Son of Baseball Legend Facing 'Long Odds' To Make Washington Nationals Roster

Camp battles will be something every Washington Nationals fan should watch this spring.

While it seems like plenty of players can be penciled into the rotation, the lineup and their respective positions, there's a chance that poor play or injuries force the hand of manager Dave Martinez and the front office.

For example, what happens if CJ Abrams comes in with a bad attitude after his demotion? Or if Brady House doesn't adjust to Major League pitching like expected or one of the veteran pitchers brought in gets outplayed by one of the younger arms?

It seems like the Nationals would still plow forward with their plan of playing the young position players and honoring their commitment made to the starters promised a spot in the rotation, but things can change, especially when jobs are potentially on the line.

So, the camp battles are going to be interesting to monitor, especially those for a fringe spot on the roster.

That's where Darren Baker finds himself.

The son of baseball legend Dusty Baker made his Major League debut as a player this past season at 25 years old.

Despite never cracking the top 30 prospects list for Washington per MLB Pipeline, he worked his way up the ranks from being a 10th-round pick in 2021 to appearing in The Show after just three full seasons of minor league baseball.

Baker showed well for himself, going 7-for-14 across his nine games with two doubles.

He got the majority of his work in the field at second base, getting into four contests there while being put in left once. He also was the designated hitter twice and was used as a pinch-hitter two more times.

But despite the good showing he had at the end of the year, Mark Zuckerman of MASN thinks Baker will have a hard time making the Nationals' Opening Day roster.

"Reaching the big leagues last September was a major milestone for Dusty's son, but he faces long odds to stay in the big leagues long-term. He'll need to not only hit but prove he can play multiple positions as a potential utilityman," he wrote.

Washington brought in Amed Rosario to be their utilityman this season, and with Luis Garcia Jr. already locking down second base, a roster spot could be hard to come by for Baker since there are question marks at third base that could require more players with experience there to be carried.

A strong showing in camp wouldn't hurt his case, though.

If he can perform well at the plate, then he'll be a valuable asset for the Nationals since they are in desperate need of consistent hitters.

But if he can't showcase that, then he'll likely be sent back to the minors where he'll wait for his next opportunity.

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