What Role Will Potential Slugger Have for Washington Nationals in 2025?
The Washington Nationals are heading into the offseason after seeing the franchise take a big leap in wins this campaign.
The 16-win jump for the Nationals in 2024 was a sign that the franchise is heading in the right direction and the really encouraging thing was that it was with a lot of the young players that they hope will be stars and starters for years to come.
Even though it was a nice jump this year, there is still a lot of work to be done for the franchise to take the next step. This offseason will be a pivotal one, as it feels like Washington could see their win total move into the 80s next season if they make a few additions.
Two of the positions that are needed for the team going into the winter are at third base and first base. This season, the Nationals used multiple players at each position, but at first base in particular, Joey Gallo will be a free agent and the franchise will likely move on from him.
At first base, it will be very interesting to see how Washington will proceed this winter, as there are going to be a couple of options available to them in free agency that could have a massive impact.
However, they do have the combination of Andres Chaparro and Juan Yepez, who could still factor in the plan for 2025. Recently, Mark Zuckerman of MASN spoke about what the role of Chaparro could be next year.
“With Yepez also under club control and fitting the exact same player profile, Chaparro probably will come to spring training battling for a part-time or bench role. It could boil down to which one of them performs better in Florida, with the winner making the roster and the loser heading to Rochester to begin the season.”
When the Nationals were sellers at the deadline, Chaparro was one of the prospects that the team brought back from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Dylan Floro. The slugger never really got an opportunity with the Diamondbacks, nor was he considered to be a top prospect. However, he has been a very good hitter in the minor leagues, and Washington gave him a chance down the stretch.
In 33 games, the slugger totaled a .215 batting average, 12 doubles, four home runs, and 15 RBIs. Chaparro certainly has some power, which makes him appealing to a team that needs help in that area. However, he is still largely unproven at the big league level.
Depending on what the Nationals do in free agency will impact the potential role of Chaparro in the Majors next season, but he has certainly earned a chance to make the Opening Day roster with his ability to hit left-handed pitching.
