The state of the spring roster with 11 days to go

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – There are 11 days to go in spring training, 12 exhibition games left to play if you count the March 24 finale against the Orioles in D.C. So the Nationals are about to enter crunch time, when decisions that have been looming since mid-February suddenly come to a head.

There haven’t been that many decisions already made this camp. The players who have been cut so far were mostly expected to be cut all along. That leaves 48 players remaining in big league camp: 38 of them from the 40-man roster, with another 10 non-roster invitees still participating with the others.

Suffice it to say, there’s still a lot of work to be done to trim 48 down to 26 before Opening Day.

Let’s take a look, then, at the current state of the spring roster and try to figure out who’s sitting pretty, who still has a chance and who’s probably on the outside looking in …

CATCHERS (4)
Sitting pretty: Keibert Ruiz
Still has a chance: Riley Adams, Drew Millas
Outside looking in: Andrew Knizner
Comment: We know Ruiz is still the No. 1 catcher, and to his credit, he’s had a very good spring at the plate so far (7-for-24, three homers). There’s still a big question who will back him up when the season begins. Adams has hit two homers, but is just 3-for-13 overall and has had some shaky moments behind the plate. Millas, though, is 1-for-16 (with four walks) and surprisingly hasn’t looked great defensively. Knizner has experience with the Cardinals and perhaps could force his way into the conversation, but he’s just 2-for-15 at the plate himself.

INFIELD/DH (15)
Sitting pretty: Nathaniel Lowe, Josh Bell, Luis García Jr., CJ Abrams, Paul DeJong, Amed Rosario
Still has a chance: José Tena, Juan Yepez, Andrés Chaparro, Nasim Nuñez
Outside looking in: Darren Baker, Trey Lipscomb, Brady House, Yohandy Morales, Cayden Wallace
Comment: We know the four starting infielders (Lowe, García, Abrams, DeJong) and the starting designated hitter (Bell). And Rosario was given a guaranteed contract, so he’s the utility infielder (who can also play the outfield if needed). There’s probably room for one more guy from this group, maybe two if they don’t keep a true fourth outfielder (knowing Rosario could play there if needed). What will they prioritize? If it’s the ability to play multiple infield positions, it’s either Tena or Nuñez (with Tena probably having a leg up because he would play third base behind DeJong). If it’s the ability to come off the bench and get a big hit, it’s either Yepez (who has more experience and can also play left field if needed) or Chaparro (who is less accomplished in the field but has had the better spring at the plate).

OUTFIELD (8)
Sitting pretty: James Wood, Jacob Young, Dylan Crews
Still has a chance: Alex Call, Robert Hassell III
Outside looking in: Stone Garrett, Daylen Lile, Andrew Pinckney
Comment: The starting threesome is set with Wood in left, Young in center and Crews in right. And you would think Call is close to a lock for the fourth outfielder’s spot, given his experience, his production late last season and his strong spring (7-for-19, four doubles, nine walks). But has Hassell thrown a wrench into the whole process with a dynamite spring (14-for-35, four doubles, one homer, three walks)? The Nats probably wouldn’t put him on the team unless they knew he was going to play regularly. And that’s probably not going to happen if the starting three are healthy. But he’s certainly forcing the issue on them with his performance.

STARTING PITCHERS (10)
Sitting pretty: MacKenzie Gore, Jake Irvin, Michael Soroka, Trevor Williams
Still has a chance: DJ Herz, Mitchell Parker, Shinnosuke Ogasawara
Outside looking in: Cade Cavalli, Brad Lord, Jackson Rutledge
Comment: They haven’t formally announced it yet, but if you consider what days they’re currently pitching on, Gore is lined up for Opening Day, with Irvin lined up for Game 2. Soroka and Williams are going to begin the year in the rotation, Davey Martinez confirmed Monday. So that leaves the No. 5 job. None of the three young lefties has truly distinguished himself yet, though Parker had a strong outing Monday afternoon while Ogasawara struggled later that evening. Herz has a chance to make his case Thursday against the Rays. Would the Nats keep either of the two who doesn’t make the rotation as a long reliever? It doesn’t sound like it, but they haven’t ruled it completely out, either. Lord could be among the first starters called up from Triple-A if they need someone. Cavalli is still easing his way back and won’t be pitching in games for a while longer. Rutledge is running out of time to realize his first-round potential.

RELIEF PITCHERS (11)
Sitting pretty: Kyle Finnegan, Derek Law, Jorge López, Jose A. Ferrer, Lucas Sims
Still has a chance: Colin Poche, Eduardo Salazar, Orlando Ribalta, Evan Reifert, Clay Helvey
Outside looking in: Zach Brzykcy
Comment: We haven’t seen much of the regulars so far this spring, either because they signed late (Finnegan, Sims) or they were purposely held back to conserve bullets for the regular season (Law, López) but we should start to see more from all of them now, plus Ferrer (who has made five scoreless appearances). There are theoretically three spots up for grabs, though Poche probably is a lock for one of them provided he’s healthy, because he’s experienced and the only other lefty in the group. For the remaining two spots, Salazar and Ribalta have looked the best so far this spring, though Helvey has quietly been effective and has managed to keep himself around as a non-roster invitee. Reifert, meanwhile, has struggled with seven walks in 5 2/3 innings. The Rule 5 draftee had better turn things around quickly, or else the Nats probably have no choice but to offer him back to the Rays. Brzykcy has made only one appearance and is now working back from quad tendinitis, which may knock him out of contention for the Opening Day bullpen.