Nationals Acquired Two of Best Prospects Traded This Offseason

The Washington Nationals upgraded their farm system.

Washington Nationals president of baseball operations Paul Toboni | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

It became clear when Paul Toboni was named the new president of baseball operations for the Washington Nationals that things were going to be done differently.

While there has been a rebuild taking place in the nation's capital for the past few years, things seemed to have stalled out under the previous regime. So Toboni was hired to kick-start the process once again and get things back on track when it comes to the future of this franchise.

As a result, MacKenzie Gore was shipped out of town. That was the headlining move of their offseason so far, and it resulted in five prospects being added to the Nationals' farm system. But that trade wasn't the only high-profile move Washington made this winter, and it resulted in them acquiring some of the best prospects that were dealt during the offseason, according to Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report.

Honorable Mentions

Abimelec Ortiz of the Texas Rangers | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Reuter ranked the top 15 prospects traded this winter, but he also highlighted some honorable mentions that just missed the cut. The Nationals had multiple players make that list; right-handed pitcher Alejandro Rosario, shortstop Devin Fitz-Gerald, outfielder Yeremy Cabrera, infielder/outfielder Abimelic Ortiz and right-handed pitcher Luis Perales.

The first four names listed came from the Gore trade, while Perales was the return in the prospect-for-prospect deal that sent left-handed pitcher Jake Bennett to the Boston Red Sox.

Gavin Fien Listed as Eighth-Best Prospect Traded

Gavin Fien of the Texas Rangers | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Gavin Fien was the headliner of the Gore return package. The 12th overall pick of the 2025 draft was seen as one of the best power hitters in his class. He didn't showcase much in his limited action at Single-A after he was selected with a slash line of .220/.267/.341 and no home runs across 10 games. But his ceiling will likely have him slotted as a top 100 prospect until he reaches The Show.

How he performs throughout 2026 will be telling, though. There is going to be a lot of attention on the 18-year-old from Nationals fans and national media just based on him being the prize of the Gore deal. However, Fien will have plenty of time to grow in Washington's revamped developmental system. And the hope is he'll become a franchise cornerstone for them in the future.

Harry Ford Considered Third-Best Prospect Traded

Harry Ford of the Seattle Mariners | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

There is a good chance this is the most significant move of the Nationals' offseason. Harry Ford could become a star in the majors, and based on the struggles of Washington's catchers, he might be the starter as soon as this year.

"Flipping him for setup reliever Jose A. Ferrer looks like a significant overpay, even with the lefty boasting four remaining years of club control and Ford's path blocked, and even with a loaded farm system it's a deal the Mariners could come to regret. He is a rare athlete for the catcher position with three 20-steal seasons in the minors, to go along with an elite .405 career on-base percentage," Reuter wrote.

So far, Toboni and the Nationals have accomplished what they set out to do this winter, which was upgrading their farm system and adding younger talent. And acquiring two top 10 prospects that were traded during the offseason is a huge boost to their present and future.