Two former Kansas City Royals signed minor league contracts today with the Washington Nationals, as both hope to land major league roles with a team on the rise. Rick Ankiel played only one season in Kansas City, but Mark Teahan played for the Royals for five seasons after coming over in the three-team Carlos Beltran deal. Now they’re both hanging on to their ML careers by a thread.
Specifically concerning Teahen, Adam Kilgore writes, “Teahen, who bats left-handed and throws with his right hand, appeared at first base, third base, left field and right field last year. Teahen will vie for a spot on the Nationals’ bench, and if he does not make the team, Teahen will bolster a Syracuse roster light on players with major league experience.”
Ankiel has some power, but struggles to make contact enough at the plate to earn considerable playing time. Yet both players could benefit from being on a young team with some unpredictable position players.