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The Nationals’ first acquisition of the new year added a speedy outfielder to a position group already filled with several others who fit the same profile.
The Nats claimed Joey Wiemer off waivers from the Giants, bringing aboard a 26-year-old with modest pop, good speed and a strong defensive reputation.
Wiemer was designated for assignment by San Francisco last month, only four weeks after he was acquired from the Marlins for cash considerations following another DFA transaction. He immediately goes on the Nationals’ 40-man roster, which is now full. And because he’s out of options, he would have to clear waivers before the club could demote him to the minors.
Originally a fourth round pick of the Brewers in 2020 out of the University of Cincinnati, Wiemer made a name for himself as a rookie in 2023, hitting 13 homers with 19 doubles, 42 RBIs and 11 stolen bases in 132 big league games. He hasn’t been able to recapture that form since, limited to only 48 MLB games the last two seasons.
Wiemer has endured through a nomadic journey, traded three times since 2024. The Brewers dealt him along with right-hander Jakob Junis to the Reds for righty Frankie Montas at the 2024 trade deadline. He played in only two games with Cincinnati before getting traded that fall with infielder Jonathan India to the Royals for right-hander Brady Singer.
Wiemer spent most of the 2025 season with Kansas City’s Triple-A affiliate in Omaha, batting .182 with nine homers, 38 RBIs and 12 stolen bases. He was then claimed off waivers by the Marlins in August and appeared in 27 big league games down the stretch, batting .236 with three homers and 12 RBIs. Two of those home runs came in September against the Nationals.
All told, Wiemer owns a career .205/.279/.359 slash line in 180 major league games, totaling 16 homers, 54 RBIs and 12 stolen bases but striking out 148 times in only 499 plate appearances.
His calling card, though, is his work in the field. Wiemer has 11 Defensive Runs Saved in his career, seven Outs Above Average and a Fielding Run Value of 12 that ranks 13th in the National League since 2023. He has played 123 of his 180 MLB games in center field.
With James Wood, Dylan Crews, Daylen Lile, Jacob Young and Robert Hassell already in the organization – plus promising 26-year-old Christian Franklin added to the 40-man roster earlier this winter – the Nats already were deeper in the outfield than at any other position around the field. Wiemer seemingly would need to beat out Young and/or Hassell to make the roster, and while he does hit for more power than Young, he doesn’t run as well or rate defensively as well as the two-time Gold Glove Award finalist.
With the 40-man roster now full, the Nationals would need to drop someone before officially signing any major league free agents. They still have holes to fill at first base, in the bullpen and potentially in the rotation.
