Editors Note: This is the latest in our player profile in our 40-man breakdown series that we have started here at the Nats Report. Check our other player profiles.

Nasim Nuñez

• Position: Shortstop, second base, and third base
• Current status: 1st Year Pre-Arb (Arb-Eligible 2027, Free Agent 2030)
• How acquired:  Acquired from the Marlins in the Rule 5 Draft, 12/6/2023
• 2023 Grade: B
• 2024 Opening Day Projection: 26th man, utility infielder, possible replacement for Luis García Jr.
• 2023 stats (AA): 125 G, .225/.341/.286, 11 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 43 RBI, 52-7 SB-CS, .306 wOBA, 79 wRC+

2023 Analysis

Rule 5 draftees are usually left unprotected for a reason, either because their organization has too many quality players to protect, or the player in question has failed to develop one or more crucial parts of his game in time, or their pro career has been marred by injuries, or they are blocked by other young players at the same position above them, etc. The point is that they have flaws. Nuñez’s flaw is that he doesn’t make a lot of hard contact, with 92 of his 110 hits last year being singles despite a sub-50% ground ball rate as a hitter. To be fair, he more than tripled his pro home run total (he entered 2023 with a grand total of two bolts), but the Marlins decided that he had not made enough progress with the lumber to warrant placement on their 40-man roster this winter, despite his impressive walk rate (never lower than 14% in his pro career), outstanding glove (he handled almost 500 chances in the infield last year), and elite speed (check out the stolen base numbers).

2024 outlook

Middle infield is the weakest area of the Nationals’ entire organization, particularly in the upper minors. Yes, CJ Abrams and Luis García Jr. are both 23, but the only middle infielder with reasonable major league potential in the system is Trey Lipscomb, who is likely a utility guy at the end of the day. Thus, Nuñez has a chance to stick as a defensive replacement and pinch runner this season, with the outside chance of starting at second base if García Jr. fails to make good on his last chance this season. If he can repeat his AA slash line at the major league level, the on-base ability is absolutely playable despite the paltry slugging, and he probably has the best infield glove and arm (despite being just 5’9” and 165 pounds) of anyone with a chance at making the Opening Day roster. If he does play regularly, that defensive ability could immensely help a pitching staff that has routinely been victimized over the past few years by mediocre or worse infield defense. There’s an opportunity in DC for Nuñez to be the kind of role player who helps the rebuild move along in subtle but important ways, a player archetype which the organization has produced precious few of in the past decade.