State of the Nats roster: Infield

We begin today a periodic look at the state of the Nationals roster at the point spring training was suspended and project how things may look whenever baseball is played again. Up first is the infield ...

No aspect of the Nationals roster underwent as much change last winter as the infield. There was only one major departure (Anthony Rendon) but Matt Adams and Brian Dozier also left as free agents, leaving general manager Mike Rizzo with a couple of different paths in an attempt to make up for the losses.

Rizzo could've tried to replace Rendon with one big name. And he did at least explore that possibility with a pursuit of Josh Donaldson. In the end, he chose not to count on one big addition but several more affordable additions, all the while hoping his top prospect would be ready to become a full-time big leaguer.

Did Carter Kieboom prove he was ready to step in and assume Rendon's old job at third base? Not based on what we saw during four weeks of spring training. Kieboom has obvious skills, but he looked like he still needed to refine those skills, especially in the field. Though nobody doubts the 22-year-old will be able to hit major league pitching, his spring offensive numbers (7-for-30, two doubles) weren't dazzling. (The seven walks he drew did reveal he has patience at the plate, an important skill for a young hitter.)

The real question with Kieboom is whether he can play a competent third base right now in spite of his minimal experience at the hot corner in the minors. He did little to assuage those fears this spring - he was charged with three errors in 14 games and could've been charged with another one or two - and in the first week of Grapefruit League play even looked a little skittish out there. There was improvement during the final days of camp, and club officials fully intended to keep giving him a shot through the rest of March. But if a decision had to be made on the day camp closed, it was tough to see them handing the rookie the job at that point.

Asdrúbal Cabrera was re-signed in large part to serve as a quality Plan B in case Kieboom wasn't ready. Cabrera doesn't have a ton of experience at third base either, but just watching him take grounders there this spring, you could see how much smoother he was than Kieboom. At the plate, Cabrera wasn't doing much (3-for-22). But his long track record suggests he's earned the benefit of the doubt there.

There are no questions about the Nationals' starting shortstop. Trea Turner has established himself as the guy there, and the 26-year-old was especially encouraged this spring to be playing with a healthy right index finger after finally having surgery to repair it in November. Turner went 6-for-27 with three doubles before the shutdown and was flawless in the field (zero errors, three double plays in 47 innings).

No offseason acquisition was talked up more by club officials than Starlin Castro, and by mid-March it was clear the 30-year-old was manager Davey Martinez's choice to start at second base and assume Rendon's old No. 3 spot in the lineup. That, however, was based entirely on reputation and not on spring performance: Castro was 1-for-24 with four walks and eight strikeouts. Again, track record suggests he's earned the benefit of the doubt.

Though Howie Kendrick figures to get some playing time at second base (and possibly third base as well), the veteran October hero appeared in only two games at second during spring training. He had five starts at first base. Wherever he plays, Kendrick is going to hit. He's done it his whole life, he did it better than he ever had last season and he picked right up this spring, hitting .318 (7-for-22).

First base could be a logjam if everyone's healthy. And Ryan Zimmerman appeared to be healthy this spring. The old man even played two games in February! This extended, second offseason could do Zimmerman's body wonders, and maybe he'll end up even fresher once baseball returns.

Even so, the Nationals intend to give newcomer Eric Thames a large chunk of at-bats at first base. The gregarious slugger was instantly popular in the clubhouse, and though he missed a week in early March with a calf injury, he looked good running in his return and played four games in six days before camp broke up.

With that much infield depth on the roster, is there room for Wilmer Difo to find his way onto the Nationals bench? It didn't look likely in mid-March, though perhaps if Kieboom opens the season in the minors there will be a need for another backup infielder.

There are no other infielders on the current spring training roster - veteran Emilio Bonifácio did get a little bit of action at second base and shortstop but primarily was in the outfield - so the aforementioned group is it. But don't be surprised if you see Luis García's name in the mix before too long. The 19-year-old prospect really opened some eyes this spring, most notably for adopting Juan Soto's batting stance and approach. There's a legitimate resemblance there, and that has club officials really excited about García's long-term potential.