While the Red Sox were running over the entire American League on their way to their fourth World Series of the century, Nate Eaton was being drafted by the Kansas City Royals. Taken in the 21st round,
Eaton would spend six years with the organization and put up a .201/.266/.283 line in parts of two major league seasons. Which isn’t great. But he had some success in Triple-A so it wasn’t like all hope was lost, as he slashed .269/.334/.462. When he signed as a free agent in November 2024, it wasn’t a big move by any respect. In his Meet the New Guy write up, our own Dean Roussel compared him to the immortal Bobby Dalbec as a veteran bat who could fill space in Worcester, probably with some minor league highlights.
The Good
Nate Eaton’s expectations were probably modest. What could the organization have thought? Well, he can play outfield and third base. He can pitch as a position player and not completely embarrass himself with mid-90s stuff. And in the big leagues this year, when Boston was desperate for bodies he slashed .296/.348/.383 over 41 games. He hit one homer, stole nine bases, drew six walks, and doubled four times. He made the playoff roster and got two hits against the Yankees in the Wild Card Series! Sure his 2025 ended with 0.1 bWAR, but this isn’t a roster spot you’re expecting much from and just being worth positive WAR at a time when your team is digging into minor league veteran depth is pretty good.
And that home/away split? With 20 games in Fenway and 21 away: .368/.400/.474 vs .233/.306/.302. The title isn’t only a pun.
The Bad
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say there was no bad, except that Nate Eaton needed to be used at all because of holes on the major league roster. The Royals didn’t even use him at the major league level in 2024. This was entirely house money and when Breslow bet big (small) he took the house. This was a season made entirely of upside and you know what: good for him!
Best Game or Moment
September 26 against the Detroit Tigers. The Red Sox were down 3-2 in the 8th inning and Carlos Narváez leads off the inning with a single to left field. Enter Nate Eaton as a pinch runner. Jarren Duran steps to the plate. Nate quickly steals second. The throw is airmailed into center field and as a heads-up runner he advances to third. Now Duran singles and in he runs. Game tied.
The Big Question
Can he do it again? There’s a lot of “quad A” in Eaton’s track record. He held his own in the minors while being overmatched in the majors. But this year was different. He carried it over in a small sample size. He can do two things well: run and play the outfield. Does that earn him a major league job? Another minor league deal?
2026 and Beyond
Nate Eaton signed as a non-roster invitee on a minor league deal. I’m sure that Alex Cora would love to keep him around as that 26th man, particularly given the uncertainties existing around third base and shortstop — even if both Alex Bregman and Trevor Story return, Eaton is one more option at the hot corner in a pinch. Eaton showed how important his speed can be, and there might just be a contender who sees his 2025 as a business they want to be in. Worst case scenario for him now: he probably sees the majors wherever he lands for 2026 because the Triple-A numbers are solid and he made a few highlight reels.
