Warming Bernabel didn’t come to D.C. with much buzz, but he might bring more to the table than expected.
The Nationals signed the 23-year-old corner infielder, listed at 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, to a minor league deal with a spring training invite. This gives him a chance to compete for a spot on a roster that still needs help at the corners.
First signed by the Rockies organization out of the Dominican Republic as an international free agent, Bernabel spent his entire career with Colorado before hitting free agency this offseason. In 75 games with Triple-A Albuquerque this year, he hit .301 with an .806 OPS, showing strong contact skills. His path hasn’t been easy. In addition to recurring back injuries, he even recovered from gunshot wounds after being caught in the crossfire of a robbery attempt in the Dominican Republic. That resilience and his Triple-A performance helped him earn a late-July call-up to Colorado.
His debut was impossible to ignore. His unique first name grabbed headlines, but it was his red-hot start at the plate that truly put him on the map. In his first week in the big leagues, Bernabel went 14-for-28 with three home runs and seven extra-base hits, earning National League Player of the Week honors. According to OptaSTATS, he became just the second player since 1900 to record at least 14 hits and eight extra-base hits through his first seven games. The only other player to do it was Mitchell Page in 1977.
After Bernabel’s explosive start, the bat went quiet. He hit just .189 the rest of the way and missed time with a concussion. He finished the season hitting .252 with four home runs and a .698 OPS over 40 games. His advanced metrics underwhelmed across the board, which likely played a role in the Rockies’ decision to move on. They outrighted him after the season, and he elected free agency. He’ll now be in Nationals camp with a chance to earn his way back.
There are a few things that make this an interesting fit.
First, the Nationals need help at the corners. They moved on from Nathaniel Lowe in August and let Josh Bell walk in free agency. Andrés Chaparro and Luis García Jr. are on the depth chart at first base, but neither is a lock to stick there. Brady House remains under development and hasn’t shown enough offensively to fully take over third. That leaves both spots as potential question marks heading into spring training.
Second, Bernabel brings a skill set that could fill a need for hitting. He doesn’t strike out much, with a rate hovering around 13 percent, which is rare. He hit well in Triple-A last year and has shown he can handle a variety of pitching. But he also chases off the plate and doesn’t walk much, which drags down his on-base percentage. And while he makes plenty of contact, the power hasn’t fully come through yet. He hit 14 home runs in 2022, but that stands as his only double-digit homer season.
Still, he’s young and not a finished product. The Nationals' analytically minded hitting staff will likely focus on helping him improve his pitch selection and unlock more power. The Nats will be watching a few key areas: can he continue to make contact without expanding the strike zone as much? Can he draw a few more walks or find ways to boost his on-base percentage? And can he drive the ball with enough authority to be a threat at a power position? That’s something to keep an eye on this spring.
The most likely role for Bernabel, if he makes the team, would be as a bench corner infielder. Someone who can give the club right-handed depth and cover both first and third. The Nationals are thin at both spots, two of the weakest positions on the roster. If Bernabel hits, he could blaze a path to even more playing time, especially at first base.
If he doesn’t win a job out of camp, he’ll likely start the year at Triple-A Rochester and stay on standby as injury or performance depth. He still has minor league options, giving the Nationals flexibility. And if things click, he could turn into a controllable piece for the next few years.
The roster math works in his favor. The Nationals haven’t signed a proven first baseman, and unless that changes soon, Bernabel will head to West Palm Beach with a real shot. It will come down to how he looks in camp, whether he shows better selectivity at the plate and whether his contact holds up.
Odds are that he does enough to make the Opening Day roster. He fits as a depth piece at first base and could carve out a role if things break right. The Nationals need help at the corners, and this is the kind of low-risk, high-upside swing that makes sense for a rebuilding team. At just 23 years old, Bernabel already has proven he can hit at Triple-A. And he had a record-setting debut week in the majors. With a new and young coaching staff in place, he’ll have a chance to take another step forward.
No one will hand Bernabel anything, but the opportunity exists. If he takes it, the Nationals might have just found something.