Nationals Sign Bryce Montes de Oca, Tres Barrera to Minor League Deals
The Nationals announced that they have signed the right-hander Bryce Montes de Oca and the hunter Tres Barrera in minor league deals. Both players also received invitations to major league camp in spring training. The righty is represented by Excel Sports Management and the backstop by ACES.
Montes de Oca, 30 in April, made his Mets debut in 2022. He only appeared three times but things were impressive. He averaged 99.9 miles per hour with his sinker, 95.4 mph with his cutter and 86.8 mph with his slider. As is often the case with power pitchers, he could get guys out but also put them on first base. He threw 51 1/3 minor league innings that year with a 3.33 earned run average, a 34.6% strikeout rate and a 49.1% groundball rate but a massive 16.5% walk rate.
Unfortunately, those three appearances are still his major league record thus far, as he has been plagued by injuries ever since. In March of 2023, he underwent elbow surgery. Doctors were planning to just remove the bone chips but discovered during surgery that the pitcher needed Tommy John surgery. He remained on the injured list for the 2023 season and went public at the end of the campaign.
He returned to the mound in 2024, appearing again in June and July. But then he needed Tommy John surgery again soon after. Metsmerized’s Mike Mayer reported in February of 2025 that the operation was taking place in late 2024. Today, Spencer Nusbaum of The Washington Post reports that the operation took place in August of that year. Montes de Oca spent 2025 on the minor league injured list and became a free agent at the end of the season.
The righty is clearly the big wild card. He couldn’t control well even when healthy and has now missed three entire seasons. But things are looking interesting and the Nats are one of the clubs in a good position to look at him. They are clearly in rebuilding mode, with five straight seasons of at least 91 losses. They recently traded for two years MacKenzie Gore with five prospects, most of whom are nowhere near the majors. Trading of CJ Abrams again Jacob Young it is reported that it is possible again, as those players have three and four years left to control the clubs, respectively. In short, they don’t expect to be able to compete soon.
Washington’s bullpen had a collective 5.59 ERA last year, the worst mark in the majors. They also reduced their aid structures through trade Jose A. Ferrer to the Mariners last month. If Montes de Oca stays healthy and makes his way into the lineup, he has plenty of options. Due to spending the 2023 season in IL, he has one year and 33 days of service time, which still keeps him away from settlement and free agency.
Barrera, 31, has played in 57 major league games from 2019 to 2023. Most of that came with the Nats, though he also spent time with the Cardinals. He has a career batting line of .228/.313/.310 but a decent defensive reputation.
The Nats got a chance to catch Harry Ford in the said trade of Ferrer. Maybe he is the catcher of the future, although the club has it Keibert Ruiz, Drew Mills again Mickey Gasper in the list. Riley Adams he was designated for assignment this week and will stick in the system as undrafted depth if he clears waivers. Even if Adams ends up with another club, the Nats will have undrafted depth like Barrera.
Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images
