“It’s going to be a problem,” GM and President of Baseball Ops Mike Rizzo instructed reporters, after the Nationals chosen infielder Nasim Nuñez with the fifth decide of the Rule 5 Draft, of the challenges of protecting a younger participant just like the shortstop on the roster all season because the membership needed to in an effort to maintain on to him as per the principles for Rule 5 picks.
“Clearly he’s not going to get a variety of at-bats on the big-league stage,” Rizzo defined, “… however I feel with the teaching employees we’ve now, and with the reps he’ll get aside from game-time reps, I feel there can be time to — we are able to actually iron out some mechanical points, he can actually hit the burden room and enhance his energy and adaptability, And I feel he provides [manager Davey Martinez] an choice off the bench: a defensive substitute, elite defensive abilities, and a baserunner, base-stealer, and a man that may assist us win video games on the big-league stage.”
Nuñez ended up enjoying in 51 video games complete, (“the third-most by a Rule 5 decide in WSH historical past (2005-pres),” in keeping with the Nationals, “trailing solely Jesús Flores (79 in 2007) and Tony Blanco (56 in 2005),” getting 78 plate appearances (.246/.370/.262), and residing as much as the scouting report Rizzo supplied on his protection when he picked the Miami Marlins’ prospect final December.
“Terrific defensively,” the GM mentioned after the Rule 5 choice. “[Nuñez] performs elite-level shortstop, arm, vary, fingers, can play wherever in the midst of the sphere, and big-time base-stealer. We expect that there’s some upside with the bat, the bat is way behind the protection, however a man that we expect has extra bat in there, takes his walks, he’s fairly selective on the plate and it was one thing that we’re actually making an attempt to get as many toolsy gamers up the center of the sphere as attainable and we thought this was the best way to get some form of an elite sort of toolsy participant onto the roster.”
“[Nuñez] had 3 outs above common, in keeping with Baseball Savant and averaged 91.6 mph on his throws, third hardest amongst MLB SS (min. 100 throws),” the Nationals famous of their Season in Evaluate on the finish of the 2024 marketing campaign.
“He’s received a cannon,” Martinez mentioned of Nuñez’s arm in late September.
“He lets it go. We all the time inform our first basemen, ‘You higher be prepared, trigger it’s coming.’ However he performs the infield very well.”
Over the course of the season, the Nats’ skipper discovered to belief Nuñez’s protection.
“When the ball’s hit to him I’ve received an amazing feeling that it’s going to be an out. He performs on the market very well. He strikes nicely, he fields every thing clear, and he makes the performs,” Martinez mentioned.
Although he would have, clearly, taken extra plate appearances within the minors, the principles of the Rule 5 Draft demand he stay within the majors (or be returned to his former workforce), and in the long run, Martinez mentioned, Nuñez gained beneficial expertise with the main league membership, and with the membership’s trainers and coaches, studying all season and getting in there when Martinez discovered spots for him. The largest profit in his supervisor’s thoughts?
“For me, it’s the expertise,” Martinez mentioned in early September. “The truth that he’s attending to be taught loads up right here about what he must do to play up right here. Whether or not he performs each day, whether or not he’s only a super-[utility] man, he’s understanding loads by simply watching the sport. He’s up there, and he watches the sport, sits up on the highest of the steps, and actually focuses on the sport. And each time we name upon him he’s completed nicely.”
“All of us [knew] he was actually good infielder,” the supervisor continued. “He can catch the ball, he’s received an amazing arm. We talked loads about his method hitting, and simply not making an attempt to get too large and do an excessive amount of. He’s completed a means higher job with that. He’s taking his walks. He’s placing the ball in play. He’s beginning to perceive bunting is an enormous a part of this recreation. And he’s getting on base for us.
Photograph by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Photos
“I’m actually excited after I get an opportunity to play him, as a result of I do know, one, he’s going to catch the ball at shortstop, and he’s going to attempt to do the little issues to assist us win.”
Over the course of the season, Martinez mentioned, he noticed great progress from the infielder.
“Initially of the 12 months he was simply actually — every thing was — he was within the cloud[s], proper,” the skipper defined.
“First time within the main leagues, now he’s getting to grasp how essential it’s to essentially take note of element, and what to undergo each day. He’s received an unbelievable routine.
“He is available in each day, works out, he takes his floor balls each single day. He’s beginning to perceive who he’s as a hitter. So now I instructed him, I mentioned, ‘When you get a possibility to play, with all of the work you’ve put in, you’re going to see an enormous distinction.”
And likewise, that arm is one thing.
“When he throws the ball throughout the diamond, it’s one thing else,” Martinez mentioned.
