The Washington Nationals had a chance to see a unique rookie in action late last season.
Slugger Joey Meneses, who made his MLB debut at the age of 30, burst onto the scene and gave the Nationals a glimpse of what he can do at the plate.
He made his debut on August 2 and provided a spark in the Nationals lineup, which had been depleted after the trading of Juan Soto and Josh Bell.
The 30-year-old hit .324 with 13 home runs and 34 RBI.
He also registered 125 total bases.
That put him in some elite company in Nationals/Montreal Expos history.
It’s the most total bases of any Nationals rookie through their first 56 career games, as he surpassed the likes of even Soto, Bryce Harper, Vladimir Guerrero, and Ryan Zimmerman.
Joey Meneses' rookie campaign put him in elite company 😳 pic.twitter.com/gQqr5G2d0v
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 17, 2023
The Nationals have seen more than their fair share of rookies who rake.
Meneses is just the latest example.
The slugger was a hidden gem waiting to be found within the Nationals farm system.
Now, he’s found his way to the big leagues and has made some Nationals history in the process.
This is one thing the Nationals have to look forward to as they prepare for the 2023 season.
Granted, the Nationals are a team that is currently rebuilding, but Meneses may be a very important part of their future as they look to build from within.
The team caught lighting in a bottle when he was finally called up to the majors, so much so that he matched some of the greats in Nationals/Expos history.
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