The Nationals have parted ways with first baseman Matt Mervis, as reported by Bobby Blanco. Mervis, who signed a minor league deal this past winter, spent spring training with the team and started the season with their Triple-A affiliate in Rochester.
Mervis had a brief stint with Washington’s top minor league team, playing in just one game where he went 0-for-4, drew a walk, and struck out once. During spring training, he managed a 3-for-12 performance, adding a couple of walks and strikeouts to his stats. Notably, he also represented Israel in the World Baseball Classic, going 3-for-11 with two doubles.
The Nationals initially brought Mervis on board for first base depth back in December. However, the landscape shifted when they acquired first base prospect Abimelec Ortiz from the Rangers in a trade involving MacKenzie Gore.
More recently, they added Curtis Mead from the White Sox, giving them another option at first base and moving Andres Chaparro to Rochester. With these changes, Mervis’ role diminished, leading to the mutual decision to part ways.
Mervis has some big league experience, having played for both the Cubs and Marlins over the past three seasons. He’s been a force in Triple-A, boasting a .264/.359/.522 slash line with 71 homers in 1318 plate appearances.
However, his strikeout issues have been a hurdle, particularly in the majors. In 261 major league plate appearances, Mervis has struggled with a .165/.238/.322 slash line and a significant 34.5% strikeout rate.
Among players with at least 250 plate appearances from 2023-25, he ranked near the bottom in contact rates.
Now a free agent, Mervis can explore opportunities with teams in need of first base depth or a left-handed power bat for their Triple-A roster. While there's no current indication of interest from overseas leagues, his profile could attract attention in those markets as well.