What are Corbin's options now that his time in D.C. has ended?

Patrick Corbin

PLAYER REVIEW: PATRICK CORBIN

Age on Opening Day 2025: 35

How acquired: Signed as free agent, December 2018

MLB service time: 12 years, 105 days

2024 salary: $35 million ($10 million deferred to be paid between November 2024-January 2026)

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Parker turned into surprising workhorse as Nats rookie

Mitchell Parker

PLAYER REVIEW: MITCHELL PARKER

Age on Opening Day 2025: 25

How acquired: Fifth round pick, 2020 MLB Draft

MLB service time: 1 year

2024 salary: $740,000

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Dominant at times, Herz made name for himself in rookie season

DJ Herz

PLAYER REVIEW: DJ HERZ

Age on Opening Day 2025: 24

How acquired: Traded with Kevin Made from Cubs for Jeimer Candelario, July 2023

MLB service time: 99 days

2024 salary: $740,000

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Irvin raised the bar this season, now seeks consistency in 2025

Jake Irvin

PLAYER REVIEW: JAKE IRVIN

Age on Opening Day 2025: 28

How acquired: Fourth round pick, 2018 MLB Draft

MLB service time: 1 years, 152 days

2024 salary: $745,600

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After late-season surge, is Gore ready to assume role as Nats' ace?

MacKenzie Gore

PLAYER REVIEW: MACKENZIE GORE

Age on Opening Day 2025: 26

How acquired: Traded with CJ Abrams, James Wood, Robert Hassell III, Jarlin Susana and Luke Voit from Padres for Juan Soto and Josh Bell, August 2022

MLB service time: 3 years

2024 salary: $749,600

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The shaky state of the Nationals' No. 2 catching job

rainey and adams

We’ve spent the last two weeks here running through all of the prominent position players on the Nationals, reviewing their 2024 performances and looking ahead to how they might (or might not) fit into the club’s 2025 plans. And we’ll transition to the pitching staff beginning Monday, first looking at the starters and then the primary relievers.

But to wrap up the position-player portion of this annual exercise, we still need to examine one more position on the roster: Backup catcher. And because two different players held that role this year, it seems appropriate to lump them in together and examine the overall state of the position.

Riley Adams has been the Nats’ main No. 2 catcher for three years now, and his amount of playing time has been remarkably consistent. He took 155 plate appearances over 48 games in 2022, then 158 over 44 games in 2023, then 130 over 41 games this season. And what’s been the biggest takeaway out of all that? He has neither hit consistently enough or shown enough behind the plate to warrant a permanent spot on the roster.

That certainly was the Nationals’ point of view this year, one in which they twice optioned a slumping Adams to Triple-A Rochester, including for the season’s final six weeks. The 28-year-old finished with an unimpressive .224/.292/.336 slash line, with five doubles, a triple, two homers and only eight RBIs. In the field, he ranked in the bottom third of all major league catchers in blocking, framing and pop time, and he threw out only three of 34 basestealers.

“I’ve said this before: Riley, when he consistently hits the ball, he can really help us against left-handed pitching,” manager Davey Martinez said after Adams’ second demotion this summer. “And he’s working on his catching again.”

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Did Lipscomb miss his chance to show Nats he's a big leaguer?

Trey Lipscomb

PLAYER REVIEW: TREY LIPSCOMB

Age on Opening Day 2025: 24

How acquired: Third round pick, 2022 MLB Draft

MLB service time: 95 days

2024 salary: $740,000

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What does future hold for Gallo after injury plagued, unproductive year?

Joey Gallo

PLAYER REVIEW: JOEY GALLO

Age on Opening Day 2025: 31

How acquired: Signed as free agent, January 2024

MLB service time: 8 years, 130 days

2024 salary: $2.5 million

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Did Tena show enough down the stretch to warrant deeper look in 2025?

Jose Tena

PLAYER REVIEW: JOSÉ TENA

Age on Opening Day 2025: 24

How acquired: Traded with Alex Clemmey and Rafael Ramirez Jr. from Guardians for Lane Thomas, July 2024

MLB service time: 93 days

2024 salary: $740,000

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After spring of tough love, García delivered breakthrough season

Luis Garcia Jr.

PLAYER REVIEW: LUIS GARCÍA JR.

Age on Opening Day 2025: 24

How acquired: Signed as international free agent, July 2016

MLB service time: 3 years, 142 days

2024 salary: $1.95 million

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Young named Gold Glove Award finalist in first full MLB season

jacob young @TOR

Jacob Young is a Gold Glove Award finalist after his first full season in the big leagues, and the rookie center fielder stands a good chance of becoming the Nationals’ first winner of the award in a dozen years.

Young was officially named a finalist today, confirming he finished among the top three among all National League center fielders along with the Rockies’ Brenton Doyle and the Brewers’ Blake Perkins. Voting among NL managers and coaches already took place in late September, which accounts for 75 percent of the final tally. The remaining 25 percent is determined by a statistical component. Winners will be announced Nov. 3.

The Nats have had only two Gold Glove winners in their two decades in D.C.: third baseman Ryan Zimmerman in 2009 and first baseman Adam LaRoche in 2012. Young is well positioned to join that group and become the club’s first outfielder to be honored for defensive excellence.

The 25-year-old debuted late in the 2023 season and showed off some of his skills down the stretch. He actually didn’t make the Opening Day roster this season but was quickly recalled from Triple-A Rochester when Victor Robles suffered a hamstring injury. He wound up taking over the starting center field job and never gave it up, impacting several organizational decisions regarding other, longer-tenured players.

According to Baseball Savant, Young finished the season with 20 Outs Above Average, tied with Guardians second baseman Andrés Giménez for most among all major leaguers, regardless of position. His 18 Runs Prevented led all big leaguers and represented the highest number posted in that statistical category since 2019.

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What's in store for Abrams after a roller coaster season?

CJ Abrams

PLAYER REVIEW: CJ ABRAMS

Age on Opening Day 2025: 24

How acquired: Traded with James Wood, MacKenzie Gore, Robert Hassell III, Jarlin Susana and Luke Voit from Padres for Juan Soto and Josh Bell, August 2022

MLB service time: 2 years, 130 days

2024 salary: $752,400

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Will there be more pressure on Ruiz after rough 2024 season?

Keibert Ruiz

PLAYER REVIEW: KEIBERT RUIZ

Age on Opening Day 2025: 26

How acquired: Traded with Josiah Gray, Donovan Casey and Gerardo Carrillo from Dodgers for Max Scherzer and Trea Turner, July 2021

MLB service time: 3 years, 64 days

2024 salary: $6 million

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Buried on bench most of year, Nuñez made most of late opportunity

nunez

PLAYER REVIEW: NASIM NUÑEZ

Age on Opening Day 2025: 24

How acquired: Rule 5 Draft, 2023

MLB service time: 1 year

2024 salary: $740,000

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How does popular veteran Vargas fit into plan as Nats look to improve?

Ildemaro Vargas

PLAYER REVIEW: ILDEMARO VARGAS

Age on Opening Day 2025: 33

How acquired: Signed as minor league free agent, May 2022

MLB service time: 5 years, 7 days

2024 salary: $1.1 million

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Chaparro was surprise late-season producer after trade with D-backs

Andres Chaparro

PLAYER REVIEW: ANDRÉS CHAPARRO

Age on Opening Day 2025: 25

How acquired: Traded from Diamondbacks for Dylan Floro, July 2024

MLB service time: 49 days

2024 salary: $740,000

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Did Yepez show enough at plate to figure into Nats' future plans?

Juan Yepez

PLAYER REVIEW: JUAN YEPEZ

Age on Opening Day 2025: 27

How acquired: Signed as minor league free agent, December 2023

MLB service time: 1 year, 105 days

2024 salary: $740,000

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Despite pedestrian numbers, plenty of encouraging signs from Crews

Dylan Crews

PLAYER REVIEW: DYLAN CREWS

Age on Opening Day 2025: 23

How acquired: First-round pick, 2023 Draft

MLB service time: 35 days

2024 salary: $740,000

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Can Young add enough offense to elite glove to stick long-term?

Jacob Young

PLAYER REVIEW: JACOB YOUNG

Age on Opening Day 2025: 25

How acquired: Seventh-round pick, 2021 Draft

MLB service time: 1 year, 37 days

2024 salary: $740,000

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Wood's patience and power were already on display as rookie

James Wood

PLAYER REVIEW: JAMES WOOD

Age on Opening Day 2025: 22

How acquired: Traded with CJ Abrams, MacKenzie Gore, Robert Hassell III, Jarlin Susana and Luke Voit from Padres for Juan Soto and Josh Bell, August 2022

MLB service time: 91 days

2024 salary: $740,000

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