This Intriguing Washington Nationals Utility Player Could Mend Twins' Infield Depth Concerns

[Cody Schoenmann]

Veteran Kyle Farmer signing with the Colorado Rockies leaves the Twins' infield depth sparse. Could this former divisional foe be a more cost-effective, higher-ceiling replacement?

Image courtesy of © Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

On Saturday, veteran infielder Kyle Farmer signed a one-year, $3.25 million deal with the Colorado Rockies. Despite managing only a lackluster 91 OPS+ over 611 plate appearances the past two seasons with Minnesota, Farmer's ability to play every infield position (yes, even first base, technically) played a vital role in the team's ability to maximize positional flexibility and plug holes when injuries to star infielders Carlos Correa and Royce Lewis arose. Rostering super utility player Willi Castro should mitigate much of the modularity lost from Farmer's departure. That said, the Twins' lack of infield depth beyond Castro is cause for concern.

In theory, infielders Brooks Lee (second base, third base, shortstop), José Miranda (third base, first base), Edouard Julien (second base, first base), Austin Martin (second base), and Michael Helman (second base) should be able to replace Farmer's versatility in the aggregate. That said, injury concerns with Lee and Miranda and uncertainty surrounding whether Julien, Martin, and Helman can be consistent MLB-caliber contributors provide valid reasons for skepticism as to whether this collective of five young infielders could provide the production required for a postseason-hopeful club over a strenuous 162-game season.

The Twins would be wise to scour free agency or the trade market for a viable Farmer replacement. As endlessly noted, the front office will be confined again by ownership-mandated salary restrictions, significantly limiting the available talent they could realistically pursue this offseason. Farmer replacement options like Jorge Polanco, Amed Rosario, or Paul DeJong could become available if the organization could free up $7-10 million by trading Chris Paddack or Christian Vázquez. However, if the team freed up money by parting ways with Paddack or Vázquez, that money would likely be spent on an essential transaction like re-signing veteran first baseman Carlos Santana or acquiring a back-of-the-rotation starting pitcher.

That being the case, the organization's only conceivable option for replacing Farmer with an outside alternative is to explore the trade market for a more cost-controlled infield depth option. Washington Nationals infielder José Tena is an exceptionally enticing candidate. Acquired by Washington in the 2024 trade deadline deal that sent outfielder Lane Thomas to the Cleveland Guardians, Tena, 23, hit .274/.305/.363 with 43 hits, three home runs, and a 90 OPS+ over 157 plate appearances for the Nationals. The contact-skilled left-handed batter hit the ball hard during his time in the nation's capital, evidenced by a 49.2% hard-hit rate, though he also carried a 24.4% strikeout rate. He's highly aggressive, but he makes authoritative contact, and gets it in the air at a fair rate when he does so.

 

Tena is also a sure-handed infielder who posted 289 innings at third base and 66 1/3 at second base. Despite demonstrating positional flexibility, the young Nationals infielder struggled at times at third, indicating he may best be suited spending at second base. That said, Tena is still a viable piece around the horn, who could be mixed in at shortstop and first base in a pinch, like Farmer. The former Guardians prospect could also fill in as a long-term replacement for Lewis at third base if the franchise cornerstone talent were to suffer a significant injury that held him out for weeks or months. Despite nagging injuries not being a present concern with Tena, he presents a similar risk as Julien, Martin, and Helman. He is a relatively unknown commodity who could fizzle out and never become a consistent contributor at the major league level. Still, there is reason to believe he will perform better than Julien, Martin, and Helman next season.

What makes Tena particularly intriguing is how well he hit against right-handed pitching in his debut season. Here are Tena's 2024 splits:

• Against left-handed pitching (LHP): .208/.208/.250, 48 plate appearances, 10 hits, zero walks, two doubles, zero home runs.
• Against right-handed pitching (RHP): .292/.333/.398, 120 plate appearances, 33 hits, seven walks, three doubles, three home runs.

Understandably, Tena struggled against same-handed pitching. That said, he performed well against opposite-handed hurlers. This development is encouraging, especially considering that Julien and Martin (Helman didn't face a right-handed pitcher in the majors) performed at a below-average rate against right-handed pitchers last season, evidenced by their numbers below:

• Julien against RHP: .203/.295/.325, 268 plate appearances, 48 hits, 30 walks, eight doubles, seven home runs.
• Martin against RHP: .258/.313/.362, 177 plate appearances, 42 hits, 12 walks, 12 doubles, one home run.

Due to their 2024 regular season struggles, Julien, Martin, and Helman should begin next season at Triple-A St. Paul. Combining this notion with the strong likelihood that Miranda and Lee will begin next season entrenched in full-time roles at first base and second base, respectively, the Twins seemingly do not have a viable replacement for Farmer on the 40-man roster. Veteran free agent options like Polanco, Rosario, and DeJong are enticing. However, their contracts will likely prove to be too expensive for the salary-restricted Twins. Despite being an unfortunate reality, the front office could still upgrade the position by acquiring a cost-effective outside successor, and the hard-hitting, contact-skilled Tena could be the ideal acquisition.

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[Rod Carews Birthday]

I believe you meant to write that the this guy is an option if the Twins decide to move on from Willi Castro.  If they do move on from him, it will be for financial reasons, which pretty much preclude signing anybody substantial in free agency.  I don’t know how he will turn out as a player, but at this point Tena has a very SSS of work to base anything off of. I’m don’t necessarily think that his development into a strong player is assured, plus he will cost something to acquire — likely a something that has just as good of a chance to develop into a strong player. 

The one area where I think that they can go with the players they have — Miranda, Julien, Lee, Hellman, Martin, eventually Keaschall — is because they can accomplish much of the bench work, albeit by committee, that Castro and others have been doing.  We also forget that for most of the year Farmer was almost unplayable offensively — and the defense wasn’t amazing either.  I think this is one place where the Twins can sit on their hands and see how their younger players do. 

[DJL44]

Why do the Nationals want to trade Tena?

[LambchoP]

I hope we hold onto Castro as he's a great utility guy. Even if we did move him though, we have better in house options than this guy. What we need is a power hitting first baseman. Walker is a perfect fit in just about every way, except for payroll....

[Jocko87]

What infield depth concerns? 

Infield performance concerns, sure, but what does another mediocre guy do to help that?

[chpettit19]

Only IF help the Twins may need is somebody who can play SS. Not play SS "in a pinch" but flat out play SS. Right now it's Correa, Lee, and Castro. Castro will be gone after this year (if not before) and Lee is far from established despite our hopes he becomes a good player. Bringing in a guy who isn't a legitimate Correa backup doesn't make sense to me. Any utility IFer they bring in needs to be a legit SS.

[bean5302]

I don't see much reason the Twins would covet Tena. Minnesota doesn't need another left handed hitter, and his hitting at the MLB level hasn't been impressive, though he's obviously not yet in his prime.

Cherry picking his time with Washington, and only his time at the MLB level presents a better picture of his performance than what he's demonstrated as a whole, and it conveniently excludes his awful performance at the Nationals' AAA club. Overall last year Tena hit .267/.298/.354 OPS .652 wRC+ 83 in 168 PA, though there is reason to suspect his bat has a fair amount of ceiling left based on his age and his career performances at AAA.

Tena's "sure glove" isn't reflected in his poor error rate that tanked his overall metrics at the only position he had slightly significant playing time which was 3B with just 299 innings last year. Tena's -3.3 ErrR depressed his stats across the board returning -5 OAA, -3 DRS, and -13.8 UZR/150 at third. His range metric wasn't good either, leading to a rough performance at SS in a teeny tiny sample size.

Tena's a work in progress and there is some ceiling there, but there's nothing more to like about him than the Twins already have in Brooks Lee, who is a switch hitter (in name anyway). 

[Doctor Gast]

I don't have much hope for Julien at 2B, but Lewis could be starting there, that leaves Lee, Castro & IMO Martin, Helman & later Keuschal could do the the job. We have Lee, Castro, Lewis & Miranda at 3B. We have Correa, Lee, Castro & maybe Lewis (?) at SS, I don't think we need Tena. I'd like someone a little better than Lee at SS but we can manage.

[bean5302]

 

2 hours ago, Doctor Gast said:

I don't have much hope for Julien at 2B, but Lewis could be starting there, that leaves Lee, Castro & IMO Martin, Helman & later Keuschal could do the the job. We have Lee, Castro, Lewis & Miranda at 3B. We have Correa, Lee, Castro & maybe Lewis (?) at SS, I don't think we need Tena. I'd like someone a little better than Lee at SS but we can manage.

Honestly, if I were Royce Lewis, I'd probably be hoping for a trade at this point. He wants to play SS, but Correa is now entrenched with Lewis pushed further down the depth chart. The Twins coaches can't seem to help Lewis improve, and he's being shifted around the diamond in favor of players with lower ceilings. Lewis has fair reason to be angry in my opinion. Then again, Falvey's front office has a history of alienating their top young players (Berrios, Buxton).

Plouffe has been openly critical of the Twins' coaches and how the team handled Royce Lewis last year, and I agree with him.

[DocBauer]

Not sure why Washington would want to move on from him if he has potential. Based on his MILB numbers and age, there's some reason to believe he may improve as a hitter, and provide a little speed and pop. He does have some upside. So again, if they are rebuilding, why would they want to move on from him?

And I have to say it again, if the Twins can keep Castro, they already have a better option in place. At least for 1 more season.

And while someone like Helman was mentioned, I don't know if there's any more reason to believe he'd do any worse with the bat at this point, and he's even more flexible defensively.

I just don't see a match here, or need. If Castro is back, then discussing a replacement for Farmer, the Twins SECOND utility player, just doesn't seem to be a priority. 

[RpR]

A good replacement for Julien; he strikes out as often and fields as well as Juline.🤢

[Doctor Wu]

I appreciate these sorts of "out of the box" ways of thinking or suggesting trades. Never say never. That said, this guy doesn't sound like a great fit for the Twins, and I'm not even sure why the Nationals would want to trade him so soon after acquiring him late last season. 

[dxpavelka]

I'll bet my paycheck that one of Julien, Martin or Helman IS on the opening day roster for the Twins and Tena is NOT.

[Otaknam]

With the Twins operating under salary constraints, they will likely see which internal options fulfill the utility role. Assuming they let Castro walk to save money. It wouldn’t surprise me if they find a trade for Correa to save money, which would leave Lewis and Lee for third and short, Keaschall and Julien for second, and Miranda, Martin and Hellman or other minor leaguers for infield depth and utility roles.

[joefish]

This acquisition will put us over the top for sure. 

[RpR]

6 hours ago, Otaknam said:

With the Twins operating under salary constraints, they will likely see which internal options fulfill the utility role. Assuming they let Castro walk to save money. It wouldn’t surprise me if they find a trade for Correa to save money, which would leave Lewis and Lee for third and short, Keaschall and Julien for second, and Miranda, Martin and Hellman or other minor leaguers for infield depth and utility roles.

Hmm, the Twins will finish sixth in a 5 place division!

[TopGunn#22]

I'm not sure I quite understand the idea that Lewis wants to play SS.  He struggled with 3B last year as a result of leg issues, a hip flexor issue, and his arm strength had issues.  He used to have a cannon and that was certainly not the case in 2024.  There has been talk of moving him to 2B, shorter throw, less athleticism needed in the era of JUST. HIT. HR's.  Heck, he's even been mentioned as a possible 1B or LF (where arm strength is nice, but not required).

I agree with the idea that if Castro is dealt to open up some budget space and to bring back talent where the Twins could shore up perceived weaknesses, that a guy who can at least adequately handle SS is the primary replacement player.  This is why I believe two, low cost options should be considered (if the Twins do not go with an internal option).

Cody already mentioned Ahmed Rosario, the former Guardian, Dodger and a couple other teams.  He's branched out to playing some OF now, so I don't know if that is an indication that he's fallen a long way at SS or that he's needed to play more positions than SS (2B, 3B, OF)to make himself more attractive to other teams.  The Dodgers have needed a SS ever since they let Cory Seager go and Rosario conceivably could have claimed that job.  But he didn't.  He's not a bad option considering that he makes consistent contact and has much better speed than Farmer.  But I wonder if he could do the job for 2-months if Correa had an issue.

The other low cost alternative would be Jose Iglesias.  He will be 35 this coming season and he's always been known as a very slick gloveman.  He came up as a SS and is also solid at 2B and 3B.  He has become a very consistent bat to ball guy.  Doesn't run much anymore but can take the extra base as a baserunner.  He's not a HR guy but since 2019 he's had just one season with an OPS less than .700.  In fact his career OPS is .710.  He can hit you a double far more regularly than Donovan Solano and he can actually play very good defense.  Spotrac has Iglesias at $1.5 million for 2025.  If the Twins move on from Castro and his $6.3 million they can certainly afford that. 

He could be a one year bridge to give one last chance to Julien or one more year bridge to guys like Keaschall and Helman.  

 

[David Maro]

This team needs OF help not more IF help. They already know Buxton will miss time. For how many years have they needed a RH bat that isn't named Margot. The biggest problem in the IF is cleaning up the fielding. The one thing that would help there is stop all the rotating players. It may also be a problem at 1st base with Santana not being there. This team should maybe look at Lewis in LF as that would fix the RH bat and keep him in the lineup.