MacKenzie Gore had been the subject of trade rumors for some time in D.C. But on Thursday, the Nationals finally got an offer that they believed was too good to pass up.
The Nats agreed to a deal to trade Gore to the Rangers in exchange for a package of five prospects. The prospects coming back to the Nationals are shortstop Gavin Fien, right-hander Alejandro Rosario, first baseman/outfielder Abimelec Ortiz, infielder Devin Fitz-Gerald and outfielder Yeremi Cabrera.
COMPLETE NATIONALS PROSPECT COVERAGE
Gore, selected third overall by the Padres in the 2017 MLB Draft, was on the other side of one of these prospect-heavy trade packages in '22, when he was one of six players acquired by the Nationals in the deal that sent Juan Soto and Josh Bell to San Diego.
Now, 2 1/2 years later, the Nats are flipping Gore to restock their farm system. Each of the five acquired prospects ranked in the Top 20 within the Rangers’ system at the time of the trade.
Let’s take a closer look at each player:
Gavin Fien, SS
ETA: 2029
Pipeline scouting report: After Fien starred on the showcase circuit last summer, winning MVP honors at MLB's High School All-American Game and leading the U.S. 18-and-under national team in slugging (.680), many evaluators considered him the best bat in the 2025 high school class. While he wasn't as consistent as a California high school senior, his offensive upside still landed him a $4.8 million bonus as the 12th overall pick by the Rangers. His older brother Dylan is a catcher in the Athletics' system. Fien heads to the Nationals as the headlining prospect return in the Gore trade.
Though Fien has an unorthodox setup in which he holds his hands higher than most hitters, that doesn't prevent him from doing damage. He has a patient approach and a quick right-handed stroke that allowed him to repeatedly barrel up top competition as an amateur. He's continuing to add muscle to his 6-foot-3 frame and has shown the aptitude to drive the ball in the air, allowing him to get to much of his plus raw power.
Fien also has gotten quicker as he has gotten stronger, though he still won't be more than an average runner and could lose a step as he fills out more. Though he was drafted as a shortstop, he profiles better as a third baseman and could be a solid defender at the hot corner. He played first base for Team USA, and his strong arm would fit in right field.
Organizational fit: The Nationals’ top prospect prior to this trade was Eli Willits, a highly touted shortstop prospect who just turned 19 years old. The Nats have three other shortstop prospects within their top 12, all the more reason that a move to third base could become possible for Fien.
Alejandro Rosario, RHP
ETA: 2027
Pipeline scouting report: Rosario rated as a top-three-rounds talent after reclassifying into the 2020 Draft as a Florida high schooler, yet he went undrafted because he was strongly committed to Miami. He got pounded for a 6.47 ERA in three years with the Hurricanes before the Rangers took him in 2023's fifth round and gave his mechanics and pitch mix a makeover. The results were dramatic during his pro debut in '24, as he posted a 2.24 ERA between two Class-A stops while ranking first in the Minors in K-BB percentage (33.1%) and second in strikeout percentage (36.9%) and K/BB ratio (9.9) among pitchers with at least as many as his 88 1/3 innings. But then he injured his right elbow getting ready for Spring Training last February, and after other health issues, he still didn’t get his needed elbow surgery until this year. Despite those, the Nationals acquired him as part of the mega-prospect return in the Gore trade.
Rosario operated at 94-98 mph and reached 100 with his fastball in 2024, and he found more success blasting it by hitters at the letters in pro ball than he did sinking it down in the zone in college. His 88-92 mph splitter was a swing-and-miss pitch with devastating tumble and run at its best. He scrapped the curveball and cutter he toyed with at Miami to focus on an 83-85 mph slider that shows flashes of giving him a third plus offering.
After Rosario turned pro, the Rangers moved him to the third-base side of the rubber and had him keep his delivery closed longer to hide the ball better from hitters. He also creates some deception with his flat approach angle, and his new mechanics have allowed him to pound the strike zone after he battled his control and command with the Hurricanes. Before he got hurt, he once again looked like the pitcher who intrigued scouts in high school, and he has the upside of a frontline starter.
Organizational fit: Rosario joins a strong group of right-handed prospects at the mid- to high levels of Washington's farm system. He slots in behind a quartet of righties in the Nats' top 10 list: Travis Sykora, Jarlin Susana, Luis Perales and Landon Harmon.
Abimelec Ortiz, 1B/OF
ETA: 2026
Pipeline scouting report: Signed for $20,000 as an undrafted free agent in 2021, Ortiz looked overmatched in his first full pro season before improving rapidly once he started training with fellow Puerto Rican Carlos Delgado, shortened his left-handed stroke and began wearing contact lenses during games. He won High-A South Atlantic League MVP and Rangers Minor League Player of the Year honors in '23, when he topped the Minors in slugging (.619) and ranked fourth in homers (33) and OPS (.990). He recovered from a rough first half at Double-A Frisco in '24 to slash .309/.412/.636 with 15 homers in his final 43 games. Ortiz’s power took him to Triple-A Round Rock in '25, and after he was added to the 40-man roster in November, he was traded to the Nationals two months later.
Ortiz's bat speed in his lefty stroke and his strength give him well-above-average raw power that plays to all fields, and he began to tap into it more often when he stopped swinging for the fences. A more selective approach helped him find better pitches to attack, enabling him to hit them harder and drive them in the air more frequently. He tightened his strike zone in 2024, cutting his K rate to 22% from 27% the year before, but he struggled against breaking balls and left-handers.
Most of Ortiz's value will come from his offense, because he's a well-below-average runner with fringy arm strength. He's a decent defender at first base, though he needs to reduce his errors. While Ortiz looked better than expected as a right fielder in the Arizona Fall League and Double-A, the outfield corners are still a stretch because of his limited range.
Organizational fit: Ortiz certainly helps fill an area of need in the Nationals’ system, as the only first baseman ranked in their top 20 prior to this deal was Ethan Petry (No. 10), a 21-year-old who was drafted in the second round just last summer.
Devin Fitz-Gerald, INF
ETA: 2028
Pipeline scouting report: Fitz-Gerald won four consecutive Florida 7-A state championships at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, where his father, Todd, is the head coach and has mentored players such as Roman Anthony, Jesús Luzardo and Coby Mayo. The Rangers drafted him in the fifth round in 2024 and lured him away from a North Carolina State commitment with a well-over-slot $900,000 bonus. Early season hamstring issues delayed his pro debut in '25.
A switch-hitter, Fitz-Gerald is a natural right-hander, but scouts prefer his swing and power potential from the left side. He has good feel for the barrel and doesn't try to do too much at the plate, focusing on driving the ball from gap to gap. He's not especially physical and won't be a slugger, but his feel for the barrel could translate into solid hitting ability with 12-15 homers per season.
As with many coach's sons, Fitz-Gerald has a high baseball IQ that helps him get the most out of his tools. He has fringy speed but is a savvy baserunner who gets to grounders in the middle infield. A shortstop in high school, he's better suited for second base in pro ball with his range and average arm, and he has the quick hands to be effective on the double-play pivot.
Organizational fit: As mentioned above with Fien, the Nats have an abundance of potential shortstop prospects, so it’s likely that some -- including Fitz-Gerald, potentially -- could move to other spots within the infield.
Yeremy Cabrera, OF
ETA: 2028
Pipeline scouting report: Though he signed for just $10,000 out of the Dominican Republic, the early returns suggest Cabrera might be the best prospect from the Rangers' 2022 international class. After spending his first two pro seasons in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League, he celebrated his U.S. debut in '24 by ranking second in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League in homers (nine) and third in OPS (1.009). He struggled during the final month at Single-A Hickory at age 19, though he did steal seven bases in 23 games. Cabrera enjoyed a solid return to Hickory before getting traded to the Nationals in the offseason.
Cabrera weighs at least 15 pounds more than his listed 155, and he has sneaky plus raw power thanks to his deceptive strength and the bat speed and loft in his left-handed stroke. He primarily focuses on trying to launch balls to his pull side, though he did show a bit more patience and willingness to use the opposite field in 2024. He's still aggressive and his swing can get very uphill, so he'll have to make adjustments against more advanced pitches.
Cabrera had one of the best speed and power combinations in the Texas system, as he's at least a plus runner and improved his basestealing savvy last year. He should have the quickness for center field, and he spent more time up the middle in 2025. His average-to-solid arm strength is suitable for all three outfield spots.
Organizational fit: Cabrera helps fill a hole for a Nationals’ farm system in which the only full-time outfielder ranked within the top 25 was Christian Franklin (No. 13).