Did Yepez show enough at plate to figure into Nats' future plans?

PLAYER REVIEW: JUAN YEPEZ

Age on Opening Day 2025: 27

How acquired: Signed as minor league free agent, December 2023

MLB service time: 1 year, 105 days

2024 salary: $740,000

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

2024 stats: 62 G, 249 PA, 226 AB, 32 R, 64 H, 15 2B, 0 3B, 6 HR, 26 RBI, 2 SB, 1 CS, 18 BB, 42 SO, .283 AVG, .335 OBP, .429 SLG, .764 OPS, 116 OPS+, -2 DRS, -3 OAA, 0.6 bWAR, 0.4 fWAR

Quotable: “The guy, he loves to play. You can see it. He wants to do really well, and he’s done well. The guys appreciate him because of how hard he plays the game. I told him when he didn’t make the team – he was a little disappointed – but I said: ‘You’ve got a chance to help us at some point this year.’” – Davey Martinez

2024 analysis: Disappointingly dumped by the Cardinals after spending parts of two seasons in St. Louis, Juan Yepez signed a minor league deal with the Nationals and hoped a strong spring training performance would earn him a spot on the Opening Day roster. It didn’t, but he continued to perform at Triple-A Rochester (.795 OPS in 74 games), putting himself in the conversation for a promotion.

And when Joey Meneses, after countless opportunities, failed to pull out of his season-long slump and was sent down, Yepez got the call to come to D.C. and got the chance to play every day at first base.

He got off to a red-hot start at the plate, delivering a .341/.390/.541 slash line in July. He cooled off dramatically in August, though, those numbers regressing to .217/.267/.337. That cool-off, plus the return of Joey Gallo from a hamstring injury and the arrival of Andres Chaparro from the Diamondbacks, led to less playing time down the stretch.

Starting mostly against lefties, and often as designated hitter, Yepez did produce again in September (.293/.349/.397). But it came in limited opportunities, leaving him at season’s end unsure of his status with the organization moving forward.

2025 outlook: Yepez turns 27 next February. And he won’t even be eligible for arbitration for two more years, so he continues to make a salary barely over the league minimum. Given all that, there’s plenty of reason to believe he should continue to get a look and have the opportunity to solidify a spot on the Nationals’ 2025 roster.

Here’s the problem: The Nats have two other players under club control who fit an identical profile in Chaparro and Meneses. They’re all right-handed first basemen/designated hitters who have shown some offensive promise and don’t add much value defensively. There’s no way the club keeps all three, and there’s a case to be made there’s really only room for one of them (especially if a more accomplished free agent first baseman is acquired this winter).

Yepez could have the leg up on Chaparro and Meneses, though. His offensive production seems the most sustainable of the group, especially when he’s used in the right situations. His slash line in 88 plate appearances against left-handers this season: .304/.356/.456. He doesn’t hit a ton of homers, but he can be a good doubles hitter. And that could make him one half of a decent DH platoon, should the Nats decide to pair him up with someone like Jose Tena.

Defensively, Yepez doesn’t bring a whole lot to the table. He’s played both corner infield and both corner outfield positions in the majors, but he was limited to first base with the Nats. And his work there was shaky, especially when it came to scooping bounced or wide throws from his fellow infielders. Yes, he can play the position if needed. But the Nationals would probably be wise to view him more as a DH and pinch-hitting specialist if they move forward with him in 2025.