding that position through 2010, Stewart’s numbers started dropping in 2011. His power disappeared  and he spent the 2011 and 2012 campaigns splitting time between the minors and the majors before spending 2013 in AAA affiliates for the Cubs and Dodgers.

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To be blunt, it seems highly unlikely that the Nationals have found anything in Stewart. In spite of his early potential as a power hitter, he has never posted more than 25 home runs, even while playing in power-friendly Coors Field. He’s hit poorly for average and has never been great at getting on base.

Also working against Stewart will be the fact that his primary position of third base is currently occupied by one of the Nationals’ best young stars, Anthony Rendon. Stewart has logged a little time (33 games) over his career playing second base, but he hardly seems like an upgrade, even over Danny Espinosa. Add Dan Uggla to the mix, and Stewart’s chances get even worse.

There’s also the outfield to consider, since Stewart’s also played both corner spots, but Stewart taking away playing time from any of the three starters (Span, Werth, and Harper) or unseating McLouth as the fourth outfielder seems just as unlikely as the previous options.

Overall, the signing of Ian Stewart, who once looked like a good power hitting prospect, doesn’t look to mean much for the Nationals. If he can somehow find the stroke that made him a first round draft pick, the Nats will have found a diamond in the rough, but it’s  more likely that Stewart will be no more than a minor league player or temporary fill-in if the Nationals are ravaged by injury.

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