Nationals outright Marrero to Triple-A Syracuse
Former first-round Draft pick in 2006 removed from 40-man roster
The Nationals outrighted former first-round Draft pick Chris Marrero to Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday, removing him from the 40-man roster and likely ending his time in the organization.
Marrero, who will become a Minor League free agent, was the 15th overall selection in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft out of the same Florida high school that produced Nationals left-hander Gio Gonzalez. Marrero, 25, put up some good numbers in the Minors but also fought injuries and didn't produce during short stints at the big league level.
Marrero put up a .282/.350/.445 batting line across eight seasons in the Nats' farm system, while splitting time between first base and the outfield. In 2011, he played 127 games at Syracuse, hitting .300 with an .825 OPS and 14 home runs. He was the Nationals' No. 5 prospect according to MLB.com going into the 2012 season, but injuries cut into his playing time and his performance dipped.
Marrero's time in Washington consisted of 31 games in 2011 and eight this season, with a combined .232/.256/.272 line with no homers over 133 plate appearances.