Nationals Sign Intriguing Fireballer as First Addition of Their Offseason
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The first signing of the Paul Toboni era has been completed for the Washington Nationals.
MLB insider Francys Romero reported that right-handed pitcher Eddy Yean was signed to a minor league deal. If that name sounds familiar to Nationals fans, that's because Yean was used in 2020 to acquire Josh Bell from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Originally signed out of the Dominican Republic back in 2017, the 24-year-old has yet to make his major league debut just yet. However, he did spend all of this past season with the Pirates' Triple-A affiliate, where he posted a 3.06 ERA across 50 outings (four starts).
What Are Nationals Getting by Signing Eddy Yean?
On the surface -- outside of this being Toboni's first signing -- it's hard to get excited about this move. Yean has a career 4.57 ERA across 223 minor league outings and 406 innings pitched. He's only struck out 371 batters and has walked 198. He also has has given up an opposing batting average of .267 with a WHIP of 1.51.
All of that makes it difficult to believe this addition will be one that pays dividends for Washington in 2026. However, there is some upside with this move. He is still just 24 years old and averaged 97 mph on his four-seam fastball and sinker this past season, while he also produced an elite groundball rate of 55% at the Triple-A level, per Sam Sallick of Federal Baseball.
At one point, Yean was a highly-regarded prospect. When he was traded in 2020, he ranked sixth in the Nationals' pipeline. So getting him back at this stage of his career is worth a roll of the dice, especially on a minor league deal.
In all likelihood, unless Washington can figure out a way to maximize his abilities, Yean is going to be a depth option for the Nationals in 2026. He could get called up at some point if he makes the roster in the best-case scenario.
Eddy Yean with some heat for the K
— Platinum Key (@PlatinumKey13) March 4, 2025
The red glove tho
95.6 MPH sinker, 2294 RPM, 8 IVB, 22 inVB, 16 inHB pic.twitter.com/hHexVhe8Zm
It's also important to remember that Toboni and his front office have a lot of augmenting to do when it comes to the farm system. Washington had the most minor league free agents this winter, which means they will need to replenish the depths of their pipeline.
At some point, it should be expected that Toboni and the Nationals will make a more marquee addition to this organization. But in the meantime, prepare for more deals like this Yean one to take place in the near future.
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Brad Wakai graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Journalism. While an undergrad, he worked at the student radio station covering different Penn State athletic programs like football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports. Brad became the Lead Contributor for Nittany Lions Wire of Gannett Media where he continued to cover Penn State athletics. Currently, Brad is the Publisher for Washington Nationals On SI and covers multiple teams across the On SI network. He is the host of the sports podcast I Said What I Said, where he and his co-host discuss topics across the NFL, College Football, the NBA and other sports. You can follow him on Twitter: @bwakai