District On Deck
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Washington Nationals: What to expect in Winter Meetings based on simulation

ByDrew Douglas|
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 05: General Manager Mike Rizzo of the Washington Nationals introduces Manager Dusty Baker (not pictured) at Nationals Park on November 5, 2015 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 05: General Manager Mike Rizzo of the Washington Nationals introduces Manager Dusty Baker (not pictured) at Nationals Park on November 5, 2015 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
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Trading Nick Raquet for Stephen Vogt

Considering Matt Wieters is coming off of the worst season of his career, both offensively and defensively, the Nats are going to be shopping for a catcher this off-season. Jose Lobaton is also a free agent, so they have a definite need for a catcher, whether it’s a back-up or a new starter.

In order to acquire another catcher, I traded pitching prospect Nick Raquet to the Milwaukee Brewers for Stephen Vogt. Vogt, a 33-year-old catcher, spent 2017 between the Oakland A’s and the Brewers, and put together a decent season.

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In 99 total games, Vogt owned a .233/.285/.423 slash line to go with 12 homers. While these are not great numbers, they are not bad for a back-up.

Vogt also offers a bit of defensive versatility. He is primarily a catcher, but he can also play first base and could be a corner outfielder in a pinch.

The fact that Vogt has played most of his career in Oakland could also benefit the Nats, since he caught Madson and Doolittle a lot. If they enjoyed working with Vogt, a reunion may help keep them happy and performing well.

If the Nats acquire Vogt, he could serve as a solid platoon partner with Wieters. Wieters is coming off of the worst season of his career, but a lighter workload may help him return to form.

By acquiring Vogt, I had to part ways with pitching prospect Nick Raquet. Raquet, a 21-year-old lefty, was a third round pick in the 2017 draft and spent the season with the Gulf Coast League Nats and short season single-A Auburn. In 12 starts, he pitched to a 2.36 ERA.

Next: Alex Avila a great catching target

With the Winter Meetings coming up next week, lots of rumors are sure to emerge about the Nats. We’ll have to keep an eye out and see how realistic our simulation turned out to be.

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