The Nationals and infielder Warming Bernabel have reportedly agree to a minor league deal. Reporter Mike Rodriguez was first on the pact, which also includes an invite to big league camp in spring training.
Bernabel, 24 in June, joins a new organization for the first time in his career. The Rockies signed him out of the Dominican Republic as an international amateur and he spent his entire career with them until he became a free agent earlier this month.
As he climbed the minor league ladder, he put up big offensive numbers in the lower levels, though mostly with a contact-based approach. By the end of 2022, he had climbed as high as High-A and taken 830 trips to the plate in his minor league career. He only struck out 13.4% of the time but also only drew walks at a 7.1% clip. This led to a combined line of .295/.355/.470 and a 115 wRC+.
But the approach has been less effective at the upper levels. From 2023 to 2025, he slashed .265/.308/.385 in the minors for an 84 wRC+. The Rockies also gave him 146 big league plate appearances, with Bernabel slashing .252/.288/.410 for a 78 wRC+. He was outrighted off the roster a couple of weeks ago and was able to elect free agency.
For the Nats, there’s little harm on a minor league deal. Bernabel is still quite young and won’t take up a roster spot for now. If he gets in a good place and earns one, he still has a couple of option seasons. He also has less than a year of service time, so he could be controlled for years to come if he plays his way into the club’s long-term plans.
Bernabel has experience at both infield corners and the Nats don’t really have long-term solutions for either spot. Brady House was the 11th overall pick in 2021 and was once viewed as the third baseman of the future in Washington, but he has a .234/.252/.322 line in his first 274 plate appearances.
At first base, the club traded for Nathaniel Lowe a year ago but gave up on him in August. Josh Bell took most of the playing time down the stretch but became a free agent and has since signed with the Twins. Players like Andrés Chaparro and Luis García Jr. are candidates there but they can play other positions, so it’s fairly wide open. The Nats might make some more moves between now and Opening Day but there’s currently a path for Bernabel to hit his way onto the roster if he takes a step forward.
Photo courtesy of Christopher Hanewinckel, Imagn Images
Warming to a minor league deal.
Not enough players out there with names that are fusions of their parents names.
Or his father’s name Warren and his grandfather’s name Ming. I suppose War Ming Barrabas would be more fearsome.
When Warming meets his new teammates, they will have to break the ice.
Warming’s career seems to be warming up.
the hot stove is warming
Meh
Kid still has potential
Didn’t like the move at first, but I’m Warming up to it.
I’d rather take a flyer on Bernabel than sign the what-you-see-is-what-you-get Jose Miranda.
Will be (mildly) interesting to see whether Bernabel or Miranda has a more productive season in AAA and/or the majors.
Warming Bernabel is a hoax, I dont believe he exists
Dominican Republic, USA…Global Warming!
Just a thought, 274 ABs isn’t enough to throw the baby out with the bathwater RE: Brady House
I still believe House is gonna be at least a decent everyday player
Imagine if the Braves did that to Smoltz after his first 100 innings with an ERA well over 5.
Woods get Warming
things heated up for Warming. Warming’s hot stove has cooled off accordingly.
His brother cooling is still waiting for somebody to sign him