Washington Nationals: Wilmer Difo the second baseman of the future

Washington Nationals infielder Wilmer Difo has the potential to become a star, and he must remain with the team long-term.

Although Daniel Murphy is entering the final year of his contract, the Washington Nationals may already have his replacement in Wilmer Difo. The 25-year-old infielder appeared in 124 games for the Nationals last season, mostly at shortstop filling in for Trea Turner.

Difo has all the makings of an All-Star infielder at either shortstop or second base, assuming he is given the opportunity. He is a sure-handed defender at multiple infield positions, which makes him an enormous asset. Despite not receiving much playing time, Difo has shown that he has the defensive capabilities to make up for the loss of Murphy if he leaves after the 2018 season.

Between 2014 and 2016, Difo was rated one of the Nationals’ top ten prospects. Defense has always been his strong suit, and he was even named the best defensive second baseman in the South Atlantic League in 2014.

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Difo’s quick release and incredible athleticism make him a threat at either middle infield position. He also has great range and the ability to read the ball off the bat, which helps keep the ball in the infield.

However, Difo’s glove is not his only asset; he is a switch-hitter with the ability to drive the ball on the right pitch. He has also improved his patience at the plate in the last two years, batting .276 and .271 in 2016 and 2017, respectively.

In 2017, Difo vastly improved as a hitter, recording 90 hits, four triples, five homers, and 21 RBIs. His base running ability is above average as well, as he stole ten bases last year.

While Wilmer Difo has only given us a small sample size of what he can do, his potential is greater with more opportunities. Putting him alongside Turner creates a lethal middle infield with speed and range.

Add in Anthony Rendon and Ryan Zimmerman, and the Nationals could have one of the best defensive infields in the MLB. If Murphy does depart in free agency, the Nationals have an equally effective defensive player already within the organization.

The key for the Nationals is holding onto Difo. With talk of trading away their prospects, Difo has to be completely off limits. Trading him and losing Murphy to free agency could create an issue with a gap at second base.

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Losing Murphy would be a big loss, but the Nats are equipped to handle it. They have the replacement in place; now they need to keep him.