Checking in on the camp competitions

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - We're roughly halfway through the Grapefruit League schedule, which makes it a good time to revisit some of the few competitions in Nationals camp this spring.

Keep in mind that with a veteran-laden roster built to three-peat in the National League East, there weren't a lot of open roster spots heading into spring training. But good camps are built on competition and there are still a few 25-man roster jobs up for grabs before the March 29 opener in Cincinnati.

One of the biggest wild cards in roster construction is what kind of 25-man club new manager Davey Martinez wants to put together. Each manager has his own roster quirks to consider. Does he prefer veterans over youth? Is he enamored with speed or defense? How much playing time will reserves get? Do multifaceted relievers get the nod over bullpen specialists?

Martinez is on record as saying he intends to make sure everyone on the 25-man roster is used, and that certainly plays into the decisions that will be made over the coming weeks.

Fifth starter: Everyone whose opinion matters seem to think right-hander A.J. Cole is the guy who will round out the rotation. This is based on two factors: He's the most major league-ready starter in an organization that's a little thin on top-tier minor league pitching talent and he's out of options, meaning the Nats risk losing him if they try to sneak him through waivers. There's also a chance that Cole could make it as a long man in the bullpen, but the relief corps seems pretty set at this point. In two spring starts, Cole has posted a 5.40 ERA with seven strikeouts to one walk. His biggest competition seems to be righty Erick Fedde, who has a 3.00 ERA in three games, including one start. But Fedde has given up an opponent batting average of .346 and has a 1.67 WHIP, thanks to nine hits allowed in six innings. The Nats are being cautious with Fedde, whose 2017 prematurely ended with a right forearm flexor strain. It still seems like Cole's job to lose, even with opponents hitting him at a .333 clip and with a 1.60 WHIP, unless the Nationals decide to open their wallets and pay for one of the big free agents remaining on the board: Jake Arrieta, Lance Lynn or Alex Cobb.

Backup catcher: When camp started, it seemed like this would finally be the year that perennial prospect Pedro Severino, 24, got his shot. But Severino isn't getting much work, limited to 11 at-bats, with many of them coming as a backup. Veteran Miguel Montero, signed to a minor league deal with a camp invite on Feb. 1, has been seeing a lot of time with guys pegged for the rotation (and even served as a designated hitter). Montero has deep roots with general manager Mike Rizzo, who signed him as a Diamondbacks scout in 2001. This decision could come down to whether the Nationals value Severino's arm and defense over Montero's experience and savvy. Montero and Martinez were with the Cubs from 2015-2017, so the new skipper knows what he's capable of (and, equally importantly, what he cannot do - which is control a running game).

Bullpen left-handers: Three lefties - Enny Romero, Matt Grace and Sammy Solís - are battling for two jobs in the 'pen (southpaw Sean Doolittle is entrenched as the closer). Grace and Solís are both capable of throwing multiple innings, and Romero's power stuff is intriguing, but none of the trio seems to qualify as a lefty specialist a la Oliver Pérez. Grace has posted a 1.80 ERA in four outings covering five innings without issuing a walk. Solís has a 4.50 ERA in four appearances with no walks and six strikeouts, and a return to his power ways would be a boon for the Nats. You never know what you're going to get from Romero, who has a 4.91 ERA in four games, but has walked four batters, allowed foes to hit .417 and worked to a 2.45 WHIP. Grace and Romero are out of options, while Solís has one option remaining. Keep an eye on veteran lefty Tim Collins, a minor league invitee who is coming off his second Tommy John surgery. He's yet to allow a hit in four innings, with a walk and four strikeouts. While it's likely two of Grace, Romero and Solís make the 25-man roster, it wouldn't be surprising to see Rizzo keeping an eye on the waiver wire for a veteran lefty who gets squeezed out of another club's roster.

Fifth outfielder: Brian Goodwin seems to have this spot locked up, even though he's just 3-for-18 (.167) this spring. Martinez seems to like the fact that Goodwin can play all three outfield positions well, has shown he can be effective off the bench and offers speed on the base paths. This wouldn't even be a competition if not for the stellar spring being turned in by top prospect Victor Robles, who is 8-for-29 (.276), making highlight-reel defensive plays and looking every bit like a major leaguer already. The Nats want Robles to play every day, and there doesn't seem to be an immediate path to regular playing time with Adam Eaton, Michael A. Taylor and Bryce Harper manning the outfield on a regular basis. Though Robles is a superior defender, the Nats can also spot in Howie Kendrick, Matt Adams and, in a pinch, Wilmer Difo into the outfield. Goodwin seems a good fit as a reserve, and the only way Robles is going to make the 25-man roster is if Eaton isn't ready to post on opening day or if there's a catastrophic injury that forces the Nats' hand.