Nick

Schnell

There’s nothing unexpected here, but Schnell did make a sneaky run at the bench spot that’s probably going to Bryce Johnson. McKenzie was a mess in camp, but he was a mess throwing about three mph harder than he did in his one really good year with Cleveland. If he finds some command in the minors, he might prove helpful at some point.

After 6 1/2 years in the Rays organization, Schnell, the 32nd overall pick in the 2018 draft, signed with the Nationals as a minor league free agent last year and hit .257/.321/.478 with 23 homers between Double- and Triple-A. Unfortunately, he struck out a whopping 175 times in 129 games. The Padres gave him a minor league deal in January, and he’s already lasted longer in spring training than should have been expected. Still, he’s probably never going to get a chance to show off his power in the majors unless he cuts back on the whiffs.

Schnell was selected by the Rays with the 32nd overall pick in the 2018 draft, but he never earned himself much 40-man-roster consideration before leaving as a free agent prior to last season. Signed by the Nationals, he wound up with a .257/.321/.478 line and 23 homers between Double- and Triple-A, but he struck out 31% of the time in the process. Most likely, he’s going to top out as a Triple-A guy.

Schnell was the 32nd overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft but has been held back by strikeout issues in his six minor league seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays. In 2024, he made it to Triple-A, but he hit just .213 with a 39.6 percent strikeout rate in 26 games. There were concerns with his swing path when he was drafted, so it’s a longshot that the Nationals will finally find a way to fix his swing.

Schnell is a potential five-tool player, but drops some because of his swing path, which features the dreaded “arm bar.” He has excellent bat speed, however, and he has plus speed and can go get it in the outfield. Add in solid power, and he has a chance to be a regular someday.