Nationals Add More Outfield Depth by Claiming Former Top Prospect off Waivers
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The one area on the Washington Nationals' roster where things seem to be set is outfield.
Following the emergence of Daylen Lile in the second half, that unit appears like the strength of the team with rising superstar James Wood, perennial Gold Glove finalist Jacob Young and former second overall pick Dylan Crews all set to play meaningful innings in 2026. That doesn't even take into account 13th-ranked prospect Christian Franklin, who was added to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft.
But just because the outfield appears to be crowded on paper, that didn't stop the Nationals from adding more depth to the group.
Sources: The Nationals have claimed outfielder Joey Wiemer off waivers. Wiemer, a former top prospect with the Brewers, was most recently designated for assignment by the Giants.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) January 5, 2026
As first reported by Robert Murray of FanSided, Washington claimed outfielder Joey Wiemer off waivers after he was designated for assignment by the San Francisco Giants. The 26-year-old, who was a fourth-round pick in the 2020 draft by the Milwaukee Brewers, appeared in 27 games for the Miami Marlins this past season where he slashed .236/.279/.436 with three home runs and 12 RBIs.
On the surface, this is a head-scratching move. There are plenty of other areas on the roster that need to be addressed before Opening Day, so adding another outfielder to the mix when they are already set at that position is questionable.
Adding Joey Wiemer Is Latest Low-Risk Move by Nationals
However, this is the latest low-risk move by the new regime as they look to build depth across the organization. Wiemer, despite struggling in his MLB career to date with a slash line of .205/.279/.359 and an OPS+ that is 26 points below the league average of 100, was a former top prospect of the Brewers who peaked at No. 2 in their pipeline in 2022.
It's hard to envision him breaking through on this Nationals roster at such a loaded position group. But having that type of pedigree in Triple-A as a backup option in case of injuries is not a bad way to approach things since they were able to add him through a waiver claim.
Joey Wiemer 3-run blast! pic.twitter.com/QPqMj6w61u
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 9, 2023
Washington has proven they aren't afraid to add talented players they believe can help the entire organization, and the addition of Wiemer is the latest example of that even if it comes at a time when fans would like to see other parts of the roster get addressed.
Despite that, following the waiver claim of Wiemer, there is now a ton of depth across the outfield unit that pretty much makes that position group set for 2026.
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Brad Wakai graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Journalism. While an undergrad, he worked at the student radio station covering different Penn State athletic programs like football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports. Brad became the Lead Contributor for Nittany Lions Wire of Gannett Media where he continued to cover Penn State athletics. Currently, Brad is the Publisher for Washington Nationals On SI and covers multiple teams across the On SI network. He is the host of the sports podcast I Said What I Said, where he and his co-host discuss topics across the NFL, College Football, the NBA and other sports. You can follow him on Twitter: @bwakai