Looking at the current state of the 40-man roster

Though this offseason hasn’t seen the Nationals make a lot of major waves, it has seen them make plenty of minor ones.

More than one-quarter of the slots on the organization’s 40-man roster have changed since the season ended, with 11 new additions to the mix. Some were promoted from within the farm system. Others were acquired either via free agency or from other clubs.

There are still more changes to come, perhaps one more within the next day or two once Erasmo Ramirez’s new one-year deal becomes official, requiring the removal of someone else from the roster.

But in the meantime, let’s review who is currently on the 40-man roster, and where the Nationals’ most significant needs still remain …

CATCHERS (3): Keibert Ruiz, Riley Adams, Israel Pineda
Comment: The Nats appear pretty much set here. Ruiz is the clear-cut No. 1 catcher. Adams and Pineda should compete with each other during spring training for the backup job, with the loser headed to Triple-A Rochester.

INFIELDERS (7): Joey Meneses, Luis García, CJ Abrams, Jeimer Candelario, Carter Kieboom, Ildemaro Vargas, Jake Alu
Comment: The most likely Opening Day infield alignment would include Meneses at first base, García at second base, Abrams at shortstop and Candelario at third base. That’s not necessarily written in stone, though. If Kieboom has a great spring on the heels of Tommy John surgery, he could force his way into the third base job, bumping Candelario either to the DH role or across the diamond to first base, pushing Meneses either to left field or DH. Vargas should make the team as the utility infielder. Alu will try to make a case for himself in his first big league camp.

OUTFIELDERS (5): Lane Thomas, Victor Robles, Alex Call, Stone Garrett, Jeremy De La Rosa
Comment: Thomas will be a starter, and at this point there’s every reason to believe Robles will be as well. But then comes a sizeable drop-off in experience and pedigree. It’s hard to imagine the Nationals entering the season with Call or Garrett as their starting left fielder. De La Rosa, who was added to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, is nowhere close to big league-ready. You have to think there’s still going to be another acquisition here, preferably a proven bat to man one of the corner outfield positions.

STARTING PITCHERS (11): MacKenzie Gore, Cade Cavalli, Josiah Gray, Patrick Corbin, Trevor Williams, Stephen Strasburg, Paolo Espino, Cory Abbott, Joan Adon, Jackson Rutledge, A.J. Alexy
Comment: If everyone who is expected to come out of spring training healthy is indeed healthy, the first five names on this list will be in the Opening Day rotation. If somehow Strasburg is healthy as well – and you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who believes he will be – that would throw an unexpected curveball into the proceedings. Espino and Abbott will probably be stretched out as starters could land in the bullpen as long relievers. Adon, Rutledge and Alexy will look to pitch well enough in the minors to warrant consideration for a promotion if and when the big league team needs rotation help.

RELIEF PITCHERS (14): Kyle Finnegan, Carl Edwards Jr., Hunter Harvey, Andres Machado, Mason Thompson, Thad Ward, Jordan Weems, Victor Arano, Tanner Rainey, Reed Garrett, Gerardo Carrillo, Matt Cronin, Jose Ferrer, Jake Irvin
Comment: Easily the deepest section of the roster, the Nats bullpen looks pretty good on paper. Finnegan, Edwards and Harvey could make for an effective late-inning trio. Erasmo Ramirez, Machado, Thompson and Rule 5 draftee Ward all have the ability to pitch multiple innings. Rainey won’t be back from Tommy John surgery until mid-to-late summer. Weems and Arano will try to squeeze their way into the Opening Day bullpen with strong spring performances. The others are probably on the outside looking in for now, with Garrett perhaps most in danger of losing his roster spot once the Ramirez signing is official.

Please note this list does not include players who have signed minor league deals, like Sean Doolittle and Matt Adams. Those veterans will have every opportunity to make the big league club during spring training, but for now they remain off the 40-man roster.