Another legitimate MLB signing for the Washington Nationals: the team has agreed to a one-year deal with utilityman Amed Rosario, reportedly worth $2 million.
To make room on the 40-man roster, the Nats designated RHP Joan Adon for assignment.
Rosario, 29, spent 2024 between the Rays, Dodgers, and Reds, slashing .280/.306/.380 with three home runs, 32 RBI, and 13 steals in 103 games. He has primarily been a shortstop in his career, but played second, right field, and third base last season as well, his first career appearances at the hot corner.
The Nats have CJ Abrams and Luis Garcia entrenched up the middle, so Rosario’s utility – he’s played second, third, and all three outfield positions in his career – could make him a versatile backup at worst, perhaps a starter at the hot corner, and a capable fill-in up the middle as needed.
Washington also signed Josh Bell and acquired Nathaniel Lowe to split first base/DH duties, so they have a bit of a log jam elsewhere on the infield; Andres Chaparro, who played first last season in his MLB debut summer, is a third baseman by trade, and the team has Nasim Nunez, Trey Lipscomb, Jose Tena, and Darren Baker, who all appeared in MLB games last year, as options, as well as first baseman Juan Yepez on the 40-man roster.
For his career, Rosario has slashed .273/.308/.398 with 63 homers, 366 RBI, and 109 steals in eight seasons. He came up with the Mets in 2017 before going to the Guardians in the Francisco Lindor trade in 2021, and then the Dodgers at the 2023 trade deadline before last season’s three-team experience.
Adon, 26, was an IFA signee in 2016 out of the Dominican Republic and was a Top 10 prospect in the organization as late as 2022, but he struggled in the Majors; he has pitched in DC in parts of each of the last four seasons, posting a 6.66 ERA in 132 1/3 innings over 35 games (26 starts).
The Nats have seven days to trade or waive Adon, who, if not claimed, would become a free agent with five possible years of team control; however, he is out of minor-league options, and, at 1 year and 137 days of service time, could end up in the Super Two arbitration bucket if he spends all of 2025 in MLB.