Washington Nationals Get First Look at Veteran Reliever in Spring Training

The Washington Nationals signed this left-hander to a minor-league deal but they’re treating him as if he’ll make their opening-day roster.

Feb 18, 2025; West Palm Beach, FL, USA; Washington Nationals pitcher Colin Poche (41) warms-up before pitching live batting practice at spring training. | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

The Washington Nationals are turning over every stone they can to find relief help. One of the latest is right-hander Lucas Sims, who signed a deal and reported to spring training.

Another reliever, Colin Poche, is in camp on a minor-league contract on Feb. 7, right before pitchers and catchers reported to West Palm Beach, Fla.

But the 31-year-old from Flower Mound, Texas, hasn’t had much of a chance to throw yet due to an illness. But struggling with health has been something Poche has had to deal with throughout his career.

Most notably, he suffered a torn UCL in his throwing arm in 2020 that required Tommy John surgery, requiring him to miss the abbreviated 2020 season and the 2021 season as he recovered.

He’s coming off a 2024 in which he went 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA in 43 relief appearances, with 33 strikeouts and 13 walks in 37.1 innings. After the season, the Rays opted not to tender him a contract and he became a free agent.

On Friday, he threw to live hitters for the first time in spring training. Per MASN Sports, he’s not ready for game action but should be soon. Plus, there is an expectation that he’ll make the opening-day roster, even if he is in camp on a minor-league deal.

“He doesn’t need a lot, which is great,” manager Dave Martinez said of Poche, per MASN Sports. “But he knows what he needs.”

Even with his injury history, Poche has a good history the Nationals can lean on, assuming he makes the roster.

Poche went to Dallas Baptist University and was a 14th-round pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2016 MLB draft.

Two years later, the Diamondbacks traded him to the Tampa Bay Rays as the player to be named later in the Steven Souza trade.

In the Rays’ system he flourished, as he was named to MLB Pipeline’s all-minor league team in 2018 after he posted a 0.82 ERA in Double-A and Triple-A. He was also named the Rays’ minor league pitcher of the year.

The following year he earned his Major League call-up, as he went 5-5 with a 4.70 ERA in 51 relief appearances. He also had two saves. He struck out 72 and walked 19 in 51.2 innings.

After he returned from surgery and recovery, he became a workhorse for the Rays, as he made 65 appearances in 2022 and 66 appearances in 2023. The latter season was his best, as he finished 12-3 with a 2.23 ERA, including 61 strikeouts and 24 walks in 60.2 innings.