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Nationals avoid arbitration with catcher Wilson Ramos

Wilson Ramos was officially announced by the Washington Nationals as the winner of the 2014 Tony Conigliaro Award in a press release earlier this afternoon. Late this afternoon, the Nats announced that they avoided arbitration with the catcher.

By Patrick Reddington
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Nationals had nine eligible players file for arbitration earlier this week. Then they traded one, right-handed reliever Tyler Clippard, last night. This afternoon, the Nats managed to agree to terms with one of the eight left, avoiding the need for an arbitration hearing with 27-year-old Nats' catcher Wilson Ramos.

After an injury shortened +1.7 fWAR season in 2013 in which he put up a .272/.307/.470 line with nine doubles and 16 HRs in 78 games and 303 plate appearances, Ramos avoided arbitration when he signed a 1-year/$2.095M deal for 2014.

Ramos struggled with injuries again last season, however, in a +2.0 fWAR campaign, missing time with a broken hamate bone in his left hand which required surgery after he suffered the break on Opening Day, and another hamstring issue.

After putting up a .267/.299/.399 line in 88 games and 361 plate appearances, over which he hit 12 doubles and 11 home runs, Ramos has, according to CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman, reportedly agreed on a 1-year/$3.55M deal for 2015:

The Nationals announced the deal, though not the salary information, late this afternoon:

The Nationals also sent out a press release today announcing that Ramos won the 2014 Tony Conigliaro Award, which is given to, "a major league player who has overcome adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination and courage, that were the trademark," of Conigliari, the late, one-time Boston Red Sox' slugger whose "promising career was tragically cut short when he was hit in the face by a pitch at Fenway Park on August 18, 1967."

While noting the injuries and personal difficulties including the kidnapping ordeal in his home country of Venezuela, that Ramos has overcome early in his career, the release notes that the young backstop, "continues to solidy himself as one of the best young catchers in the National League," and currently, "... owns the second-best catchers' ERA (3.39) among active backstops with at least 300 games behind the plate."

Members of Tony Conigliaro's family will present the award at the Boston Baseball Writers' Association's annual dinner on January 22, 2015.

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