Alberto

Baldonado

Baldonado has been cut loose to pursue an opportunity overseas in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. The 30-year-old lefty reliever hasn’t appeared in the majors since the 2021 season.

The Nationals first round of cuts from spring training includes several depth relievers, and a useful utility infielder in Lucius Fox, but no major surprises.

Baldonado last appeared in the majors with the Nationals during the 2021 season. The 29-year-old lefty reliever spent last season at Triple-A Rochester, finishing with a solid 3.84 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 81/27 K/BB ratio across 63 1/3 innings (56 appearances). He’ll continue to serve as organizational relief depth.

The first round of cuts from Nationals’ camp include Klobosits, who made 11 relief appearances late last season and a few prominent non-roster invitees fighting for a spot on the big-league roster in Rodriguez and Baldonado.

Baldonado elected free agency after being outrighted off the Nats’ 40-man roster in October, but he’ll be back with the organization for the 2022 campaign. The 28-year-old left-hander allowed 10 earned runs over his first 10 2/3 major league innings with Washington in 2021.

Baldonado made his major league debut this year at age 28 and went on to allow 10 earned runs on 10 hits and seven walks over 10 2/3 innings of relief. The left-hander is now off the Nationals’ 40-man roster.

Baldonado will give the Nats some extra relief depth for the final month of the 2021 campaign. He had posted an impressive 2.88 ERA and 47/9 K/BB ratio in 40 2/3 innings this summer between Double-A and Triple-A.

The 24-year-old hurler spent the first eight seasons of his minor league career in the Mets’ organization. In 2017, he posted a 4.80 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 64/28 K/BB ratio across 60 innings between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Las Vegas. He’ll add organizational bullpen depth for the Cubs.