Paul Toboni has made his first move of 2026. The Nats claimed Joey Wiemer off of waivers from the San Francisco Giants. Wiemer was a former top 100 prospect in the Brewers system, but his unrefined offensive
game has led to him struggling to lock down an MLB role.
The Nats appear to be giving Wiemer a chance. He is a 6’4 226 pound outfielder with elite athleticism. However, he has big whiff and plate discipline issues. So far in his career, the 26 year old has played for the Brewers, the Reds and the Marlins. He was picked up by the Giants this offseason, but was later DFA’d. Now he is with the Nats.
Wiemer’s best tools are his legs and his glove. Last season, Wiemer posted three outs above average in just 27 games. When he got real playing time back in 2023, Wiemer had a fielding run value of +10. His range combined with an absolute cannon of an arm makes him a weapon in the outfield.
Wiemer also has big time power. In 499 career plate appearances, Wiemer has 16 homers. His exit velocities are also very good. However, his aggression and strikeouts have made him a liability at the plate. For his career, Wiemer has a .203 average with a .638 OPS.
Last season, Wiemer was solid in a brief stint with the Marlins. He posted a .715 OPS in 61 PA’s. However, he did strike out 37.7% of the time and only walked 3.3% of the time. At the plate, you just hope Wiemer can run into one.
However, his splits do intrigue me a bit. Wiemer is much better against left handed pitching. For his career, Wiemer has a .255 average with a .779 OPS against lefties. Meanwhile, he has a .178 average with a .559 OPS against righties.
If Wiemer sticks on the roster, he will probably be a platoon center fielder. Given the volume of outfielders the Nats have, I would not be surprised if he is DFA’d again at some point. The Nats probably hope he would go unclaimed and be a part of their system.
With this move, the Nats 40 man roster is full. If/when the Nats make another move, they are going to have to DFA somebody. To be honest, there are plenty of candidates, including Wiemer himself. Hopefully Joey Wiemer can establish himself as a strong center field defender who can crush lefties.
