When the Nationals opened Spring Training 2023, they were an offseason removed from one of the biggest moves baseball has ever seen. The Juan Soto trade at the ‘22 Trade Deadline marked a new chapter in an organization that had won the World Series just three years earlier.
After parting ways with one of the most dominating stars in the game the previous summer, the Nats reported to West Palm Beach, Fla., with an emerging ace and a starting shortstop on the Major League level and a newly revamped farm system headlined by a promising 6-foot-7 slugger.
Three years later, the Nationals are preparing for the start of Spring Training fresh off another massive haul. That emerging ace, MacKenzie Gore, had become an All-Star Opening Day starter with an enticing contract situation. With Gore as their biggest trade chip, Washington last week once again collected a return of five Top 30 prospects to reinvigorate its organizational depth.
“I hear it and I empathize with it,” president of baseball operations Paul Toboni said of fan sentiment to local reporters on a video conference call last week. “There would be part of me – I think back to my 15-year-old self, I was a Giants fan at the time – bummed to see a player of this caliber leaving, obviously, and a leader on the team and that sort of thing.
“But I would paint a much more optimistic picture. I think the excitement that comes with these players that we're getting in return exceeds the disappointment of seeing MacKenzie go. That’s just me talking as the head of baseball operations now. I’m really excited about the package that we’ve gotten in return, and I hope that fans see it the same way.”
Whereas the 2023 season was the early phase of a rebuild, the ‘26 season is a continuation of it. The Nationals are coming off their fifth last-place finish (66-96) in the National League East in six years (they finished fourth in ‘24). In the three seasons (2023-25) following the Soto trade, they went 208-278. They tied for fourth among all Major League teams in fewest wins, most losses and lowest winning percentage during that span.
“I think we’ve got to be honest with ourselves,” Toboni said. “The truth is – and I don't think this is a mystery to the fan base or the media or anyone – we lost 96 games last year. To turn it around in one year and make the playoffs, not to say it can't be done, but it's a challenge, right? What we want to do is make sure that we build this really strong foundation so when we do start to push chips in, we can win for an extended period of time.”
In many ways, the rebuild still is in its early phase. While trading Gore leaves a huge hole in the starting rotation, the Nationals have constructed a young core of position players that is intact, unlike the state of the roster at the time of the Soto deal.
With the exception of Gore, the other four developing players acquired from San Diego are still in the organization: shortstop CJ Abrams, outfielder James Wood, outfielder Robert Hassell III and right-hander Jarlin Susana. All but No. 4 prospect Susana, who reached Double-A Harrisburg last season, have debuted in the Majors.
The Nationals have added to that group through their own Draft classes. In 2023, they chose College World Series champion outfielder Dylan Crews of LSU with the No. 2 overall pick. Last year, they selected 17-year-old standout shortstop Eli Willits first overall.
Of the Nationals’ core of young starting position players, Abrams has accrued the most service time (3.130). He is followed by outfielder Jacob Young (2.037), Wood (1.091), Crews (1.035), outfielder Daylen Lile (0.129), third baseman Brady House (0.105) and Hassell (0.085). Washington also acquired No. 2 prospect Harry Ford (0.028) from Seattle this offseason to compete for the starting catcher’s job.
All but one of the players acquired for Gore are projected to take a few years to develop through the ranks before they impact the Nationals on the Major League level. The return package was headlined by No. 5 prospect shortstop Gavin Fien (Major League ETA 2029), along with No. 11 right-hander Alejandro Rosario (ETA 2027), No. 12 infielder Devin Fitz-Gerald (ETA 2028), No. 17 outfielder Yeremy Cabrera (ETA 2028) and No. 24 first baseman/outfielder Abimelec Ortiz (ETA 2026).
COMPLETE NATIONALS PROSPECT COVERAGE
“We did see untapped potential with MacKenzie,” said Toboni. “So we baked that into basically the level of return that we wanted. … That bar was obviously met by the Rangers, and we decided now was the right time to execute the deal.”
Trading Gore does not signal a rebuild of the starting rotation, but rather a huge question mark of who will be their ace – for this season and beyond. Andrew Alvarez, Cade Cavalli, Foster Griffin, Jake Irvin, Brad Lord, Griff McGarry and Mitchell Parker are expected to compete for a starting role during Spring Training, while Josiah Gray, DJ Herz and Trevor Williams work back from injuries. At the Minor League level, Susana is rehabbing, and Rosario will undergo Tommy John surgery that will sideline him for the entire 2026 season with the goal of a ‘27 debut.
“What we're hopefully doing is raising our ceiling as a farm system, but then also increasing the depth,” Toboni said. “You can't predict perfectly what these guys are going to turn out to be. But the more shots you take on goal, I think the more goals you're hopefully going to have.”