Nationals Promote James Wooden, DFA Eddie Rosario

The Nationals have made high prospect James Wood’s beforehand reported promotion to the foremost leagues official, formally saying the choice of his contract from Triple-A Rochester. In a corresponding transfer, veteran outfielder Eddie Rosario has been designated for project.

Wooden’s promotion to the majors was reported final Friday, and MLBTR’s Darragh McDonald broke down the vaunted outfielder’s impending ascension to the majors on the time. The 21-year-old had laid waste to upper-minors pitching this season, delivering an outrageous .353/.463/.595 slash with 10 homers, 16 doubles and almost as many walks (40) as strikeouts (42). Wooden has drawn a free go in a large 17.3% of his journeys to the plate and chipped in a 10-for-11 exhibiting in stolen base makes an attempt as properly.

A second-round decide of the Padres again in 2021, Wooden has elevated his standing to the purpose that he’s broadly thought to be the highest yet-to-debut prospect within the sport. Baseball America and MLB.com each rank him as the sport’s No. 3 prospect, however the gamers forward of him between these two lists (Paul Skenes, Jackson Holliday, Junior Caminero) have all reached the majors a minimum of briefly. Primarily based on the timing of his promotion, Wooden will now be underneath group management by way of a minimum of the 2030 season and gained’t be eligible for arbitration till the 2027-28 offseason.

Wooden now joins high Nationals starter MacKenzie Gore and shortstop CJ Abrams as potential core items acquired by the Nationals within the blockbuster commerce that despatched Juan Soto to San Diego two summers in the past. The Nats nonetheless have minor league outfielder Robert Hassell III and minor league lefty Jarlin Susana working their method by way of the system as properly. Neither is considered as having the kind of ceiling Wooden, Abrams and Gore have already proven, however Hassell remains to be simply 22 and reached Double-A this 12 months, whereas the 20-year-old Susana is in his second season at Low-A. Each gamers may but attain the massive leagues within the subsequent few years.

Turning to the 32-year-old Rosario, he’s lengthy been seen as a possible casualty of Wooden’s large league promotion. The previous Twins, Braves and Guardians outfielder signed a minor league cope with a $2MM base wage throughout spring coaching and made the group’s Opening Day roster regardless of a poor exhibiting in 9 spring contests. Rosario had an terrible first month of the season (.088/.137/.162 by way of the tip of April), adopted by a blistering Could (.253/.319/.530) earlier than falling into one other main swoon (.191/.200/.250 in June).

Total, Rosario’s time with the Nats will draw to an in depth with a .183/.226/.329 batting line. That’s 46% worse than league-average manufacturing, by measure of wRC+ (54). Rosario’s 5.5% stroll charge was his lowest since 2019, whereas his 23% strikeout charge is roughly in keeping with the 2022-23 charges he confirmed in Atlanta (however a far cry from the 16.1% mark he turned in from 2017-21).

The Braves acquired Rosario in a 2021 salary-dump cope with Cleveland and instantly noticed him go on a magical run down the stretch, slashing .271/.330/.573 with seven homers in 106 plate appearances. He went on to ship a legendary 14-for-25 efficiency with three residence runs throughout the Nationwide League Championship Sequence, taking residence NLCS MVP honors within the course of, earlier than slumping within the World Sequence.

Rosario’s late surge with Atlanta prompted the group to re-sign him on a two-year, $18MM contract that proved regrettable. He hit .212/.259/.328 in his first season of that contract, and whereas Rosario bounced again with 21 homers in 2023, his general batting line was successfully league common (100 wRC+) whereas his protection continued to obtain lackluster grades. Rosario was a productive on a regular basis outfielder with the Twins from 2017-20 however in 4 seasons since that point he’s turned in a .236/.283/.403 batting line with poor protection and mounting strikeout charges.

The Nats can have 5 days to commerce Rosario, launch him or place him on outright waivers, although a veteran with Rosario’s service time would certainly simply reject an outright project to Triple-A anyhow. It’s unlikely that any group would declare even the modest the rest on Rosario’s contract. The likeliest final result is a launch, at which level Rosario will probably be free to signal with any group. A brand new membership may owe him solely the prorated league minimal for any time spent on the massive league roster. That sum could be subtracted from what the Nats nonetheless owe him, however Washington will probably be on the hook for almost all of his contract at this level.