The non-tender deadline has come and gone. With teams making cuts, there are some new additions to the free agent market. While most teams, including the Nationals decided to tender contracts to many of the players seen as non-tender candidates, there are a few interesting new additions to the free agent pool. I am going to take a look at three players that fit the Nats.
The first player we will talk about is a former All-Star and the starting catcher of the World Series champion Texas Rangers. Back in 2023, Jonah Heim was one of the best catchers in baseball. He played Gold Glove defense while being an above average hitter in Texas.
Heim also had some big moments in the Rangers playoff run. Most notably he smashed the go-ahead homer in Game 6 of the ALCS. That helped the Rangers overcome the mighty Astros and reach the World Series. However, Heim has fallen on hard times the past couple years. His glove has gone from elite to average and the bat has fallen off a cliff.
Heim is still only 30 years old and the Nats need catching help. A lot of Rangers hitters have had tough to explain fall offs since 2023, so this could be a Texas thing rather than a Heim thing. The Rangers home ballpark has also become extremely pitcher friendly over the past couple of years.
Heim could be a bounce back candidate and he also has a connection to the Nats now. Paul Toboni and Blake Butera hired Bobby Wilson from Texas to be the team’s catching coordinator. Obviously, Heim has a lot of familiarity with Wilson, so that connection could be useful. Heim does not even have to get back to his 2023 form. If he can get back to being a solid starting catcher that would be a win for the Nats.
The next player I am going to discuss is also a Texas Ranger. Jacob Webb was one of the more surprising non-tenders this year. Despite posting a 3.00 ERA across 55 outings, the Rangers decided to cut bait with the reliever. Over the last three years, Webb has been one of the most reliable and consistent relievers in baseball, with a 3.22 ERA in 169 outings.
So why did the Rangers cut bait? Well, the advanced numbers are much more split on Webb. His FIP and xFIP were 4.30 and 4.55 respectively. However, his xERA of 3.09 is much more in line with his ERA numbers. Webb is not a hard thrower, but he generates a lot of soft contact. His 86.6 MPH average exit velocity is in the 95th percentile.
That ability to produce weak contact is why his BABIP has been below .250 each of the last three years. A low BABIP can be seen as lucky, but when you do it every year and produce a lot of soft contact, it is skill not luck.
Webb is now one of the better relief arms on the market. He may not be a closer, but he could easily be a setup man for the Nats. Webb could be one of those players that the Nats sign and then flip at the deadline. I don’t think it made much sense to non-tender him and the Nats should take advantage.
The last player I will discuss also played in Texas, but Ramon Urias played for the Astros. At least he played for the Astros in the second half of the season. For the last few years, Urias was a mainstay for the Orioles. He was a solid player in Baltimore, but not a star.
Since 2021, Urias has been average or slightly above average on both sides of the ball. He had a real breakout year in 2022 which he has not been able to replicate, but he has still been a quality player. Urias can also play multiple positions.
He was a good defender at second and third base last season. Urias is also a steady offensive producer. He has a similar appeal to Willi Castro, though he is not as versatile. Last season the Nats found Amed Rosario and he was very good as a utility infielder. Urias can play a similar role, though he is more of a defensive minded player.
If the Nats trust Nasim Nunez to be their utility man this would not make as much sense. However, Urias has a much stronger track record offensively. He could also be flipped at the deadline like Rosario was. Ramon Urias is just a solid baseball player and the Nats need more of those.
There are other names that hit the market that could make sense. Adolis Garcia is a big name, but the Nats do not have much space in the outfield. Michael Toglia and MJ Melendez both have tools, but have yet to put it together. There are quite a few relievers that also make sense. However, Jonah Heim, Jacob Webb and Ramon Urias are the three names that fit the Nationals the best.