Roger Bernadina

Bernadina is finally starting to add some skills to his tool kit, as he posted a career-best 10.7 percent walk rate while maintaining his exceptional work on the basepaths (he's got an 85.7 percent stolen-base success rate over the last three seasons). His slash line was inflated by a .359 BABIP though, so while he remains an excellent fourth outfielder, the Nationals are unlikely to give him a shot at starting any time soon. A trade to a second-division club looking for a cheap leadoff option might be Bernadina's best shot at real fantasy value.

Bernadina spent some time in Syracuse in 2011, but he did get 337 plate appearances in Washington. His greatest asset continues to be his speed, as he stole 17 bases with the Nationals, but his strikeout rate has hurt him in terms of his OBP. Bernadina hasn't shown much patience at the plate in the big leagues, but his ability to hit for some power (career 9.1 percent HR/FB ratio) should get him on the big league club. However, his inability to post an OBP over .310 should entrench him as a fourth outfielder in 2012.

Finally reasonably healthy, Bernadina managed 414 at-bats in 134 games but didn't provide much offense beyond modest power-speed numbers. His walk rate was better in the minors so there's a little reason for optimism, but overall he didn't do much to disprove the notion that he's best suited to be a major league bench player. Given how much money the Nationals threw at Jayson Werth, they would seem to agree.

An ankle injury basically cost him all of 2009 but Bernadina appears to be little more than a fifth outfielder anyway, just another guy with wheels and a good glove who just can't hit enough to win a regular role. The Nationals thought he showed some progress at the plate last spring, though, so if he's healthy again he'll get another chance to catch on.

A particularly weak major league debut likely betrayed Bernadina as nothing more than a future fourth outfielder whose only real asset is speed, but general manager Jim Bowden has a history of sticking with prospects long past their expiration dates, so he could get another chance or two to try and become a regular.

Bernadina is the next in a long line of Nationals center field prospects with good gloves, great speed and suspect bats. He did hit .270 in 97 Double-A games (along with 40 steals) but his lack of power or a sharp batting eye will make it difficult for him to maintain that average in the majors. His stolen base potential makes him worth keeping an eye on, but it's unlikely he'll ever be anything more than a fourth outfielder (at best) in the majors.