Apr 30, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Nationals third base Amed Rosario (13) tosses the ball to first for an out to end the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Young Nationals Roster Getting Boost from Utility Man Amed Rosario

Originally posted on Washington Nationals on SI
By Kyle Morton | Last updated Jun 5, 2025 8:00 AM ET

Significant ink has been spilled to document the immense upside and potential that the Washington Nationals' talented young core possesses.

With James Wood looking like a legitimate superstar in the making and C.J. Abrams blossoming into a high-end shortstop, not to mention the potential of other youngsters like Brady House and Robert Hassell III, the Nationals look like a powerhouse in the making.

But all the young talent and potential in the world does not guarantee an organization anything, and it can go along way to surround such a core with veterans who have been around the block in the Major Leagues.

Washington has done that with sluggers Josh Bell and Nathaniel Lowe, but veteran infielder Amed Rosario has proven his worth as a leader, too.

Amed Rosario Stepping Up to Boost Nationals' Playoff Hopes

Rosario, a 29-year-old who has been through stints with the New York Mets, Cleveland Guardians, Tampa Bay Rays, Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds, has been where many of the Nationals' stars of the future are now.

Heading into the 2017 season, Rosario was the No. 5 prospect in all of baseball according to MLB Pipeline.

The native of the Dominican Republic did not quite live up to that billing with the Mets or elsewhere, though he did produce 4.2 bWAR with the Guardians in 2019.

He hasn't posted more than one WAR in any season since, but his versatility have allowed him to carve out a role as a Big Leaguer.

That journey brought him to Washington, where he's a perfect fit to mentor the likes of Wood and Abrams.

Rosario is a strong depth piece, posting a .783 OPS in 27 games played, finding particular success against left-handed pitching.

The righty owns a .949 OPS against southpaws, and he came through again in that situation on Wednesday night.

With Washington facing one of the National League's top contenders in the Chicago Cubs, Rosario hit a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh to break up Matthew Boyd's shutout bid to put his team ahead for good in a crucial 2-0 win.