The Nationals and right-handed reliever Jacob Barnes are in settlement on a minor league contract, reports Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com. The Vayner Sports activities shopper will presumably be in massive league camp as a non-roster invitee.
Barnes has pitched within the majors yearly since 2016, suiting up for eight completely different groups alongside the best way. The 33-year-old had a powerful begin to his profession with the Brewers from 2016-18, when he pitched to a 3.54 ERA and matching 3.55 FIP over the lifetime of 147 1/3 frames, however he’s struggled within the 5 years since and slipped into journeyman standing. Courting again to the 2019 season, Barnes has pitched 115 1/3 innings for the Brewers, Royals, Angels, Mets, Blue Jays, Yankees, Tigers and Cardinals — logging a mixed 6.32 ERA with a 20.8% strikeout price and 9.4% stroll price.
Regardless of these massive league struggles, Barnes has produced at a steadily wonderful clip within the higher minors. He’s pitched 134 innings over components of six Triple-A seasons and turned in a stellar 2.15 earned run common. He’s fanned 24.1% of his opponents at that stage towards a 9% stroll price and has yielded solely six whole house runs — a median of simply 0.4 round-trippers per 9 innings pitched. The fitting-hander has above-average grounder charges and nonetheless averages higher than 95 mph on his four-seamer. He’s been a two-pitch reliever all through his profession, sometimes leaning on a reasonably customary four-seamer/slider profile.
The Nationals have largely sat out of the free agent market this offseason, with righty Dylan Floro standing as their solely bullpen addition. The aid combine behind nearer Kyle Finnegan and setup man Hunter Harvey is mostly broad open, notably with this week’s revelation of an injury to right-hander Mason Thompson. Floro and a returning Tanner Rainey (who underwent Tommy John surgical procedure in 2022) will give supervisor Davey Martinez one other pair of skilled arms on which to rely, however there’s loads of alternative within the Washington ’pen, ought to Barnes impress both in camp or in Triple-A Rochester to start the season.
