When spring training began, there seemed to only be one starting spot in the lineup that was up for grabs. Now that Paul DeJong appears to have won the third base job with relative ease, that presumably leaves only one bench role open for competition.
Incumbent backups Riley Adams and Alex Call have a firm grip as the top catcher and outfielder, respectively, off the bench, and Amed Rosario was presumably promised a utility reserve role at worst when he signed with the Nationals. That equals 12 position players who are nearly guaranteed to crack the Opening Day roster, assuming they stay healthy. So, who is number 13?
The Good News
First and foremost, the Nationals are positioned well from the perspective of player retention. Aside from Adams and Rosario, who I believe are both almost certainly above the cut line, every player competing for a bench spot has at least one minor league option year remaining. Therefore, there isn't anyone who would have to be exposed to waivers if they don't deserve a roster spot. And on the flip side, there aren't players who will make the roster undeservingly because the Nationals fear exposing them to waivers.
They also have the luxury of having lots of players with positional versatility. Jose Tena and Nasim Nunez can play three infield positions, Trey Lipcomb can seemingly play all four spots, and Darren Baker can play a strong second base or slide to the outfield. Even someone like Juan Yepez can move from first base to left field in a pinch. If we want to include Robert Hassell III in this discussion -although I've discussed why I don't think he belongs in it - he's either solid or above average at all three outfield positions.
The Bad News
The only downside is most of the bench options have very little big league experience. Aside from Rosario, who has recorded more than 3700 plate appearances in the majors, none of the other candidates have as many as 700 (essentially the equivalent of one full season for an everyday starter). Interestingly enough, although tangential, that statement is also true for all three of the team's starting outfielders.
Among the aforementioned group, Call, Adams and Yepez are the elder statesmen, which along with how well they are hitting this spring is part of why the former two are likely roster locks. But aside from them, the cupboard is bare. Lipscomb, Tena, and Andres Chaparro each have between 130 and 215 major league plate appearances, Nunez and Drew Millas fall between 75-100, Baker has 14, and Hassell has yet to debut.
The Pretenders
The one hitter from this cluster who seemed to have a path to everyday playing time was Jose Tena. Despite the fact that he ended last season as an everyday starter and showed promise at the plate, Tena has been chasing his tail all spring. He has only three hits (all singles) in 26 at bats thus far, and his defense at third base has been tough to watch - as it was late last season.
It's safe to say that he won't be winning the starting job over DeJong, who is a big league mainstay and natural shortstop for almost his entire career. If we operate under that assumption, although there's a chance that Tena opens the season on the major league bench, that wouldn't be optimal. Everyday reps at the plate and in the field at multiple positions seem much more important for him. He can play, but he needs to become more consistent.
Trey Lipscomb fits a similar profile in some ways. He was on the move between Washington and Triple-A Rochester throughout last season, but seemingly fell out of favor late in the year and hasn't done much to turn the tide this spring. Given his combination of raw defensive versatility and lack of production at the plate, he seems destined to head back to Triple-A. If he can find the ability to hit for more power, he would become a valuable asset, but that hasn't happened yet.
Drew Millas is a third catcher on a team that doesn't need or show a willingness to use three of them. He's theoretically the best defender and has been highly productive at the plate in Triple-A, but that hasn't shown itself in the majors. For now, he's on standby for an emergency call-up, but nothing more.
The Contenders
Andres Chaparro and Darren Baker are hitting well enough, but they seem to be on the outside looking in for various reasons. Chaparro has no defensive home and finished last season on a cold streak offensively, whereas Baker is essentially blocked by Rosario - and also isn't much more than a singles hitter at the plate and would have a better case defensively if he showed much ability to play anywhere other than second base.
With that said, in both of their cases, they are arguably closer to fully developed towards their true upsides than players like Tena and Lipscomb, who I believe have higher ceilings. Therefore, the Nationals should be more willing to relegate Chaparro and Baker to part-time roles in the majors while Tena and Lipscomb play every day in Triple-A.
Juan Yepez has a good chance to make the roster, depending on what the team prioritizes. He's in a battle with Chaparro for the top backup first base/designated hitter role, but it's fair to question how necessary that role is, especially if he's not carrying his weight at the plate.
Let's say Nathaniel Lowe sits out for a game. You're probably better served plugging Josh Bell in at first base than turning to Yepez or Chaparro. They're all below average to varying degrees defensively, and it's safe to say that Bell is the most trustworthy hitter of the bunch. And as far as designated hitter goes, anyone can fill that role, or they can use it as a mini-day off opportunity for a starter.
The Solution
So that leaves Nasim Nuñez, last year's Rule 5 selection who spent 2024 in a sparsely used bench role. The plan at the time was to get him through the season so he could be retained in the organization and sent to the minor leagues this year. Perhaps that plan needs to be reconsidered.
In limited opportunities last year, Nuñez wasn't a terrible hitter, although he showed no clear ability to hit for power. He had a knack for getting on base, which was generally true throughout his minor league career. Although it may be unsustainable, he's suddenly hitting at a .450 clip this spring. But most importantly, he has clear strengths that can be utilized.
There's a pretty easy case to be made that Nuñez is the best defensive option at shortstop that the Nationals have, especially if DeJong isn't a consideration. He's also among their best base-stealing threats. He was successful in 8 of his 10 attempts last year, has stolen as many as 70 bases in a single season as a minor leaguer, and already has 6 swipes this spring.
The Nationals led the league in stolen bases last year, but they did so at a suboptimal 75% success rate, and were caught stealing 73 times, which was 20 more than any other team in the league. Free bases are great, but giving up free outs is worse. For comparison, the Brewers and Reds finished in second and third place in total steals, but converted on 84% and 82% of their attempts, respectively, and were caught no more than 45 times. If the Nationals more frequently turn to Nuñez, who stole 52 bases in 59 attempts (88%) in his last season as a full-time player (2023) in the minors, they could shift into turbo mode on the bases in terms of volume and efficiency.
Frankly, this is the route that the smart teams take. Unless the Nationals plan to swap left-handed and right-handed hitters based on matchups, they should play the everyday players every day and supplement the roster with players who can fill roles as late-game substitutes in clutch situations. That's how you win close games, especially if the roster lacks elite talent. The Kansas City Royals of the mid-2010s are the perhaps the most obvious example, but they're not alone.
I'm admittedly skeptical about whether the Nationals will choose Nuñez to round out the roster, but unless a starter gets injured and has to miss the start of the season, I think he's becoming the increasingly obvious answer.
Whether you agree that Nasim Nunez should win the job or you think there are better options, you can let me know your thoughts @stephen_newman1 on X.