What to Make of Nationals' Signing of Eddie Rosario

Outfielder Eddie Rosario’s production got back on track in 2023 after an injury-riddled 2022 campaign. Yet, Rosario didn’t have a home entering March. That changed on March 6 when the Nationals reportedly agreed to sign Eddie Rosario to a Minor League deal.

A Look at Rosario

The Braves acquired Eddie Rosario from the then-Cleveland Indians in 2021, a move that paid off in spades. Rosario hit seven home runs over 33 regular season games and posted a 1.083 OPS during the Braves’ run to the 2021 World Series crown.

The 2022 campaign wasn’t kind to Rosario. Vision problems led to eye surgery and in just 80 games, Rosario posted a .587 OPS. Rosario’s 2023 campaign, though, was a different story.

Rosario hit 21 home runs last season for the Braves and was mostly productive, although there were some quirks in his numbers.

One was that Rosario, a normally aggressive hitter but one who’s seen his P/PA rise in recent years, posted a below-average 29.7% Whiff rate. Rosario hovered around 20% during his time with the Twins but the new National, who does have a swing on the long side and pulls his hands down before going into the power position, is prone to hacking at fastballs up and out of the zone.

Rosario did, however, hit fastballs much better in 2023 as compared to 2022. And, his Barrel% (6.6%) was his best rate since 2019, when he hit a career-high 32 home runs.

Rosario slotted in well for an incredibly deep lineup that included stars Ronald Acuna Jr., Austin Riley, and Matt Olson, among others. However, the Braves declined Rosario’s $9MM option for 2024 in November and added outfielder Jarred Kelenic a few weeks later.

Per reports, Eddie Rosario agreed to sign with the Nationals on a minor league deal with a $2MM base salary and an extra $2MM in incentives.

Analysis

As we noted when the Nationals signed Joey Gallo back in January, Washington left-handed hitters only posted a 94 wRC+ against right-handed pitching last season.

Right now, Gallo is the only left-handed hitting outfielder on the 40-man roster, while Jesse Winker and prospects Robert Hassell III and James Wood are non-roster invitees. Thus, it’s not a shock to see the Nationals target another bat to improve their depth.

Aside from the fact that this is a minor league deal and carries no risk for the Nats, Rosario does have a lane for a spot on the Opening Day roster. Gallo can also play first and may see time there in tandem with Joey Meneses.

And if Rosario can hit at a 2023-like level, he could not only be a nice temporary option while Washington’s prospects get ready for the Majors, but also be a trade chip for a contender come the summer.