JUPITER, Fla. -- First baseman/outfielder Tyler Moore, who has been a member of the Nationals organization since he was drafted in 2008, has been outrighted off the 40-man roster to Triple-A Syracuse, the club announced Friday night.
Moore, who was out of options, was placed on waivers on Thursday, but he went unclaimed and thus can remain with the club.
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The Nationals gave him a chance to prove himself this spring (his 31 at-bats were tied for eighth-most on the team), but Moore hit .129 (4-for-31) with two home runs.
"I've tried to give Tyler every opportunity," manager Dusty Baker said on Friday. "I know he's a very popular guy on this team and a very popular guy in the city, but it's hard for me to judge other than from what I've seen."
Moore's best season in Washington came in his rookie year of 2012, when he posted an .840 OPS with 10 home runs, both career highs.
He has struggled at the plate since. Even though he received a career-high 200 plate appearances last season, he posted a battling line of .203/.250/.364.
Moore was in competition for the final spot on the Nationals' bench, and he even spent time at third base. But Moore has maintained that he is better when he receives consistent at-bats, and has not been productive as a pinch-hitter, posting a line of .121/.183/.252 with three home runs in 107 pinch-hit appearances.