Denard Span

The Nationals acquired center fielder Denard Span from the Twins for minor league pitcher Alex Meyer on Thursday.

Span hit .284 with 90 steals and a .357 on-base percentage during five seasons with the Twins. Last season, he hit .284 with four home runs and 41 RBIs. He missed games late in the season due to a strained right collarbone, which let Ben Revere play some games and showcase his talent, likely leading the Twins to pull the trigger on dealing Span.

“He’s going to bring a dimension to the club that we haven’t had before,” Nationals’ general manager Mike Rizzo said, “a fast-moving, exciting guy that makes contact and moves the guy around and can fly around the field.”

With Span taking over in center, 20-year-old NL Rookie of the Year Bryce Harper moves to a corner, likely left field, with Jayson Werth probably staying in right.

Span tweeted that he was excited to be joining the Nationals.

The 22-year-old Meyer, a top prospect for the Nationals, played for the Potomac Nationals in the Carolina League and the Hagerstown Suns in the South Atlantic League this past season. Combined, he was 10-6 in 25 starts with a 2.86 ERA.