Washington Nationals first baseman Juan Yepez did not make the Opening Day roster out of spring training and will begin the 2025 season at Triple-A Rochester, a source told ElExtraBase's Daniel Alvarez-Montes. Yepez wasn't able to stand out in the Grapefruit League by hitting .244 (11-for-45) with one double, no homers, five RBI and two runs scored in 19 contests. The 27-year-old Venezuelan was much more impressive in his first season with the Nats in 2024, slashing .283/.335/.429 with a .764 OPS, six home runs and 26 RBI in 62 games played. If Yepez isn't hitting, he's not much use to Washington, as he doesn't stand out on defense and is mainly an option at either first base or designated hitter. There's just not much upside here for fantasy purposes, as Yepez is most likely to be a bench bat with below-average power whenever he returns to the majors.
The Washington Post's Spencer Nusbaum reports that Washington Nationals infielder Juan Yepez has been seeing most of his work at spring training at third base. The 27-year-old Venezuelan could be competing for a regular role at the hot corner for the Nats to open the 2025 regular season, although the last time he played at third base was in 2022 with the St. Louis Cardinals, when he made only three starts. He has plenty of experience at the position in the minors, though, and hit .283/.335/.429 with six home runs, 26 RBI and 32 runs scored in 249 trips to the plate over 62 games in his first year with Washington in 2024. Yepez's bat is certainly ahead of his glove, and his lack of range on the infield will probably keep him limited to more of a first base/designated hitter role. It's unlikely you'll see Yepez hitting in the heart of the Nats' order again this year, especially given his lack of power.
Washington Nationals first baseman Juan Yepez went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run in Thursday's victory versus the Colorado Rockies. His home run came in the bottom of the eighth inning, adding some insurance runs for the Nationals late in the ballgame. Yepez burst onto the scene with a smoking hot bat when he was promoted from Triple-A Rochester in early July, but has since cooled off significantly lately. Over the last month, he is now hitting .224 with three home runs and 14 RBI. With his recent struggles, Yepez can safely remain on the waiver wire moving forward. Yepez will look to keep the momentum going on Friday when the Nationals square off against Chris Sale and the Atlanta Braves.
Washington Nationals first baseman/outfielder Juan Yepez went 3-for-4 at the plate on Friday with one double, two singles, two runs, and three RBI. Even though his 15-game hitting streak was snapped on Thursday, he bounced right back on Friday with an impressive three-hit night. Since being promoted from Triple-A on July 5, Yepez has carried a dominant .375/.424/.609 line with two home runs, nine doubles, 10 RBI, and a 6:12 BB:K ratio and has run away with first base starting duties in Washington. Yepez should be rostered in all leagues going forward, as he could provide an elite batting average in the second half.
Juan Yepez Extends Hitting Streak With First Homer
Washington Nationals first baseman Juan Yepez stayed red-hot in Friday night's win over the visiting Cincinnati Reds at Nationals Park, clubbing his first home run of the season with three RBI. Yepez increased the Nationals' lead with a three-run homer off Reds right-hander Frankie Montas to left field in the fifth inning, extending his hitting streak to 11 games in Friday's victory. We've seen the 26-year-old former St. Louis Cardinal make plenty of noise upon being called up in the past, and he's replaced Joey Meneses at first base in Washington with a sizzling .390/.468/.610 triple-slash line, six doubles, six RBI, eight runs scored, and one stolen base through his first 47 trips to the plate in 2024. Yepez should be rostered in deep fantasy leagues while he's running hot, but he's going to cool down at some point.
Washington Nationals first baseman/outfielder Juan Yepez is being promoted in a corresponding move that sent Joey Meneses to Triple-A Rochester. Yepez has performed quite well in Triple-A this season with a .263/.257/.438 slash line, 15 long balls, and 41 RBI in 74 games. In addition, he swiped three bags and held a solid 40:45 BB:K ratio. The 26-year-old was swinging a hot bat since June 14 riding a stellar .371/.435/.565 line, which helped earn him the promotion. Yepez could carve out a full-time role at first base as Joey Gallo (hamstring) remains on the 10-day injured list. Even though Yepez struggled to find consistency in his previous stints in the major leagues, he could be worth adding in deeper NL-only formats.
Free-agent first baseman Juan Yepez agreed to a minor-league deal with the Washington Nationals on Wednesday. Yepez will head for D.C. after appearing in the big leagues in each of the last two seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals. He was more impressive in 76 games in his rookie year in 2022, hitting .253 (64-for-253) with 12 home runs and 30 RBI in 274 plate appearances. The 25-year-old Venezuelan only appeared in 28 games for the Cards in 2023 and hit just .183 (11-for-60) with two home runs and 20 strikeouts. Yepez has a decent power stroke and will have more of an opportunity for a regular role in the big leagues for the rebuilding Nationals.
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Juan Yepez has hit his way up the batting order. In five games, Yepez is hitting .316/.350/.474 with one homer and one RBI this season. It's a small sample size, but the Cardinals will ride with the hot bat. Yepez will move into the five spot and cover left field against left-hander James Paxton on Friday. It'll be Paxton's first start of the season, so this could be a good opportunity for Yepez to make some noise against a rusty pitcher.
Tyler O'Neill Goes On Injured List, Juan Yepez Coming Up
The St. Louis Cardinals placed outfielder Tyler O'Neill (back) on the 10-day injured list and right-hander Jake Woodford (shoulder) on the 15-day injured list on Friday and recalled outfielder/infielder Juan Yepez and right-hander James Naile from Triple-A Memphis in corresponding moves. Right-hander Wilking Rodriguez (shoulder) was also moved to the 60-day IL. O'Neill will miss at least a week with a lower-back strain, and the 27-year-old was hitting a disappointing .228 with two home runs and one stolen base in 29 games this year. There's no timetable for his return. Yepez wasn't hitting very well in the minors prior to his call-up, but he had a combined 28 round-trippers between the majors and minors in 2022 and could see decent playing time against left-handed pitchers with O'Neill on the shelf.
Juan Yepez In Starting Lineup After Pinch-Hit Homer
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder/third baseman Juan Yepez is in the starting lineup Saturday, batting sixth and playing right field. Yepez is in for Dylan Carlson, in what is probably a case of playing the hot hand. Yepez had a clutch pinch-hit, two-out, two-run home run in game one to put the Cardinals up, and manager Oliver Marmol likely wants to see if he can do it again. Otherwise, the Cardinals lineup remains the same other than some positional changes.
Juan Yepez
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Nationals
