Nationals Ace MacKenzie Gore Reportedly Drawing Interest From Yankees
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The possible MacKenzie Gore trade is going to dominate headlines surrounding the Washington Nationals this offseason until something gets done one way or another.
With over half of major league clubs reportedly interested in the left-hander, that creates a robust market. And it's one the Nationals can take advantage of during a free agency cycle where the high-end arms are projected to land lucrative deals.
Conversations between Washington and other teams around the league have already taken place, although it wasn't reported at the time which clubs have actually engaged in discussions with president of baseball operations Paul Toboni.
However, that is no longer the case.
Nationals Have Had Conversations With Yankees Regarding MacKenzie Gore
"The New York Yankees are among the many teams that have discussed Gore with the Nationals in recent days, according to another person familiar with the team's conversations," reported Andrew Golden of The Washington Post (subscription required).
That is notable based on the fact a team was actually named when it comes to the pursuit of Gore. The New York Yankees being interested shouldn't be a surprise. They are looking for quality pitching depth in their rotation to compete for a World Series and with their archrival Boston Red Sox following that franchise's decision to load up on starting pitchers.
Gore would not be the first option for the Yankees if he was acquired, but he would become one of the best third or fourth options in baseball based on how New York's rotation currently is set up. And depending on the asking price, they could feel like having that is worth it and will meet what Washington wants in return.
MacKenzie Gore, White Castle Special. 🤮🍔🍔🍔 pic.twitter.com/8sUgZWlYV3
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 10, 2025
But when it comes to what the Nationals might want from the Yankees, it's not clear if there is a package out there that will pique the interest of Toboni and his front office.
On the surface, New York has a high-end farm system. They have four top 100 prospects right now, according to MLB Pipeline, and others who could find themselves in there at some point during their time in the minors. They also have some talented young players on their MLB roster at Washington's positions of need, including Ben Rice who could be the franchise's first baseman of the future.
So what exactly should the Nationals want in a potential trade with the Yankees? Here's a look at some possible options for them.
Who Nationals Could Target From Yankees' Farm System
The best prospect in New York's farm system is George Lombard Jr. The 20-year-old is ranked as the No. 25 overall prospect in the sport even with him still showing some growing pains as he works his way up the minor league ranks.
Despite that, Lombard has a high ceiling. And Washington should circle him as their top target when it comes to the return package, especially because he's a middle infielder who has gotten the majority of his reps at shortstop.
If the Yankees aren't willing to part with Lombard, then things become a bit more complicated. Spencer Jones is an MLB-ready outfielder who has drawn lots of buzz coming up the ranks. But the Nationals don't necessarily need another player at that position.
Yankees prospect Spencer Jones has been on a TEAR in June 💪
— MLB (@MLB) June 26, 2025
🔵 7 HR
🔵 .315 AVG
🔵 1.056 OPS pic.twitter.com/em0Nw8AEiQ
Loading up on pitching prospects could be an option for Washington, though. New York has seven arms in the top 10 of their pipeline rankings, including Carlos Lagrange and Elmer Rodriguez, who come in at No. 74 and No. 97 overall in the sport, respectively.
Building a package around both Lagrange and Rodriguez, alongside some names like Bryce Cunningham or Ben Hess or Chase Hampton and others could be something Toboni opts for if he can't get Lombard in the return.
It will be interesting to see what Gore eventually gets traded for when something gets completed. Right now, he's the hottest name in the trade market, and it seems like he's going to net the Nationals a monster return no matter who acquires him.
