One of the pleasures of spring training is the unknown.  It’s like winter is summer camp, then everyone comes back to school and you get to see how they’ve changed.  For Steve Lombardozzi and the Nationals, that change could translate into a spot on the roster.

Lombardozzi has been given a great opportunity this spring.  Davey Johnson has been giving him a lot of playing time, and his 23 games is second most anyone on the team has participated in.  In those 23 games, Lombardozzi has taken advantage.

He has hit .328 this spring with a .355 OBP and .751 OPS with a home run and 3 RBI.  He has taken it upon himself to earn an Opening Day spot, and he very well may have earned it.  With the most recent Nats cuts, it looks as though both him ad Xavier Nady have good chances for making the big leagues.

Something else that has undoubtedly helped Lombardozzi is how versatile he has been this spring.  He has played all over the field, both the infield and outfield.  With the current set of injuries the Nats are dealing with, having someone who can be put in any of those situations is useful.

It is very possible that Lombardozzi could be this year’s “new guy.”  With the hype surrounding Bryce Harper’s inevitable MLB debut, he won’t get a ton of attention.  But still, Lombardozzi could end up playing a surprise role in this season’s success.

Depth is going to be very important.  The Nats will not only need players to fill in to rest others, but who will be able to step up when other players get injured.  It will need to be as seamless a transition as possible, and Lombardozzi could very well be that guy (and at more than one position).

We won’t know for a while yet, but at least for right now, it is looking like Lombardozzi is finally ready to make the semi-permanent transition to the majors.