Nationals Re-Sign Erick Mejia, Add Versatile Infield Depth

Erick Mejia’s baseball journey? Anything but conventional. The former infielder, who once roamed the middle infield as a shortstop, has re-signed with the Washington Nationals on a minor league deal after reinventing himself as a relief pitcher.

Born from necessity but fueled by raw arm talent, Mejia’s conversion to the mound is both a personal career pivot and a small example of how rebuilding teams like Washington sometimes find value in creative player development. This article takes a look at Mejia’s transition, his performance across multiple minor league levels in 2025, and his possible place in the Nationals’ long-term plans.

From Shortstop to the Mound – Mejia’s Reinvention

Mejia’s professional career started in 2012 when he signed with the Seattle Mariners as an international free agent. Back then, people knew him for his defensive range and versatility, but his bat never really became a consistent threat.

He bounced around a bit—traded to the Dodgers in 2016 and then the Royals in 2018. He finally debuted in the majors with Kansas City in 2019 and made a brief appearance in 2020. By 2024, after struggling offensively with a 61 wRC+, the Nationals organization made a bold choice: shift him from infielder to pitcher.

Early Returns on the Experiment

Switching from fielding grounders to firing high-velocity fastballs isn’t easy, but Mejia adjusted fast. He opened 2025 at Single-A Fredericksburg, and his raw stuff instantly overwhelmed hitters.

Over 12 innings, he struck out a third of the batters he faced, picked up two saves, and notched a win. Those early outings hinted that maybe, just maybe, he’d found something real on the mound.

Climbing the Minor League Ladder

Midseason, Mejia moved up to Double-A, posting a sharp 2.33 ERA across 24 appearances. His strikeout numbers stayed strong, but his control started to waver, shown by an 18.6% walk rate.

Opponents barely touched him, scraping together just a .174 batting average. That kind of dominance—mixed with wildness—makes you wonder if Mejia’s arm could become a late-inning weapon if the Nationals can help him harness it.

The Triple-A Challenge

August brought a promotion to Triple-A Rochester, and things got rough. Over 10 innings, Mejia gave up 12 earned runs while his walk rate stayed stubbornly high.

Triple-A hitters exposed the control issues that had started to show earlier. It’s a reminder of the big leap between dominating lower-level competition and consistently retiring hitters right on the doorstep of the majors.

The Nationals’ Rebuilding Context

For Washington, Mejia’s story fits right into their current approach. The Nationals are in a slow, measured rebuild—leaning on young talent, reclamation projects, and creative roster moves.

Turning a struggling position player into a pitcher? That’s a low-risk, high-reward experiment. Washington’s hoping his swing-and-miss stuff can help a bullpen that needs depth.

Why Mejia Could See the Majors Again

Mejia’s high strikeout rate and the low opponent batting average show he’s got some qualities you just can’t teach. If he can cut down the walks and sharpen his pitch mix at Triple-A, there’s a real chance he could get a call-up to the big leagues as soon as 2026.

For a rebuilding club, giving a shot to unconventional success stories keeps costs down and brings some much-needed energy into the clubhouse. Why not see what happens?

Key Takeaways from Mejia’s 2025 Season

• Dominated at Single-A and Double-A with elite strikeout rates.
• Control issues showed up at higher levels, especially Triple-A.
• Opponents struggled to square him up even with the walks piling up.
• A low-cost project in the middle of the Nationals’ rebuild.
• Could turn into a middle- or late-inning bullpen weapon by 2026.

Final Thoughts

Erick Mejia’s journey from light-hitting infielder to promising relief pitcher really shows how baseball never stops evolving. The sport’s always hunting for new edges, and Mejia’s story is a pretty wild example of that.

He’s already reached Triple-A after just a single season on the mound. That’s mostly thanks to his knack for making hitters miss, even though his control still needs work.

The Nationals will keep a close eye on him in 2026. Maybe, with some polish and a bit of luck, Mejia could turn into one of those rare pitching surprises everyone talks about.

For fans in Washington, it’s a reminder—sometimes the most unexpected players end up making all the difference during a rebuild.

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