The Nationals announced they’ve signed outfielder Nomar Mazara and infielder Richie Martin to minor league deals. Both players have been assigned to Triple-A Rochester.
Mazara has logged MLB time in seven consecutive seasons. The former top prospect never emerged as the middle-of-the-order bat that evaluators and Rangers fans had expected after he mashed through the minor leagues. Mazara had serviceable numbers as a rookie but didn’t take the anticipated step forward over the next few seasons. The left-handed hitter was a slightly below-average offensive player for four seasons before being dealt to the White Sox going into 2020.
Since leaving Arlington, Mazara has fallen on particularly hard times. He’s suited up for the White Sox, Tigers and Padres, logging between 100 and 200 plate appearances in each season. Going back to the start of 2020, Mazara owns a cumulative .235/.295/.324 line with only six home runs and a 25.7% strikeout rate in 501 plate appearances.
The 27-year-old (28 later this month) signed a minor league deal with the Orioles over the winter. He spent the spring with Baltimore, hitting .231/.286/.308 in 39 at-bats. After failing to crack the roster out of camp, he was released at the end of Spring Training. A couple weeks later, Mazara catches on with the Nationals — the sixth organization of his career.
Martin’s only MLB experience has come in Baltimore. Selected out of the Oakland organization with the first pick of the 2018 Rule 5 draft, he hit .208/.260/.322 over 309 plate appearances as a rookie. That enabled the Orioles to retain his long-term contractual rights but he only appeared in 50 more games for the club over the following three seasons.
The University of Florida product is a career .212/.261/.311 hitter over 170 big league games. Martin carries a .240/.336/.366 line at the Triple-A level. Despite the tepid offense, he’s drawn interest as a depth option for his defense throughout the infield. He’ll add some insurance behind the middle infield tandem of CJ Abrams and Luis García with Rochester.
The Nationals are getting ALL the interesting tweeners!
The Nationals. Living their best crazy life they are. I sense that they’re about to break out into song.
Mazara gonna breakout he only needs 1000 more at-bats.
Following the Al Avila book of rebuilding a franchise with these mystifying Nomar Mazara type acquisitions.
Dozens of players with these kind of stats are still signing professional contracts. Who says there won’t be enough quality players to fill the rosters of two more expansion teams?
Is there talk of expanding Triple A?
Mazara only being 27-28 years old doesn’t feel right. I feel like he should be 35. Seems like he’s been around a lot longer than just 2016.
I figured we’d have no more Mazara.
Exhibit A in the argument that having 100 rbi in a season is essentially meaningless.
Mazara seemed OK in RF for the Padres. He deserved better from SD.
Richie Martin is a solid ballplayer. Athletic, scrappy. He was overmatched that year the O’s had him up all season, but his cups of coffee thereafter were always good. Speed, puts the ball in play, hell of a fielder. He raked in Norfolk last year, too. During the first half I think he was the Tides’ best hitter. He’s a good depth piece for the Nats.
But the Nats need pitching, or it won’t matter…
The whole Joey Meneses “feel good story of ’22” feels less good so far in ’23. With Stone Garrett hitting pretty well to start off with and Lane Thomas and Victor Robles also off to good starts Mazara may not have a clear path back to the majors even in Washington
Mazara should have gone to play in Japan instead of getting passed around here. He’s still young enough to become a star over there. His time with Washington will end the same as it has with all the other clubs that have cut him over the years.