With Souza gone, is Taylor next man up? (plus minor league signing)

This week's trade that sent outfielder Steven Souza Jr. to the Rays as part of a three-team deal creates a possible vacancy on the Nationals bench. If Souza was to have competed for a backup role as the fifth outfielder, part-time first baseman and pinch-hitter in spring training, as manager Matt Williams said at NatsFest, which player benefits most from his departure?

For at least the time being, it appears that guy is outfielder Michael A. Taylor, who enjoyed a breakout 2014 season at Double-A Harrisburg. Taylor's .313/.336/.539 slash line was impressive, but the 23-year-old enjoyed a power surge in the Eastern League, clubbing 22 home runs (or six fewer than the previous four campaigns combined). Throw in his speed - 131 steals in 170 tries in five minor league seasons - and it's easy to see why the Nationals are intrigued at the prospect of Taylor coming off the bench.

Not that Taylor is paying much attention to the fact that he suddenly has an opportunity. He said at NatsFest last weekend that he's pretty much stayed away from news sources this winter while he focuses on working out.

"I shut down my Twitter and all that stuff," he said. "I don't frequent MLB Network and things like that. It's nice to get away from it a little bit, and that stuff's kind of out of my control. I focus on working out and getting ready."

Unlike last winter, when he played winter ball for Mayaguez in Puerto Rico, Taylor has remained stateside this offseason. Instead of fine-tuning his swing, he's deep into preseason preparation mode.

"Playing two years in a row can be a lot, because I didn't have an offseason last year. ... It wears on you, playing that many games," Taylor explained. "I think I played over 200 games last year."

But that marathon resulted in a call-up to the Nationals in August when Souza went on the disabled list after crashing into a wall in Atlanta. He batted .205 with a homer and five RBIs in the majors, and played 12 games at Triple-A Syracuse, slashing .227/.333/.409.

It's the on-base percentage that intrigues the Nats, who see Taylor as a good defender who can hit atop the lineup and get on base. He needs to draw more walks and cut down on his strikeouts - in that way, he's like most minor leaguers trying to make their mark - but clearly has an opportunity to carve out a place on the 25-man roster.

But to do that, several things will have to fall into place. Someone like first baseman Tyler Moore or outfielder Nate McLouth might have to depart the organization. There are some in the Nats front office who insist Taylor would benefit from most of a season at Triple-A to refine his offensive approach - and to prove that the Double-A numbers from last year weren't a fluke.

Ultimately, the Nationals may decide that Taylor's progression would benefit more from playing on an everyday basis. If that's the case, general manager Mike Rizzo might scour the waiver wire at the end of spring training for a veteran outfielder whose been released and can serve as a place-holder. The Nats already have another speedy center fielder, Brian Goodwin, at Triple-A, but Taylor may have jumped ahead of Goodwin on the organizational depth chart.

During a Friday conference call to discuss the Souza deal, Rizzo talked about Taylor's ascension, saying he was only "a half-year" behind Souza and expressing confidence that Taylor was ready to contribute. Souza is almost two years older than Taylor, who turns 24 in late March.

Whatever happens, Taylor is eager to commit to his offseason training regimen and continue to make a positive impression.

"I've always worked hard," he said. "It's been nice to see (results). ... I'm as hungry as ever. I think it's all about being consistent at this level."

Was last year's move from Double-A to the majors a big transition?

"It's definitely a jump, but I don't think it was too big an adjustment," he said. "I think the biggest adjustment was just trying to be comfortable. The game is the same. It's a different stage and you get hit with a couple of things you don't see at the minor league level. So you make that adjustment."

Note: The Nationals have signed first baseman/outfielder Mark Minicozzi to a minor league deal, per CSN Bay Area's Andrew Baggerly, who reports the news was announced on the player's Facebook page. The 31-year-old Minicozzi played most of last year at Triple-A Fresno in the Giants system, where he slashed .298/.400/.470 with 12 homers and 62 RBIs in 89 games. He's been a pro for nine seasons, spending six with the Giants and three in independent ball.