Alu has work to do at plate to prove he can stick in D.C.

PLAYER REVIEW: JAKE ALU

Age on Opening Day 2024: 26

How acquired: 24th-round pick, 2019 Draft

MLB service time: 73 days

2023 salary: $720,000

Contract status: Under club control, arbitration-eligible in 2027, free agent in 2030

2023 stats: 51 G, 175 PA, 159 AB, 14 R, 36 H, 2 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 16 RBI, 5 SB, 1 CS, 10 BB, 42 SO, .226 AVG, .282 OBP, .289 SLG, .571 OPS, 59 OPS+, -2 DRS (at 2B), 1 DRS (at 3B), 0 DRS (in LF), -0.1 bWAR, -0.4 fWAR

Quotable: “This whole year has been kind of a learning experience for me. Previously, it’s been a lot of the same position for a while. I think last year, I was at third base the whole year, and then I went to second base for an extended period of time. So it was always set. It’s a learning experience. I’m figuring out ways to deal with that, everyday learning ways to get better.” – Jake Alu

2023 analysis: An unheralded, late-round draft pick from a low-profile baseball program (Boston College), Alu made a name for himself within the organization during an outstanding 2022 season in which he hit .299/.365/.506 with 40 doubles, 20 homers and 81 RBIs at Double-A and Triple-A. He didn’t have a natural position in the field, but his bat seemed to be good enough to merit a look in the majors.

The call came May 8 when the Nationals placed Victor Robles on the injured list. Though he was considered more of an infielder, Alu still got the promotion and prepared to make his big league debut as a utilityman who would actually get more playing time in left field than anywhere else.

A sluggish couple of weeks left Alu making the trek back to Rochester, where he spent 2 1/2 months waiting for the call to come again. It came days after the trade deadline, with the Nats needing third base help after dealing Jeimer Candelario to the Cubs. Thus, did he get his first extended look in D.C., a semi-regular in the lineup.

Things started off quite well for Alu, who had an instant knack for driving in runs (five RBIs in his first four games back from the minors). But he never was able to sustain that production. He would go hitless for a week, then find his groove again for a little while, then slump again. He held his own in the field, seemingly most comfortable at third base but hardly a liability when he was put in left field.

2024 outlook: The Nationals understand what Alu’s ceiling is: At best, he’s going to be a quality hitter off the bench who can comfortably play multiple positions if needed. But if he makes it long-term, it will be because of his bat.

The question then becomes: Can he provide a consistent enough bat to stick? He certainly has proven he can hit at the minor league level, and his .308/.365/.481 slash line across 572 Triple-A plate appearances suggests he doesn’t really need more time to hone his craft. He just has to prove he can translate those skills to the majors.

One way Alu could do that: Driving the ball to right field on more than a few scant occasions. He was clearly a guy who looked to go the other way first before even contemplating trying to pull the ball. He owned a .333 batting average when hitting the ball to left field and .421 when hitting it to center field, but a dismal .156 when hitting it to right field. He finished with only five extra-base hits, but all were pulled. Only a handful of his singles were.

If Alu can combine his opposite-field skills on pitches on the outer half of the plate with a bit more power to the pull side when he gets something he can handle on the inner half, he has a chance to become a more complete hitter. If he can’t, it’s going to be tough to stick long-term, because he’s not going to make it as a glove-first utilityman.