Washington Nationals’ 2023 plan for Joey Meneses

“His strategy on the plate has been superb,” GM Mike Rizzo informed 106.7 the FAN in D.C.’s Sports activities Junkies one month into Joey Meneses’s form of out of nowhere run in his first stint within the massive leagues following ten seasons within the minors, Mexico, and Japan.

Meneses put up, “72 hits by way of his first 56 video games,” which had been, “essentially the most by any rookie by way of his first 56 video games in franchise historical past (MON/WSH),” because the membership famous of their Season in Assessment.

The primary baseman/outfielder, “… led Washington in hits (72), HR (13) & RBI[s] (34) [after] being known as up on 8/2… His 72 hits ranked 2nd within the NL [after] 8/2 and his 13 HR had been [tied for 4th].”

“He stays contained in the ball very properly,” Rizzo continued. “He makes use of the entire area. His robust level is he hits them gap-to-gap from left-center to [the] right-center hole, and he’s hit some actually good pitching. I imply, you’re speaking a few man who’s confronted some good pitchers and actually carried out job [against them]. He handles velocity properly, and he handles offspeed and breaking pitches.”

Meneses put up a .319 AVG on fastballs as a 30-year-old rookie, a .338 AVG on breaking balls, and a .313 AVG on offspeed stuff, which, when it comes to the offspeed stuff, Rizzo attributed to his expertise enjoying internationally as he labored in direction of a possibility within the majors.

“I feel that’s a credit score to the quantity of video games he’s performed within the Mexican League,” Rizzo mentioned, “which is a really offspeed-[oriented] league, and I feel that has helped him, and I feel he handles gentle stuff in addition to velocity pretty much as good as any participant we’ve seen shortly.”

Arising as he did to play proper area within the instant aftermath of proper fielder Juan Soto being traded, it may have, for a much less assured participant, been a pressure-filled scenario, however Meneses didn’t let it get to him.

“He’s been extraordinarily constant for us,” Rizzo informed the Junkies.

“He’s actually the whole lot that Matt LeCroy, our Triple-A supervisor, and De Jon Watson, our Farm Director, had mentioned about him all through the season. It’s actually a terrific story a few man that might all the time hit in his profession. I feel that he was nearly a triple crown winner within the minor leagues at instances throughout his profession, and simply by no means bought a possibility to crack the large league roster, and on the commerce deadline he was the man we selected to return up and play for us, and he hasn’t regarded again, and he’s been a constructive affect within the clubhouse, and though he’s a 30-year-old rookie, he’s actually taken benefit of his time right here within the massive leagues.”

The plan for Meneses in 2023? Martinez talked on the Winter Conferences earlier this month about trying so as to add a bat to the lineup, the place they want to add it, and what an addition would possibly imply for Meneses and the place he performs.

“I would like to maintain Joey at first base, and the times that he doesn’t [play first base], DH him to provide him a breather,” Martinez mentioned. “I do know he was a rookie, however he’s an older rookie. His days off in all probability could be DH’ing, if we may discover somebody who may presumably play first base and play some left area, that may be nice.”

“Now we have plenty of completely different choices at first. Joey can play there,” Rizzo mentioned throughout his personal press availability on the Winter Conferences. “[Jeimer Candelario] can play there. We’ve bought another viable choices. so we’ll see. We’re simply starting the offseason, so we’ll see the place it leads to a few months.”