Baker, Lile, Morales, Wallace in Nats' latest round of cuts

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Nationals further trimmed their spring training roster with four cuts before today’s game, but they’re holding off on their toughest decisions for now.

Today’s moves – second baseman Darren Baker was optioned to Triple-A Rochester, with outfielder Daylen Lile, first baseman Yohandy Morales and infielder Cayden Wallace reassigned to minor league camp – weren’t unexpected. Baker is the only one of the group with any major league experience, and none was a serious threat to make the Opening Day roster.

The Nationals still have 41 healthy players in big league camp, so there are 15 more cuts that must take place in the next 10 days. The toughest calls that are likely to go down to the wire:

* Riley Adams, Drew Millas or non-roster invite Andrew Knizner for the backup catcher’s job.

* José Tena, Juan Yepez, Nasim Nuñez, Trey Lipscomb, Robert Hassell III, Andrew Pinckney or Brady House for the final spot on the bench, with the first three the true candidates at this point and the others needing more seasoning in the minors.

* Orlando Ribalta, Eduardo Salazar, Brad Lord, Jackson Rutledge, Clay Helvey, Zach Brzykcy or Rule 5 draftee Evan Reifert for the final two spots in the bullpen.

* Mitchell Parker, DJ Herz or Shinnosuke Ogasawara for the fifth’s starter job, though Parker seems to have positioned himself best to win that spot.

Baker, the son of former Nationals manager Dusty Baker, made his major league debut last September and batted .500 (7-for-14) with two doubles in limited playing time. He was 4-for-18 with three stolen bases this spring. Because he’s already on the 40-man roster, the Nats had to use up an option on him in order to send him to Triple-A.

The other three players cut today aren’t on the 40-man roster yet, so they were merely reassigned to minor league camp.

Lile, 22, was 6-for-25 with a double, a triple, six RBIs and eight walks this spring, his first in big league camp. The 2021 second-round pick reached Double-A Harrisburg last season and is considered part of the organization’s next wave of outfield prospects, along with Hassell and Pinckney.

Morales, 23, was also in his first big league camp, where he went 5-for-22 with two RBIs, three walks and nine strikeouts. The 2023 second-round pick also reached Double-A last season and finished with a .745 OPS in 69 games.

Wallace, 23, was acquired from the Royals last summer for reliever Hunter Harvey. Beset by an oblique injury at the time, he played in only 15 games for the Nats at Harrisburg and High-A Wilmington before season’s end. He went 3-for-12 a double, a homer, five RBIs and four walks this spring, playing both third and second base.