Nationals Add Depth: Sign Tony Gwynn Jr.

The Nationals signed outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr. to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training, Gwynn Jr. tweeted out Monday evening. Gwynn Jr., son of the late Tony Gwynn, played in 80 games for the Phillies last year before the team designated him for assignment.

He brings a great glove and versatility to Washington, as he played all three outfield positions without committing an error last season, but his bat will limit him to fifth-outfielder duty at best. He batted .152/.264/.190 with the Phillies and owns a career .619 OPS.

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Gwynn Jr. has almost no power potential, never eclipsing the .100 ISO mark in his major or minor league career. But consistently posting walk rates above 11.0 percent and strikeouts rates below 18 percent, Gwynn is able to balance out his lack of power by reaching base at a solid clip. During the 2013 season with the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate, Gwynn Jr. actually walked only three times less than he struck out, culminating in an impressive .393 on base percentage.

The Washington Post considers the more powerful lefties Mike Carp and Tyler Moore, owners of a respective .175 and .231 batting average last season, the best bets to make the Opening Day roster. However, given Carp and Moore’s 2014 struggles and the fact that both players are basically limited to first base, the 32-year-old Gwynn could find his way onto Washington’s roster with a strong spring.

Denard Span, Bryce Harper, Jayson Werth, and Nate McLouth are all expected to be ready to go by Opening Day, so that leaves only one spot to fill in the outfield. However, both Werth and McLouth are on the mend from shoulder injuries and Harper has not played a full season since his rookie campaign. Even if he fails to win a spot in spring training, Gwynn Jr. is a safe bet to see significant big league time during the regular season.

All in all, Gwynn Jr. is exactly the type of player Washington needs. While the team in our nation’s capitol is already set at his position for the upcoming season, you never can have enough depth, especially when three of your four outfielders are on the wrong side of thirty. After parts of eight seasons in the big leagues, we know Gwynn Jr. will never produce anywhere near the level of his father. Nevertheless, as a veteran presence who can play defense, get on base, and control the strike zone, Gwynn Jr. is a smart add for a Washington team looking to get over the hump this season.

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