The Nationals introduced that they’ve claimed right-hander Roddery Muñoz off waivers from the Braves and optioned him to Triple-A Rochester. Atlanta designated him for task final week. The Nationals already had a emptiness on their 40-man roster so no corresponding transfer will likely be required.
Muñoz, 23, was a world signing of Atlanta out of the Dominican Republic in 2018 and labored primarily as a starter in subsequent seasons. In 2022, he tossed 100 1/3 innings between Excessive-A and Double-A. His 4.66 earned run common in that point wasn’t particularly eye-opening, however he struck out 26.9% of batters confronted whereas strolling 9.5%.
Atlanta evidently favored what they noticed sufficient that they didn’t need Muñoz to get away within the Rule 5 draft and thus added him to their 40-man roster in November. He’s been transitioned into extra of a reduction function this yr, tossing 39 1/3 innings over 22 appearances. He has a 3.89 ERA for the yr throughout a number of ranges, hanging out 23.4% of opponents however strolling 15.2% of them.
These management points seemingly led to Muñoz shedding his roster spot in Atlanta, however he’s a wise declare for the Nationals since they’re rebuilding and might be affected person along with his improvement. He’s nonetheless younger, has a full slate of choices and has but to achieve the large leagues. If he can rein in his arsenal, he might be a long-term match for the Nats. He was lately ranked Atlanta’s #22 prospect by Baseball America and #8 by FanGraphs.
