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[Washington Nationals]

What Washington Nationals fans should watch for from Paul Toboni at the Winter Meetings

The Winter Meetings start this Sunday, and it could kickstart the Nationals offseason. Every year the most powerful baseball figures meet for a few days in a sunny location (this year it is Orlando) and discuss what is going on in the offseason. This is often where we see some major fireworks and big time deals.

The Winter Meetings are less than a week away!

Drop your predictions below pic.twitter.com/sZRSNULihV

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) December 1, 2025

Every year there seems to be a major splash at the Winter Meetings. Last year, it was during the meetings when Juan Soto signed with the Mets. This year we could see names like Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette come off the board, though likely not to the Nats.

However, we could see plenty of Nats action at the meetings. This is the first Winter Meetings for Paul Toboni, at least as the main man in DC. He has a lot of things on his plate entering this next pivotal week. The Nats have yet to sign an MLB free agent, so this could be the chance for him to get on the board. We have discussed names like Willi Castro, Victor Caratini and Emilio Pagan as potential fits.

There is also the matter of the trade market. Yesterday, we got an update on the MacKenzie Gore and CJ Abrams market from MLB insider Jeff Passan. This next week could be when we see a potential Gore trade. Passan said the Nats have been talking to multiple teams about Gore, though the asking price remains high. However, the Winter Meetings could be the time where we see them pull the trigger.

Nationals Have Discussed MacKenzie Gore With Multiple Clubs https://t.co/BHkQZV9eiD pic.twitter.com/fRtBwIi5ev

— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) December 2, 2025

Another part of the Winter Meetings is the Rule 5 Draft. That comes on Wednesday, the 10th, towards the end of the meetings. Given the state of the Nats roster, it is highly likely that the Nats make a pick. We wrote about a few names they could consider selecting.

For an analytics guy like Toboni, the Rule 5 Draft is a real chance for him to show off. It is a great way to find diamonds in the rough. Executives love nothing more than finding hidden gems. There are a few relievers Toboni is probably looking at closely. Catcher Daniel Susac is also a name to watch.

Zach McCambley's performance in the upper minors this year could prompt a club to consider him for 2026

His slider produced a 51% miss rate with a 34% chase rate

More players to keep tabs on in this year's Rule 5 draft: https://t.co/cb7JLV4tMG pic.twitter.com/ZE0VDcdw7q

— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) December 3, 2025

It has been a quiet offseason for the Nats so far, at least on the player side of things. There has been a continual drip of coaching and front office hires. However, not much has happened on the player acquisition side of things.

I have a feeling that will change either at the Winter Meetings or in the days following the event. At the end of the day, the Nats need to improve their roster. The team went 66-96 last season and the payroll is still very low. At least some money should be available and I am interested to see how Toboni allocates it.

Given the lack of player acquisitions, there are still a lot of unknowns with Toboni. He has talked about building a scouting and player development monster, but what kinds of players is he looking for? We still are not totally sure how he values the players currently on the roster either.

He has talked about how a lot of players on the roster have another gear to reach, but there still needs to be an infusion of talent. This team is not close to good enough, even if you project internal improvement. I am excited to see how Paul Toboni improves this roster externally. The Winter Meetings should give us a better idea of how he wants to go about doing that.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...ionals-fans-watch-paul-toboni-winter-meetings

 

[Washington Nationals]

Could Ryan O’Hearn solve the Washington Nationals first base problem?

It is no secret that the first base position has been a problem for the Washington Nationals. The team thought they had solved their dilemma, at least for two years when they brought in Nathaniel Lowe. However, that move did not work out, which means the Nats are back to the drawing board at the cold corner.

One name that was brought up by MLB.com as a perfect fit is Ryan O’Hearn. That is a name that really intrigues me. I agree that he would be a very good fit in DC for a few reasons that I will get into. O’Hearn has been one of the more underrated players in baseball over the last three seasons and is hitting the market coming off of a strong 2025 campaign.

O’Hearn set career highs in home runs and RBI’s, but this was no fluke season. He has had an OPS above .760 in each of the last three seasons and has been a baseball savant darling. His underlying numbers are always very strong, and this year was no different.

Really hope the #Dbacks take a good, hard look at Ryan O'Hearn.

Versatile, solid bat who can play 1B/OF/DH. pic.twitter.com/PZG98LQaYm

— SleeperDiamondbacks (@SleeperDbacks) November 3, 2025

The biggest thing that changed this year was O’Hearn getting more opportunities to face left handed pitching. In Baltimore, he was used almost exclusively against right handed pitching. This year things changed a bit though. He had 97 at bats against lefties, more than the last two seasons combined.

O’Hearn took advantage of those chances, hitting .278 with an .832 OPS against southpaws. His OPS against lefties was actually higher than it was against righties. This ability to play every day makes O’Hearn much more valuable than he would otherwise be. That ability to be in the lineup everyday led to O’Hearn being an All-Star for the first time in his career.

While the bat is the big selling point for him, O’Hearn also provides value in the field. He posted 5 outs above average last season and has done well in the field for two of the last three seasons. O’Hearn mostly plays first base, but has shown he can hold his own in the corner outfield as well. Last season, he played 75 games at 1B, 49 at DH, 21 in RF and 2 in LF.

For the Nats, O’Hearn would be an everyday first baseman, but that versatility is an added bonus. At 32 years old, he would also be a veteran in the clubhouse. Most of his success has come recently, but he would be a good role model for young players. O’Hearn struggled in the MLB for a while before finally breaking through in Baltimore at 29 years old. He would be a good player to learn from.

The offensive production is what the Nats would be buying though. O’Hearn is one of four first baseman with at least a .270 average and 10% walk rate since 2024. The other three are Bryce Harper, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Freddie Freeman. Obviously, he is not on the level of those other three, but it shows you how solid O’Hearn has been in recent years.

The only 1B with at least a .270 AVG and 10% BB rate since 2024:

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Freddie Freeman
Bryce Harper
Ryan O’Hearn pic.twitter.com/ifE0j5CWB1

— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) November 17, 2025

Like a lot of the free agents we have discussed, O’Hearn wouldn’t be overly pricey. It would take more than the Nats have spent in recent years, but it also would not be a mega-deal either. A 2-year $28 million deal or 3-year $36 million deal would make sense for both sides.

Ryan O’Hearn is not a flashy option like Pete Alonso, but he is a realistic target. This is still a highly productive player and should be the best first baseman the Nats have had in a while. Then again, we did say the same thing about Nathaniel Lowe. First baseman without truly elite power can be risky as we saw with Lowe. However, I am willing to bet that O’Hearn’s production continues to stay strong. That is why I think he would be a good option for the Nats.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...solve-washington-nationals-first-base-problem

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals hire Grayson Crawford from the Mets to be Director of Pitching

There has been a steady flow of front office and coaching staff hires over the last few weeks. As these positions get filled, we get an idea of how things will be run under Paul Toboni. This latest hire caught my eye though. The Nationals hired Grayson Crawford from the Mets to be the Director of Pitching in the organization.

The Washington Nationals are hiring Grayson Crawford as director of pitching, league sources said. Crawford has worked for the Mets the last couple of seasons, first as Triple A pitching coach and most recently as assistant pitching coordinator.

— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) December 4, 2025

This is a hire that really fires me up because pitching development is something I love to explore. There is so much information about pitchers and different ways organizations can unlock their talent. At the end of the Mike Rizzo era, the Nats were starting to become sharper on the pitching development side of things, but this hire will take it to the next level.

Crawford is very highly respected in the industry as a pitching mind. He has worked in the Mets and Yankees organizations. Both are very good at developing pitchers. People who are tapped into both organizations love this hire for the Nats.

Might be my favorite hire so far. Crawford has gotten to work under the very best in the industry, Sam Briend, when he was with the Yankees. Mets as well are in the upper echelon of pitcher development. This is huge for the farm. https://t.co/uhxqn47aj8

— Aaron Lichstrahl (@AJ_Lich) December 4, 2025

Over the last couple of years, the Mets have really stepped up their Minor League pitching development. Nolan McLean went from a two-way player drafted in the third round to a future front of the rotation arm in just a couple years. Jonah Tong went from a 7th round pick to a top 50 prospect. There have been a lot of success stories on the farm while Crawford has been with the Mets.

Crawford spent his first season in the Mets organization as the Triple-A pitching coach. After impressing in that role, he was promoted to assistant pitching coordinator. Now he is coming to DC to be the director of the Nats pitching development.

Before coming to the Mets, Crawford was a Minor League pitching coach with the Yankees for a couple years. He left a strong impression while he was there. The Yankees actually picked him up from the college ranks. Crawford was a pitching coach at Lipscomb University for a couple years.

Like a lot of these new Nats coaches, Crawford played baseball, but not at the highest level. He played at both Southern Arkansas University and Stillman College before starting his coaching career. Crawford is a grandpa compared to most other Nats coaches, graduating college in 2010.

Grayson Crawford played for Southern Arkansas University's baseball team before transferring to Stillman College as a catcher. Most recently, he was the New York Mets' Triple-A pitching coach for the Syracuse Mets in 2024 then the Mets promoted Crawford to Minor League… https://t.co/elT6gaTQ3x

— Talk Nats (@TalkNats) December 4, 2025

This could be a hire that pays immediate dividends for the Nats. Seemingly small tweaks in a pitcher’s arsenal or mechanics can make them a totally different pitcher. Given his track record, Crawford should be very helpful for the Nats Minor League arms.

Not only will Crawford help the top arms like Jarlin Susana and Travis Sykora, but he could unlock some hidden gems. The Nats took two high upside high school arms in Landon Harmon and Miguel Sime. I am very excited to see what Crawford can do with those guys. There should also be a couple more under the radar prospects that break out because of this hire.

There have been a lot of young, but inexperienced people hired by the Nats under Paul Toboni. However, this hire is different and seems like a home run. Crawford is a guy who has risen quickly through the Mets and Yankees organizations. Make no mistake about it, this is not a cheap hire.

For so long I have been begging for the Nats to be innovators. Now that finally seems to be happening. Hires like this are going to improve the Nats farm system drastically. The big league success may not come right away, but I feel confident that the organization is heading in the right direction.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/lat...ayson-crawford-from-mets-director-of-pitching

 

[Washington Nationals]

The Washington Nationals’ Beltway Rivals May Actually Be A Perfect Fit For MacKenzie Gore

With the Winter Meetings fast approaching, the big question that looms for the Nationals is the fate of LHP MacKenzie Gore, and whether he will start the 2026 season in DC, or with another ball club. So far, rumors have been kept to a minimum, with the possibility of a Gore trade still being about 50/50 according to Jon Heyman of the NY Post.

A while back, I explored what a potential MacKenzie Gore to Milwaukee trade would look like, with the Nats getting 2 top 100 prospects and 2 other solid prospects in return. While I may have overshot Gore’s value a little, something which just about every Brewers fan on Twitter let me hear about, I do think the headline of that package, SS Cooper Pratt and RHP Logan Henderson, was just about right: a backend top 50 prospect and a backend top 100 prospect.

With that in mind, it’s time to take a look at another potential landing spot for MacKenzie Gore this offseason, this one a much shorter trip for him just up the Beltway. The Orioles have already gotten to work this winter building a playoff contender after a disappointing 2025 season in which they finished 75-87, last place in the AL East. While the addition of Taylor Ward in left field and Ryan Helsley in the bullpen are both strong moves, the reality for the Orioles is that to get where they want to go, the rotation needs to seriously improve.

While there are still some solid pitching options on the free agent market, such as Framber Valdez and Michael King, the Orioles may look to explore the trade market for their big fish this winter, as they may need to pocket some cash for when it’s time to offer big extensions to young core pieces such as Gunnar Henderson or Adley Rutschman. Let’s take a look at what the Orioles have to offer in terms of prospects when it comes to a MacKenzie Gore trade.

The Untouchables

C/1B Samuel Basallo (#2 in BAL, #7 in MLB)

2B Jackson Holliday

While Samuel Basallo would be a dream come true for the Nats, being able to immediately step in at either first base or catcher for them, and boasting maybe the best hit tool/power combination of any prospect in baseball, he likely is untouchable in the eyes of the Orioles, as they’ve had the opportunity for years now to move him for stud pitching and still have not.

While Holliday’s big league career hasn’t started quite as smoothly as most imagined, he showed significant strides at the plate in his second year and first full season, raising his wRC+ by 34 points, up to 96, and blasting 17 home runs. Still just 22 years old, it’s extremely hard to imagine a world where the Orioles move Holliday unless it’s for an ace better than Gore that they would have for multiple years.

The Likely Headliners

OF Dylan Beavers (#1 in BAL, #83 in MLB)

1B Coby Mayo

The issue with the Orioles as a match in a MacKenzie Gore trade is that they either have prospects too good to be traded for Gore, not good enough to be a headliner in a Gore trade, or if they are a fit, like outfielder Dylan Beaver is, they play a position already filled to the brim with young talent on the Nats. Beavers, the 2nd-ranked prospect in the Orioles system and the 83rd-ranked prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline, showed great promise in his first cup of coffee at the big league level, posting a 125 wRC+ in 35 games.

Beavers is set to be the starting right fielder for the O’s in 2026, but with the addition of Taylor Ward moving Tyler O’Neill to the bench, they could afford to move Beavers for pitching, as they have someone to immediately take his place. The issue of Beavers as a headliner for the Nats is that there simply isn’t room in the outfield for all the talent they have, with James Wood, Dylan Crews, and Daylen Lile all locked into spots. Perhaps Beavers could take over RF and move Lile to DH, but it would seem unwise to relegate any of the young outfielders to a hitting-only role this young in their careers.

AAA hitters u24 with a >10% BB%, .800+ OPS, & .200+ ISO in '25:

– Owen Caissie
– Dylan Beavers
– Kevin Alcántara

Each of their Steamer projected HR totals:

– Caissie (9)
– Beavers (10)️
– Alcántara (3) pic.twitter.com/FxQc1KoKQH

— Tobey Schulman (@tschulmanreport) December 4, 2025

Coby Mayo, like Holliday, looked abysmal in his first big league stint in 2024, but made significant strides in year 2, posting a 95 wRC+ and hitting 11 home runs in 85 games. He’s continued to struggle with strikeouts in the majors, posting a 28.6% strikeout rate in 2025, but was able to tap into his power much more consistently, offsetting the issue at least somewhat. The 24-year-old Mayo has serious power potential, but also real bust risk because of the swing and miss, and the Orioles may be in a position where they would rather roll with the more sure thing, 1B Ryan Mountcastle, than the volatile Mayo.

The Packages Finishers

RHP Trey Gibson (#12 in BAL)

C/OF Ike Irish (#3 in BAL)

SS Wehiwa Aloy (#5 in BAL)

RHP Esteban Mejia (#7 in BAL)

LHP Boston Bateman (#9 in BAL)

C Caden Bodine (#10 in BAL)

With Beavers or Mayo as the headliner in a return for MacKenzie Gore, it still would require likely 2 or so prospects from this list to get a deal across the finish line. It’s hard to know what Toboni is targeting in Gore trade talks, but a mix of pitching and catching would be what I expect. On the pitching side, Gibson may seem out of place at the top of this list as the Orioles #12 ranked prospect, but in reality, he’s a borderline top 100 prospect on many publications (including 95th on my own list from back in August). His struggles in his short stint at Triple A to end the year prevent him from being in the headliner category, but Gibson has flashed mid-rotation upside and could debut as soon as 2026.

Full article on Trey Gibson coming this weekend. Unbelievably nasty stuff – this is the sinker he mentioned having added a mere 2 months ago! Perfectly placed backdoor paint, making Jacob Amaya look absolutely foolish. https://t.co/nJnRaoa89w pic.twitter.com/CVKXGDpHrF

— Prospect Savant (@ProspectSavant) August 22, 2025

Esteban Mejia and Boston Bateman have one thing in common on the mound, and it’s that they have an intimidating presence and big-time potential. The 18-year-old Mejia stands at 6’3” and throws 102 MPH, immediately reminding me of how Jarlin Susana looked when the Nats first acquired him. Bateman, a second-round pick out of high school last year by the Padres who was traded to the Orioles at this year’s trade deadline, stands at 6’8” and attacks hitters with a gross fastball/slider combination. Neither is as close to the big leagues as Gibson is, but both have ceilings maybe just as high or higher.

As for the bats, Irish, Aloy, and Bodine were all taken in this year’s MLB Draft by the Orioles with their record-high bonus pool, and there’s a good chance one of them could join the Nats in a potential Gore to Baltimore trade. Irish is the highest rated of the trio, and could be a target for the Nationals if he is able to stick at catcher. Unfortunately, he is likely destined for a corner outfield spot, and he struggled at the plate in his first stint of professional baseball after the draft.

Aloy, the 2025 Golden Spikes winner in college baseball, looked sharp in his first pro ball stint, posting a 147 wRC+ in 20 games at Low A. He grades out as a solid defender at shortstop and has plus power potential, but his ability to limit strikeouts will determine how far he goes, as he struck out nearly 28% of the time in his time at Low A.

Bodine doesn’t have the offensive potential of the first 2, but he may be the most impressive defensively, grading as a plus defender behind the dish. He also wasn’t a slouch at the plate in college or his first chance in the minors, posting a 133 wRC+ in a short 11-game stint at Low A. What worries me about Bodine is that his best defensive skill in college was his framing ability, but with the ABS challenge system on the way to the major leagues, that skill is no longer as valued as it would have been. Still, Bodine could be a huge boost for an organization with a severe lack of catching talent.

Mock Trade 1

Orioles Receive:

LHP MacKenzie Gore

Nationals Receive:

OF Dylan Beavers (#2 in BAL, #63 in MLB)*

RHP Trey Gibson (#3 in BAL, #96 in MLB)*

C Caden Bodine (#10 in BAL)

Mock Trade 2

Orioles Receive:

LHP MacKenzie Gore

LHP Jose A. Ferrer

Nationals Receive:

1B Coby Mayo

RHP Trey Gibson (#3 in BAL, #96 in MLB)

RHP Esteban Mejia (#7 in BAL)

C Caden Bodine (#10 in BAL)

*MLB Top 100 Rankings for this portion via Just Baseball due to it being more recently updated than MLB Pipeline’s list

This time, I’m going with 2 mock trades, one with just Gore heading to Baltimore, and another with Jose A. Ferrer joining him on the trip. Ferrer has true closer potential and is close to unlocking it, but the Nationals are not at the point in the rebuild where they need to hoard good relievers, and the Orioles could use all the pitching help they can get.

If the Nats send only Gore in the deal, I think Dylan Beavers and Trey Gibson are the most likely package headliners. Beavers could slot into RF or DH for the Nats on Opening Day in 2026 and be an immediate lineup boost, while Gibson could be in the Nats rotation as soon as mid-2026. Bodine rounds out the deal as a defence-first catching prospect who would compete with Caleb Lomavita for the title of Nationals’ future catcher.

With Ferrer in the deal, I think the Nats could steal Mayo away from the Orioles, as they would be boosting both their rotation and bullpen and have a backup plan at first base to take his place. I think Gibson is a must in any Gore to Baltimore trade, and thus, he makes his way into this package as well. Bodine is in this deal as well for me, but the other new addition is Esteban Mejia, who I think has the potential to blossom into a top 100 prospect the same way Susana did after joining the Nationals.

While the Orioles aren’t my preferred destination for MacKenzie Gore, as I think some other farm systems stack up better for the Nats, I do believe they are one of the most likely landing spots for him. The talent the Orioles have to offer isn’t bad either, as Beavers and Mayo both could become middle of the lineup sluggers, and Gibson looks like a sure-fire mid-rotation starter to me. What we know for sure is that Gore’s future in DC is about to become much more clear at this years Winter Meetings.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...-may-actually-be-a-perfect-fit-mackenzie-gore

 

[Washington Nationals]

MLB Draft 2026: MLB Pipeline releases their initial top 100 draft prospects

The MLB Draft is one of my favorite things to cover here at Federal Baseball. Every year, there is an infusion of talent coming into pro organizations. It is fun to keep up with that and follow the names in the draft. The draft is not until July, but MLB Pipeline released their first top 100 rankings for the 2026 draft.

DRAFT RANKINGS ARE OUT

Here are the Top 100 prospects for the 2026 MLB Draft, headlined by a consensus No. 1: https://t.co/56KWtcwhhy pic.twitter.com/5d5QDk589D

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) December 4, 2025

Due to the draft rules, the Nationals are locked into the 11th pick this year. That means they likely will not have access to the top ranked guys like Roch Cholowsky and Grady Emerson. However, with a whole spring season to play, it is hard to say who will rise and fall. We are going to look at some intriguing names and talk about their scouting reports.

After selecting high school players with four of their first five picks in the 2025 class, the focus should be on college players this year. College pitching is a demographic I want the Nats to explore early in this upcoming draft. We will brush through a few of the top college players that could be available, as well as one high schooler that stands out.

Since there is only one high schooler to discuss, we will start with him. Tyler Spangler is a high school shortstop who ranks 11th on the Pipeline board. That is exactly where the Nats will be picking, so he is certainly in range.

Spangler is a really well rounded player with a tantalizing hit/power combination. He has a smooth swing that scouts love and at 6’3 195 pounds, it is easy to envision at least above average power. Pipeline mentions that scouts have compared him to Corey Seager and even Cal Ripken Jr. Those comparisons come a lot when discussing talented shortstop prospects who are taller than most who play the position. However, it is still high praise.

At that size, Spangler is not a lock to stick at shortstop, but has good instincts and can make all the plays. For the Nats, he does not need to stick at shortstop with Eli Willits in the system. If they want to go the high school route, Spangler is my guy.

On the college side, we discussed a few of the prospects in the Nats range already last month. We talked about Drew Burress, Jackson Flora, Cameron Flukey and Chris Hacopian in that piece. Those are all still options, but we are going to discuss a few others here today.

One pitcher we did not discuss was Liam Peterson because I thought he would go before the Nats selection. However, MLB Pipeline has him ranked 13th. The right hander from the University of Florida has a prototypical frame and prototypical stuff.

His fastball lives in the mid-90’s and he can crank it up to 99 MPH. He also throws a pair of above average breaking balls with a slider and curveball. Peterson threw more sliders but some scouts think the hook is even better. There is a changeup that is improving and could be at least an average pitch.

Peterson is not an elite strike-thrower, but his command is not bad either. He walked 4.2 batters per 9 innings last year at Florida, which is not amazing. However, for a sophomore it is not terrible. Despite all of this potential, Peterson posted an ERA of 4.28 last year. This has a chance to be a breakout season for the Gators ace though.

On the offensive side of the ball, Sawyer Strosnider is a name that intrigues me. The TCU outfielder is a draft eligible sophomore and has all the tools in the world. He is a tremendous athlete with a sturdy 6’2 200 pound frame. Despite that size, he projects to be a center fielder in pro ball.

Strosnider has plus speed and power. There are some hit tool concerns, but they are not extreme. He did hit .350 in his freshman year at TCU last season. The one thing he will need to solve is left handed pitching. He only hit .204 against lefties his freshman year. Even if you have all the tools, being unplayable against left handed pitching limits the ceiling.

Right now, MLB Pipeline has him ranked as the 10th best prospect. There is real 5 tool upside here. If he solves his issues against lefties, the Nats may not have a chance to take him due to his upside. However, if he falls to pick 11, he is a name to watch.

Interestingly for Nationals fans, there is a catcher who is ranked 12th on the Pipeline big board. That would be Vahn Lackey from Georgia Tech. He is an athletic catcher with promise on both sides of the ball. Lackey is an above average hitter, who had a .347 batting average last year for the Yellow Jackets.

He also has a plus arm and Pipeline grades him as a 55 defender. There is also power potential here, but he only has 10 homers in his two college seasons. That is mostly due to hitting the ball on the ground too much. This is a slight red flag for me, but this new regime could help Lackey optimize his angles.

The Nats desperately need a catcher of the future. They took Caleb Lomavita in the 2024 draft, and while he did not have a bad season, the former Cal star still has warts on both sides of the ball. Lackey is a much better prospect than Lomavita and would slide in as the Nats catcher of the future.

You do not draft for need, but if Lackey is near the top of your board, that positional value could be a tiebreaker. He was not great as a freshman, so Lackey only has one real year of production. This junior year will tell scouts a lot about him.

Lastly, I want to discuss AJ Gracia from UVA. The slugging outfielder played his first two seasons at Duke before transferring to UVA to follow his coach who took that job. If you want a pure hitter, Gracia is your guy. He has tremendous power, good enough bat to ball skills and an advanced approach.

Gracia walked 57 times while only striking out 36 times last year. He has also hit 29 homers in his 120 career college games, which is highly impressive. Gracia is a top 5 talent purely on the offensive side of the ball in this draft.

However, he does not provide a ton of value on the bases or in the field. Right now he plays center field, and he has a chance to stick there, but his lack of athleticism is likely to move him into a corner. His fringy arm makes left field more likely than right field.

Gracia has good instincts, so he could be an above average left fielder, but he is not the traditional up the middle profile that teams crave. However, the Nats could use a middle of the order bat and that is what Gracia projects to be.

I am excited to see how he does at UVA. Despite the Nats having a lot of outfielders, they still need to add talent. Gracia could be the most talented player on the board when draft day comes. For Paul Toboni to create the scouting and player development monster he wants, he will need to bring talent to the MLB in waves.

This 2026 draft projects to be very strong. While it is a bummer that the Nats can’t pick in the top 10, there will be a very good player that will fall to them. I am very confident that Paul Toboni can make the right pick. After all, the draft is his wheelhouse. It is not for a while, but I am very excited to see what Paul Toboni can do in his first draft in DC.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/mlb...line-releases-initial-top-100-draft-prospects

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals trade Jose A. Ferrer to the Mariners for Harry Ford

Paul Toboni pulled off his first trade as Washington Nationals GM and it is a big one. He sent closer Jose A. Ferrer to the Mariners for top catching prospect Harry Ford and pitching prospect Isaac Lyon. There had been some buzz that the Mariners were interested in the left hander, but this was unexpected.

The Seattle Mariners are acquiring reliever Jose Ferrer from the Washington Nationals for catcher Harry Ford, according to sources familiar with the deal.

— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) December 6, 2025

Heading into his age 26 season, Ferrer was expected to be the Nats closer. He put up a 4.48 ERA last season but the underlying numbers suggested he was very unlucky. His ground ball heavy approach was not the best match for the Nats poor infield defense.

Ferrer should be a very important piece of the Mariners bullpen for years to come. He is not even in arbitration yet and is a flame-thrower who gets a ton of ground balls. It makes a lot of sense why the Mariners would want him.

However, the package the Nats are getting back for him is substantial. The key piece here is catcher Harry Ford. The 2021 first round pick ranks as the 42nd best prospect in all of baseball according to MLB Pipeline. There are other rankings like Just Baseball that have him in the 60’s, but he is a consensus top 100 prospect.

NATS HAVE ACQUIRED HARRY FORDpic.twitter.com/oGrvPhQf3U

— Kev (@klwoodjr) December 6, 2025

He also fills the Nats biggest need, which is catcher. It simply has not worked out for Keibert Ruiz since signing that extension. This move signals that the Ruiz era could be coming to an end.

Ford hit .283 with an .868 OPS in Triple-A last year, so he is big league ready. He also got a cup of coffee in the MLB last September. However, Ford’s path to playing time was blocked in Seattle due to the presence of Cal Raleigh. With the Big Dumper locked up long term, Ford was always going to be a trade candidate.

He was a guy I would have wanted in a potential MacKenzie Gore package, but getting him in a deal for a relief pitcher is very exciting. Ford could be the Nats Opening Day starting catcher next year. He does not have much left to prove in the Minors and the Nats have a glaring hole behind the plate.

Defensively, Ford has improved over the years and projects to be a solid defender, but not necessarily a Gold Glover. Interestingly, Ford is a plus runner, which is very rare for a catcher. That is a nice added bonus for the Nats.

Lyon is more or less a throw-in. He was a 10th round pick last year for the Mariners. The right hander has a funky arm slot, so maybe there is something Paul Toboni likes there. However, this is pretty much a Ford for Ferrer deal.

This should benefit both teams, at least in my opinion. Ford projects as a starting catcher, which the Nats desperately need while Ferrer should flourish in the back end of Seattle’s bullpen. It will be very interesting to see how this trade pans out over the next several years. Paul Toboni has made his first big splash in DC.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/lat...rade-jose-a-ferrer-to-mariners-for-harry-ford

 

[Washington Nationals]

What Washington Nationals fans need to know about Harry Ford

As most Nationals fans know by now, the team traded for top catching prospect Harry Ford. This is a huge move because Ford has a good chance of solving the Nationals long standing catcher problem. I wanted to give Nationals fans a look at who Harry Ford is, both as a person and as a player.

Of course, the biggest reason the Nats acquired Ford is because of who he is as a player. MLB Pipeline has Ford as their 42nd ranked prospect in all of baseball. That is definitely on the high end of his range, but Ford is a consensus top 100 prospect. Baseball America is more bearish on him, but he still ranks 74th in their top 100.

So what makes Ford a top 100 prospect? Well, he has a bit of a unique tool kit, especially for a catcher. Ford’s stand out trait is his plate discipline. He has walked at least 14% of the time in all four of his full Minor League seasons. Last season, he only chased pitches out of the zone 16.57% of the time in AAA, which is an elite mark. Ford also manages to do this while not being overly passive, swinging at pitches in the zone at a 64% clip, which is just below the AAA average.

Harry Ford (acquired by WSH) is a catching prospect with a great sense of the zone and solid power. Scouts believe he has the tools to be an above-average catcher, yet his framing and blocking results have been well below average

Ford is my #62 Prospect in MLB https://t.co/vKhwN6XUs9 pic.twitter.com/FXtILXoya4

— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) December 6, 2025

Ford’s ability to draw walks gives him a strong offensive floor, especially for a catcher. Interestingly, Ford will not be a liability once he is on the base paths. Most catchers are slow runners, but not Ford. Pipeline considers him a 60 grade runner and he has the potential to be a base stealing threat.

While he did not run as much in 2025, Ford stole at least 20 bases in his first three MILB seasons. He projects to steal double digit bags for the first few years of his career, before the rigors of catching slow him down. When I think of fast catchers, my mind goes to J.T. Realmuto, and hopefully Ford can be that good one day.

At the plate, the batting eye is his best trait, but he has a solid hit/power combination. Both the hit tool and the power project to be about average. With plate discipline being a plus tool, Ford has the potential to be an above average offensive producer.

Harry Ford hits his second career GRAND SLAM! pic.twitter.com/otRMcHxurO

— Tacoma Rainiers (@RainiersLand) June 12, 2025

Defensively, it is a bit of a mixed bag for Ford. That athleticism has always given him the chance to be a good defensive catcher. However, he is still a work in progress on that side of the ball. He has shown the ability to get better though. In 2023, he had an insane 20 passed balls. Ford did not have any passed balls in 2025, despite catching more innings. He is a solid thrower who does a good, but not elite job at controlling the running game.

The framing is a bit of a work in progress according to scouts though. It will be interesting to see how the value of framing is affected by the new ABS challenge system. I am also excited to see if new catching coach Bobby Wilson can help Ford defensively. Wilson did a good job improving Jonah Heim’s defense in Texas and hopefully he can do the same with Ford.

Harry Ford has been slowly but steadily working his way up the Minor Leagues over the years. He was the Mariners 12th overall pick in the 2021 draft, and like most high school catchers, Ford slowly climbed through the system. The Nats have a lot of high schoolers from that 2021 class now, with Ford joining James Wood, Daylen Lile and Brady House.

Harry Ford has played full seasons in Low-A, High-A, Double-A and Triple-A. He has performed well in his 454 MILB games, hitting .266 with an .833 OPS. His Minor League on base percentage is .405. All of this is to say that Ford is MLB ready.

He made his debut at the end of last season after posting an .868 OPS in Triple-A. Given the Nats catching situation, he will probably be the starter right away. There is not much else for him to prove in the Minors. If it weren’t for the presence of Cal Raleigh, Ford would have been in the big leagues sooner.

Now that we have discussed Ford as a player, I want to talk about the person. When researching Ford, I constantly was seeing stuff about how great of a human being he is. Given how much Paul Toboni talks about winning with people, I wonder how big of a role that played.

Happy for Harry Ford. A true 80-grade human being who deserves every opportunity to carve out a Major League role.

— Joe Doyle (@JoeDoyleMiLB) December 6, 2025

In his scouting report for MLB Pipeline, he was praised for his leadership skills and work ethic. Leadership is a very important trait for a catcher and it seems to be something that Ford has in spades. He should be able to take command of this pitching staff, despite being just 22 years old, though he will turn 23 before the season.

One thing that stuck out to me was the Mariners post about him after he was traded. They mentioned his work on the field, as well as in the community. It was overall a very nice post. You do not usually see a player with six career at bats get that kind of love, so that tells you a lot about who Harry Ford is.

From the farm to the bigs, to your work on the field and in the community, thank you for everything, @harry_ford! Wishing you the best of luck with the Nationals. pic.twitter.com/CGDRfmO5i2

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) December 7, 2025

Mariners fans seem to really have a soft spot for the guy. Though most understand why he was dealt, they were gutted to see him go. This overall makeup gives me belief that Ford will be able to unlock all the potential he does have.

There are also a couple interesting facts I found about Ford. Both of his parents are actually from the UK. For that reason, Ford represented the UK at the last WBC and should be their starting catcher again this spring. Despite playing for the UK, Ford grew up in Georgia.

Another ironic fact is that Ford plays the saxophone. This is funny because the man he was traded for, Jose A. Ferrer also plays the sax. This must be the first trade in MLB history where both sides are getting a saxophone player.

Did you know Harry Ford knows how to play saxophone?

You can catch the @Mariners prospect in #SpringBreakout at 4:10 PM ET on MLB digital platforms, @MLBNetwork and ESPN+. pic.twitter.com/neY1ZCLXG3

— MLB (@MLB) March 15, 2024

This is a super exciting move for the Nats, despite giving up a talented reliever in Ferrer. Ford has a good chance of being the Nationals catcher of the future. We thought the same about Keibert Ruiz, but I have hope that this will be different. Ford has a very exciting set of tools and a good head on his shoulders.

Going to the Nats is probably very exciting for him as well. He was never going to have a chance to be the starting catcher in Seattle due to Cal Raleigh. Now he has a much clearer path to playing time and will be given a chance to develop at the MLB level.

For a second, I was worried the Nats would run back the same horrific catching room they had last year. However, that is not going to happen now that Ford is here. Harry Ford is MLB ready and should be playing a lot.

I wonder what this means for Keibert Ruiz. He has that long term contract, but his play and injury concerns are a real problem. Will he even be on the Opening Day roster now? The team tendered Riley Adams and has Drew Millas, who is solid. No team can carry four catchers, so I am interested to see what Paul Toboni does here.

Get excited Nats fans because Harry Ford is a very fun player. Yes, he has his flaws and is not a sure thing. However, he is an exciting player that will be in the MLB in 2026. The Nats have been starved for good catcher play, and Harry Ford could be the man to bring competence behind the plate back to DC.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...ton-nationals-fans-need-know-about-harry-ford

 

[Washington Nationals]

Why have the Washington Nationals not hired a hitting coach yet?

Since taking over in DC, Paul Toboni has slowly been assembling a staff. He hired Blake Butera to be the manager, Michael Johns to be the bench coach and Simon Mathews to be the pitching coach. Toboni has also filled a number of other organizational positions. However, one role he has not filled yet is hitting coach.

Given the young offensive talent on the roster, hitting coach is one of the positions Nats fans were most eager to see filled. Darnell Coles took a lot of heat during his time in DC and Nats fans want to see what the young talent on the roster can do without him. We are almost at the Winter Meetings and there is no hitting coach though.

Given the timing of some of the other staff hires, this is a bit odd. Pitching coach Simon Mathews took the job nearly a month ago now. You would think that a hitting coach would not be far behind, but that has not been the case. It has been mostly quiet on that front.

Nationals have announced Simon Mathews, 30, as new pitching coach. Prior to joining Reds in 2021, he was director of pitching at Push Performance in Tempe, Ariz. and an online trainer at Driveline Baseball.

Statement from manager Blake Butera: pic.twitter.com/ZSPgFN8d5t

— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) November 11, 2025

It makes sense for Paul Toboni to do his due diligence on this hire. The Nats young core is very hitter heavy, so nailing this hire is crucial. For the Nats to be good anytime soon, their young bats need to develop. Players like James Wood, CJ Abrams and even Luis Garcia Jr. have shown flashes at the plate, but have been highly inconsistent. All of these guys being so up and down makes me think coaching was at least part of the problem.

However, it is still curious that this is taking so long. I am sure they have done a lot of interviews, but there is still no hire. Have there been a lot of rejections, or are they just taking their time?

While it has been mostly quiet, there have been some rumors about some names in the mix. Former Twins hitting coach Matt Borgschulte has been mentioned as a candidate. He seems like their type as well. Borgschulte is only 35 years old and spent a lot of time in the analytically minded Orioles organization.

Source: Nats made an offer to Matt Borgschulte to be their hitting coach. https://t.co/PkiyeMkEv7

— Talk Nats (@TalkNats) November 23, 2025

It would not be surprising if he was their guy, but why hasn’t it happened yet? Is Borgschulte having cold feet or are they just sorting things out. I have been hesitant to go too deep into this speculation, but as the days go on without a hitting coach, it is tough for me not to discuss this.

One other curious thing is that the Nats hired an assistant hitting coach a couple weeks ago. It was reported that Andrew Aydt of Driveline would be the assistant hitting coach. I am very excited about that hire because of Aydt’s innovative ideas. However, the fact he was hired before the main hitting coach is confusing.

The Nats are hiring another young, analytical coach in Andrew Aydt of Driveline. Love to see the Nats link up with a forward thinking place like that https://t.co/0hxNogFCGP

— federalbaseball (@federalbaseball) November 22, 2025

What if the guy they hire does not like Aydt for whatever reason? Usually the main guy is hired before the assistants. That made me think that there was a hitting coach on the way very soon. However, it has been about two weeks since the Aydt hire and still nothing.

Obviously they will hire a hitting coach before too long, but this is becoming a little bit strange. This is one of the most important hires Paul Toboni and Blake Butera have to make and it is becoming a strange process.

Hopefully we can get some clarity soon on this situation. This should absolutely be a question that is asked to Toboni during the Winter Meetings though. I still have faith in this regime to make the right hire, but this is getting a little weird.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...hington-nationals-not-hired-hitting-coach-yet

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals finalize their 2026 coaching staff

After a couple months of information slowly dripping out, the Nationals have finally announced their 2026 coaching staff, or at least most of it. At the Winter Meetings, Paul Toboni told reporters what the staff will be for 2026. Most of these names were already known, but there were a couple new faces in there.

Though they could still add a few more positions, the Nationals' 2026 coaching staff is mostly complete: pic.twitter.com/6R2vJwWuaG

— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) December 8, 2025

It will be a 12 man staff, with a few new roles compared to last season. We have already covered a few of these names, so I am mostly going to touch on the members of the staff we haven’t talked about. The biggest news here is that Matt Borgschulte will be the hitting coach.

The other day, we discussed how it was taking a long time for the Nats to name a hitting coach, but we have one now. Despite being only 35 years old, Borgschulte has a relatively long MLB coaching track record. He was the Orioles co-hitting coach from 2022 to 2024. Then he was the Twins hitting coach last season.

However, after the Twins fired manager Rocco Baldelli, Borgschulte was not retained by the new staff. He remains a respected hitting mind and is clearly a sharp guy. This interview he did about Gunnar Henderson’s swing when he was with the Orioles interested me.

Darnell Coles was the subject of a lot of scrutiny last season. Now we will get to see how much of a difference a new hitting coach can make. Hopefully Borgschulte can help elevate some of the Nats young hitters like James Wood, Dylan Crews, Brady House and the newly acquired Harry Ford.

Another new name is third base coach Victor Estevez. He was a Minor League manager in the Brewers organization the last few seasons at the High-A level. Over the past few years he has gotten to manage a lot of elite talent. A couple examples of players that played for him this past season are top prospects Jesus Made and Luis Pena.

Estevez has been in the Brewers organization since 2013. He coached in the Dominican Republic for a lot of that time. The bilingual element that he brings is definitely a positive. In 2024, Estevez was the Midwest League manager of the year. Interestingly, Estevez will also be the infield coach. He will have a big job on his hands there because the Nats infield really struggled defensively in 2025.

Another name that was reported on yesterday is bullpen coach and assistant pitching coach Dustin Glant. He has a unique background, though one that has become more common to see recently. Glant has been the pitching coach at the University of Indiana since 2022.

We have seen more of these college to pro moves in the coaching ranks this offseason. Obviously, Tony Vitello’s move to the Giants has been the most notable, but there have been others around the league. Glant will be one of two assistant pitching coaches, with the other being Sean Doolittle, who is the only carry over from last year’s staff.

Despite being in the running for a job, it does not look like assistant hitting coach Chris Johnson will return to the staff. For a while it looked like he and Doolittle would return to the staff, but as of right now, Johnson will not be back.

Another interesting note is that first base coach Corey Ray will be in charge of the outfield defense and base running. Given he was a speedy outfielder with a good glove, this is not overly surprising.

Overall, it is a 12 man coaching staff. Last year it was only a 10 man staff. Another big talking point has been the youth of the staff and that shows up in the numbers. Last year, the average age of the coaching staff was 51. This year it is just 36 years of age. Welcome to the new Nats!

Nationals head into 2026 with a 12-person coaching staff. There were 10 coaches on staff last year.

The average age on this staff is about 36. Last year, it was 51. Will be a definitive change. https://t.co/dhp8sG7mxY

— Spencer Nusbaum (@spencernusbaum_) December 8, 2025

Last season there was a lot of anger directed towards the coaching staff from sections of the fanbase. Now those fans will get their wish with pretty much a whole new staff. It is a clean slate here in DC. There will likely be some bumps in the road, but I am excited for the start of this new era.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/general/87799/washington-nationals-finalize-2026-coaching-staff

 

[Washington Nationals]

CJ Abrams trade rumors are heating up at the Winter Meetings

The Winter Meetings are now underway and the idea of the Nationals trading their young stars is a big talking point. After having a fire sale just a few years ago, the fact we are here again is disheartening. However, moving off of players like MacKenzie Gore and maybe even CJ Abrams could be best for the long term future of the franchise.

We have talked at length about a potential MacKenzie Gore trade, so today I wanted to focus on Abrams. Ken Rosenthal just put out a report saying the Nats are drawing heavy interest for Abrams, but have a high asking price.

It’s not just MacKenzie Gore. Nationals also drawing heavy interest in CJ Abrams. With @WillSammon. https://t.co/hQB3wApTxK

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 8, 2025

That asking price is high for good reason. The Nats should not be in any sort of rush to move on from Abrams. He has 3 years of team control remaining and is not a Scott Boras client. If Paul Toboni sees Abrams as a long term building block, he should try to extend him rather than trade him.

Abrams has a very exciting blend of speed and power at the shortstop position. In fact, he is one of five shortstops in MLB history with at least 55 homers and 100 steals before turning 25 years old. It would be a real shame if Abrams was yet another star the Nats let away.

CJ Abrams is 1 of just 5 shortstops in MLB history with 55+ HR and 100+ SB before turning 25

The Nationals’ young star is becoming one of the most coveted players on the trade market. pic.twitter.com/6EByMvKzj6

— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) December 8, 2025

However, there are reasons that Toboni would listen to calls on Abrams. The 25 year old is a poor defender at shortstop, posting -11 outs above average last year. Abrams has also posted OPS marks of .634 and .586 in the second halves of the last two seasons. He is a very exciting player, but also a flawed one.

In 2025, Abrams posted a career high 3.1 fWAR. That is really solid, and the Nats need more players like that, not less. However, that is not the kind of production that is irreplaceable. With Paul Toboni wanting to shake things up, it makes sense why Abrams is available.

It would be a tough pill to swallow though and Toboni will have to nail the return for this move to make sense. Abrams has become a fan favorite, especially among younger Nats fans since he arrived in the Juan Soto trade. This fanbase has been kicked in the teeth a lot in the last five years, and trading Abrams would be another gut punch.

Gore is fine for me but trading away CJ Abrams would be a tough pill to swallow for me personally.

Don’t think he’s played his best ball yet and he still could be an extension candidate given he’s not a Boras guy.

The next few days in Orlando are going to be VERY interesting… https://t.co/livh4WQO4q

— Bennett Lehmann (@DCBerk) December 8, 2025

If Toboni were to trade Abrams, there would be no shortage of suitors. Abrams’ three years of fairly cheap team control make him an attractive target for big or small market teams.

One trade partner that makes a lot of sense is actually the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates desperately need hitting and are trying to make a splash this offseason. Paul Skenes trade rumors have been bubbling at the surface ever since he arrived in Pittsburgh. The only way the Pirates can make those go away is by building a competitive team around their ace.

Abrams makes a lot of sense for them either as a shortstop or a second baseman. The Nats could take advantage of the Pirates surplus of pitching talent both in the Minors and at the MLB level. Guys like Seth Hernandez, Bubba Chandler, Jared Jones, Hunter Barco, and Braxton Ashcraft are all young arms I could see the Nats coveting.

That is just one example, but there are plenty of teams that could use Abrams. I could see teams like the Royals, Yankees, Reds and Red Sox all potentially being interested. A move for Abrams is definitely possible at these Winter Meetings. I still think Gore is more likely to be moved because of Abrams having more team control. However, there is a decent chance that both are moved.

Paul Toboni wants to make the Nats in his image. Moving those two guys would be one heck of a statement. They were two of the prizes of the Juan Soto trade, which was the crown jewel of the previous regime. Now, with the team looking further away than ever, Paul Toboni looks like he is pulling the trigger on rebuilding the rebuild.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/nat...ms-trade-rumors-heating-up-at-winter-meetings

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals POBO Paul Toboni had a busy first day at the Winter Meetings

While no moves were made, Paul Toboni had a busy first day at the Winter Meetings. The Nats and their potential trade targets were the talk of the town in Orlando with plenty of rumors surfacing about MacKenzie Gore and CJ Abrams. There were also updates about the coaching staff and new technology that will be integrated into the organization.

Let’s start with some of the trade rumors because those are the biggest talking points. As we have discussed there has been a lot of buzz around the Nats trading MacKenzie Gore and CJ Abrams. Yesterday, Ken Rosenthal put out a report that said teams were pushing the Nats hard on Abrams. The Gore stuff has been around for a while, but the idea of an Abrams trade is fresher for Nats fans.

It’s not just MacKenzie Gore. Nationals also drawing heavy interest in CJ Abrams. With @WillSammon. https://t.co/hQB3wApTxK

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 8, 2025

The Abrams news also seemed more surprising for Paul Toboni as well. When he was asked about it yesterday, Toboni said that he did not see the CJ Abrams stuff until today. He looked a bit taken aback when he was asked about it as well. Does that mean a trade is less likely or that a leak came out before Toboni anticipated? I guess we will find out with his actions over the coming weeks.

Paul Toboni seemed surprised by CJ Abrams trade talk. pic.twitter.com/B7o1FdRR6t

— Talk Nats (@TalkNats) December 8, 2025

We wrote about how an Abrams trade would be more complicated and tougher to sell than a Gore move. Abrams has an additional year of control and is not represented by Scott Boras. At just 25 years old, you would think that he is a player to build around, not move. However, with his questionable defense and streaky bat, this could also be the perfect time to sell high. If they move off Abrams, it has to be for a massive return.

The trade buzz was not the only thing that went down today for Toboni. He also finalized the staff, which we covered. Matt Borgschulte was finally named the hitting coach and Victor Estevez was named the third base coach. Toboni also wrote an open letter to the fans, which we will link to below.

to our fans. to our city.

from Paul Toboni → https://t.co/OD5d17nSd1 pic.twitter.com/VThD3B1WQ4

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) December 8, 2025

There were no moves, but the Nats seem to be setting the stage for something big. It would not come as a surprise if MacKenzie Gore is moved in the coming days. With the Jose A. Ferrer for Harry Ford trade, Toboni has already made it clear he is going to reset this operation. Trading your best reliever when the bullpen is already bad shows that Toboni is thinking long term rather than building for 2026.

One thing that Toboni did talk about that Nats fans will love is how the Nats are upgrading their technology. Last season, the Nats not having a Trajekt Arc pitching machine became a major source of controversy. Whether it was ownership or the front office, the organization missed the boat on having the most up to date technology.

In their media availability yesterday, both Devin Pearson and Toboni told reporters that the team is investing in the most up to date technology. Part of the appeal of Toboni is that he will modernize the organization. Bringing in these tools will help them achieve that goal.

We just talked to Devin Pearson and Paul Toboni. Their answers about technology stood out to me among other things: pic.twitter.com/X7OQ2jHLN6

— Andrew Golden (@andrewcgolden) December 8, 2025

However, these fancy tools are only as good as the people with the plan. It is up to the front office and coaching to implement this tech in a way that helps the players. If they can do that, the new technology could be a real game changer for the Nats.

Not much happened at the Winter Meetings yesterday, but the Nats were at the tip of everyone’s tongue. Do not be surprised if we see a big move from Paul Toboni in the coming days. Now that he has a coaching staff and front office ready to roll, it is time to help the Nats get back to prominence.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...-toboni-had-busy-first-day-at-winter-meetings

 

[Washington Nationals]

What Does Keibert Ruiz’s Future With The Washington Nationals Look Like?

The Nationals made their first big roster move of the offseason on Saturday when they acquired catcher Harry Ford, a consensus top 100 prospect in baseball and one of the best catching prospects in the sport, in exchange for left-handed reliever Jose A. Ferrer. The move signaled a multitude of things, including a possible signal of a retooling of the current rebuild, as relievers are the least important asset on a ballclub not looking to be very competitive. The other major thing this move signaled was a changing of the guard at the catching position for the Nationals, who had relied on Keibert Ruiz for the majority of the past 4.5 seasons.

With Ford now in the Nats organization and having a taste of big league experience already, Keibert Ruiz has seemingly already lost his starting catcher position on the roster. That leaves him competing with Riley Adams and Drew Millas for the backup catching spot on the big league roster.

Millas still has minor league options, making sending him down easier as they don’t have to test waivers with him, while Adams and Ruiz do not. However, neither seems very likely to be claimed if placed on waivers, especially Ruiz and his contract, which would tie him to any club that claims him until 2030.

So, with the option of another club taking him either via trade or waiver claim being practically nonexistent, what do the Nationals do with the switch-hitting catcher? If the decision were mine, I would designate him for assignment, allowing every other club to claim him and take that contract away from the Nats. When he ultimately is not claimed by anyone else, you can then send him to Rochester, where he will get the consistent reps he needs, but can’t slow down the big league club with his struggles. I’d then let Riley Adams and Drew Millas compete for the backup catcher position, with my preference as of now being Millas due to his high-quality defense.

One possible benefit of keeping Ruiz on the big league club is to see the improvements he could make with the new coaching staff, specifically the new hitting coaches and new catching coach Bobby Wilson. Ruiz has progressively declined the past few seasons, and while a large part of that blame falls on Ruiz himself, it certainly doesn’t help that he’s been working under a coaching staff that failed to unlock a sizable portion of the club’s young hitters.

Keeping Ruiz around as the backup catcher to Harry Ford gives him the opportunity to learn and grow in ways he hasn’t had the chance to in his career, and perhaps even revitalize his game. If he is able to do so, perhaps there is a future for him on the roster at first base, designated hitter, or even with another ballclub.

While Keibert Ruiz is the big loser of the Jose A. Ferrer, Harry Ford swap, it could be an opportunity for him to improve his game in the lower-stress setting of Triple-A Rochester, splitting reps with one of Riley Adams and Drew Millas. If he proves enough in his time in the minors or as a backup to Ford, he could earn himself another shot at a big league starting role, either at a new position or with a new team.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...keibert-ruizs-future-with-nationals-look-like

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals select Griff McGarry from the Phillies in the Rule 5 Draft

The Rule 5 Draft just wrapped up and for a fourth straight year the Washington Nationals made a selection. This time they took Griff McGarry, a pitcher from the Phillies system. The 26 year old has elite stuff but has pretty major control questions.

For the fourth straight year, the Nationals take a player in the Rule 5 Draft. This time around, it's Griff McGarry, a right-handed pitcher from the Philadelphia Phillies.

— Andrew Golden (@andrewcgolden) December 10, 2025

If McGarry can throw enough strikes he will be a strong piece of the Nats bullpen. However, there is a chance that this ends up being similar to what happened with last year’s Rule 5 pick Evan Reifert. Like McGarry, Reifert had big time stuff but he showed up and was unable to throw strikes in Spring Training. That forced the Nats to return Reifert to Tampa Bay.

This could happen with McGarry, but the great thing about the Rule 5 Draft is that even if that is the case, it is not a big deal. You just return the player back to their old organization with no penalty. That is what makes the Rule 5 Draft so fun.

Despite walking almost 14% of batters last season, the Nats selected McGarry for a reason. When he is on, McGarry can be totally dominant. His pitches pop on stuff models and he gets a ton of strikeouts. McGarry’s big extension and low release height help his mid-90’s fastball play up. He also has a sweeper, a slider and a curve with nasty movement.

The Nationals draft Griff McGarry in the Rule 5 draft

I like this pick McGarry is nasty, just needs to work on his commandpic.twitter.com/1aLzslngWe

— Kev (@klwoodjr) December 10, 2025

McGarry was a starter in the Phillies system last year, but he is an obvious bullpen arm. Maybe in shorter bursts that velocity can go up a tick or two. Even as a starter, McGarry still struck out just over 35% of hitters. The pure stuff can just totally overwhelm hitters.

Interestingly, McGarry played his college ball at UVA. He was then drafted by the Phillies in the 5th round of the 2021 draft. After a lot of bumps in the road, McGarry had his best pro season this year. He was the Phillies Minor League pitcher of the year and struck out 124 batters in 83.2 innings.

Nationals select right-handed pitcher Griff McGarry.

In 2025:
️Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Year
️4th in @MiLB with 13.34 SO/9.0 IP (min. 80.0 IP)
️4th in the PHI system with 124 SO https://t.co/yKOpx6CXNw

— Nationals Communications (@NationalsComms) December 10, 2025

It will be interesting to see what the Nats do with McGarry. The stuff is there, it is all about harnessing the control. I am also curious to see what McGarry’s role will be if he makes the team. Given his starting experience, he could be an option as a swing man.

However, with his dynamic stuff, I can also see him being more of a one inning guy. Honestly, this is a very similar profile to Clayton Beeter, who the Nats picked up at the trade deadline. Beeter’s command is still a question mark, but he threw enough strikes to be effective down the stretch last year. The hope would be that McGarry can do the same thing.

Griff McGarry has the chance to be a big piece of this bullpen, but he also has a chance to not make it through Spring Training. There were safer options available, but Paul Toboni decided to swing for the fences and bet on McGarry’s upside.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/lat...select-griff-mcgarry-phillies-in-rule-5-draft

 

[Washington Nationals]

The Winter Meetings provided excitement, but not for the Washington Nationals

The Winter Meetings just wrapped up and the stove was hot down in Orlando. There was a lot of action around the league, especially relating to the NL East. However, the Washington Nationals did not get in on that action. I wanted to discuss this busy week of activity, as well as what is next for the Nats.

Going into the week, there was a lot of buzz around the Nats. A MacKenzie Gore trade felt imminent and rumors were swirling around CJ Abrams. However, the only move the Nats made at the Winter Meetings was selecting Griff McGarry in the Rule 5 Draft. Plenty of questions still remain about what this Nats roster will look like on Opening Day.

There are even more questions about what the rival New York Mets will look like. The Mets lost a pair of very familiar faces this week in Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz. It will be interesting to see what the deep pocketed Mets will do to replace these two stars. They also traded longtime left fielder Brandon Nimmo before the Winter Meetings. The 2026 Mets are going to look very different to previous iterations of the team.

Let’s dive deeper into Alonso first because he is going from one Nats rival to another. Ever since David Rubenstein became owner, the Orioles have been rumored to make a big splash. That finally happened when they signed Alonso to a 5-year $155 million deal yesterday. After a down year last season, the O’s look determined to get back to the postseason.

BREAKING: First baseman Pete Alonso and the Baltimore Orioles are finalizing a five-year, $155 million contract, sources tell ESPN. Alonso leaves the Mets to make a loaded AL East even better.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 10, 2025

As Nats fans know all too well, Alonso is one of the game’s premier sluggers. His 264 home runs with the Mets are the most in team history. Now he is bringing that light tower power to Baltimore. That lineup is going to be loaded with talent. They still have some holes on their pitching staff, and could potentially make a run at MacKenzie Gore.

It will be interesting to see how the Mets try to replace Alonso. He has been a huge part of their team for a long time. They have internal options such as Mark Vientos, but how would the notoriously emotional Mets fanbase react to replacing Alonso internally? There has been some buzz about the Mets trading for Willson Contreras of the Cardinals as well.

The Mets also lost their long-time closer Edwin Diaz, but they have already signed Devin Williams to replace him. Williams is coming off a rough year, but was excellent for many years with the Brewers and the underlying numbers were still strong despite poor results with the Yankees.

Speaking of Diaz, he decided to go to the Dodgers in a move that makes the rich even richer. He signed a 3-year $69 million deal to play for the back to back World Series champions. Despite spending big on Tanner Scott last year, the bullpen was a problem area for the Dodgers last year. Like the Nats did in 2019, the Dodgers found just the right mix for the bullpen to work in the postseason. However, when you can go out and sign the best closer in baseball, why not go for it.

Breaking: Edwin Díaz and the Los Angeles Dodgers are in agreement on a deal, a source tells @jorgecastillo. The contract is for three years and $69 million, sources tell @JeffPassan.

The back-to-back champs are adding one of the best closers in baseball. pic.twitter.com/JsBaCVU9D6

— ESPN (@espn) December 9, 2025

The Mets are going to have to make a lot of moves to replace the talent they let out of the door and satisfy their fanbase. After last season’s collapse, GM David Stearns is really shaking up that core. He is truly getting the chance to build the team in his image. I am curious what they do from here.

While the Mets are making big changes, the Phillies are running it back. They re-signed Kyle Schwarber on a 5-year $150 million deal. The hulking slugger hit 56 homers last year and got paid for that performance. It is crazy that Schwarber was non-tendered going into his age 28 season and the Nats were able to pick him up. Since the Cubs let him go, Schwarber has hit 219 home runs.

BREAKING: Kyle Schwarber is returning to the Phillies on a 5-Year, $150 Million Contract, according to @JeffPassan. pic.twitter.com/AJdryoyqzB

— Phillies Tailgate (@PhilsTailgate) December 9, 2025

This Phillies core is aging a bit and they seem to be getting further and further away from their goal of a World Series. However, they could not afford to lose Schwarber. They need to make shakeups to their roster, but Schwarber is the heartbeat of that team. The Phillies will need to make adjustments to get over the top, but keeping Schwarber ensures that they will be a contender, at least for the next year or two.

The Braves also made a smaller splash late in the Meetings, signing veteran Mike Yastrzemski to a 2-year $23 million deal. He has been one of the most consistent players in the league over the past few seasons, but he is 35 now. I am curious to see what the Braves do to re-establish themselves as a force in the division.

For the Nats, plenty of questions still remain. They have a ton of holes on the pitching staff, though it sounds like Paul Toboni will pursue pitching reinforcements. It remains to be seen how much money he will spend on those reinforcements, but it sounds like they won’t be shopping at the top of the market this year. There is also a hole at first base which needs filling.

The futures of MacKenzie Gore and CJ Abrams remain up in the air. Rumors have been swirling around both with Toboni looking to re-set this rebuild. If I had to bet, I would wager that Gore is traded while Abrams stays. However, anything can happen and there are still plenty of unknowns with this new regime.

It was a very interesting week for the NL East. Plenty of moves were made in the division and the stage was set for further activity. The Phillies still need to shake up their aging core a bit. The Mets need to replace all the production they have lost this past week. We will see how the Braves respond to missing the playoffs for the first time since 2017. Most importantly for us, we still need to see what Paul Toboni has up his sleeve in his first offseason as the Nats President of Baseball Operations.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/mlb...vided-excitement-not-for-washington-nationals

 

[Washington Nationals]

Should the Washington Nationals sign the polarizing Luis Arraez?

Luis Arraez is a player of extremes. When you look at his Baseball Savant page, all of his stats are either in the top 5 percentile of the bottom 5 percentile. His outlier skillset has made him a polarizing player and a guy fans love to talk about.

He has won three batting titles in his career and is only 28 years old, but his market will not be as strong as you would think. That lesser market could be an opportunity for Paul Toboni and the Nats, who are in need of a first baseman. We will talk about why Arraez is so polarizing, and discuss his strengths and weaknesses. At the end, you can all decide if he is a fit for the Nats.

The first reason why his market might be slow is that he is coming off a down year. His .292 batting average and .719 OPS were both career lows. While .292 is a great batting average for most hitters, Arraez needs to be over .300 to have value due to the rest of his profile. Arraez was making as much contact as ever, but he was hitting more ground balls and using the middle of the field less.

Luis Arraez's case is so interesting as a FA:

– All-time low BA (.292)
– All-time low BABIP (.289)
– Slowest bat speed in baseball.
– 3.1% K% (!)
– Chase% up to 34.1%.
– 95.8% Z-Contact%. (!)
– Very poor defender.

Regressed or bad luck?

Notably: 32.8% Cent% is a career-low. pic.twitter.com/Wx9MCsNCYM

— LouisAnalysis (@LouisAnalysis) November 8, 2025

Don’t get it twisted, Luis Arraez is the best pure contact hitter in all of baseball. He struck out only 3.1% of the time last season, which is totally bonkers. Striking out 21 times in 620 at bats is just totally nuts in an era where pitchers are throwing harder than ever. Arraez also whiffed just 5.3 percent of the time. To put that into context, Daylen Lile, who is a good contact hitter in his own right whiffed 18.9 percent of the time.

One crazy fact I found out about Arraez is that he has gone to bed a .300 career hitter every night of his career. Only 11 guys in MLB history can say that. He is a .317 career hitter and it is easy to see why based on his approach.

Every night of his MLB career, Luis Arráez has gone to bed a .300 hitter — he's 1 of 11 players since 1901 who can say that pic.twitter.com/ABc5oVSgCH

— Baseball Reference (@baseball_ref) June 4, 2024

With all of this in mind, as well as the fact he is a young free agent, why is he not getting more interest? Well, he is pretty much a one trick pony. It is a cool and valuable trait, but Arraez is as one dimensional as you can get in the MLB.

Arraez is not a power guy, with just 36 career homers in 840 MLB games. He will occasionally run into a homer, with 8 dingers last year, as well as a 10 homer campaign in 2023. Power is not a big part of his game though. However, the lack of power is not the real issue with Arraez. His biggest problem is his lack of speed or defense.

Luis Arraez keeps it fair, and the @Padres are up big early on! pic.twitter.com/IEKsnfg2Zl

— MLB (@MLB) September 24, 2025

Luis Arraez started his career as a second baseman, but has been playing more first base over the last couple years. He has never graded out well at either position and is probably a better fit for DH. For a guy who makes so much contact, it is a shame that Arraez can’t really run. His sprint speed is in the 25th percentile.

If Arraez were fast, he would be much more highly sought after. Due to his lack of speed, he cannot take advantage of his contact skills as much. He cannot run out many infield hits and his career high in steals is only 11. Arraez is pretty much a clogger, but most of his hits are singles. It really is a tough profile to wrap your head around.

Paul Toboni is an analytically minded guy, so there is a chance he just would not touch Arraez due to his one dimensional skillset that does not generate a ton of WAR. However, innovators love to zig while others zag. There is a chance that Toboni and his staff could unlock something in Arraez.

Arraez does not have much power, but given his wizardry of the barrel, there could be a couple tweaks that might make him a 15 homer guy. When Daniel Murphy came to DC, he was not much of a power guy. However, he emphasized turning on mistake pitches and it made him a 25 homer bat.

I also think Arraez has gotten to a point where he might not be striking out enough. That may not make sense, but follow me. Just like how power hitters can sell out for power too much, I think Arraez might be selling out for contact.

He knows he can hit basically any pitch, so he is swinging at everything. Earlier in his career, Arraez was not like this. In his last year in Minnesota back in 2022, Arraez had a 24.1% chase rate, which is very good. However, that number was above 34% in 2025.

Could a slow market be a wake up call for Arraez to make changes? Arraez is a solid hitter in his current state, but not good enough to overcome his deficiencies. If he can get back to what his approach was in Minnesota, it would make him more effective in my opinion. In the last two seasons, Arraez has been making more contact than ever, but the quality of contact is a lot worse.

So would I sign Luis Arraez? Well, it depends on the price. I would love him on a one year deal, but I think he probably still gets a multi-year deal. Anything more than two years is pretty dicey for me. At 2-years $20 million, I would probably give it a shot though.

Arraez would also be a clunky fit with the Nats. The Nats are already a very poor defensive team and Arraez would not make that better. Even at first base, he is not good with the glove. He would get some time at DH, but he does not have the power of a prototypical DH. The Nats also need power in the lineup. Over the last couple years, the Nats have been towards the bottom of the league in homers, something Arraez would not help with.

There are so many weaknesses in the profile, but at the end of the day, the dude can hit. The Nats could do way worse at first base. I would prefer him over Josh Bell due to the fact Arraez is not as streaky of a hitter. Maybe the Nats could sign both and play one at DH and the other at first base.

The Nats are going to sign a first baseman of some sort this offseason. Both Paul Toboni and Blake Butera have hinted at it. There is no obvious in house solution, so the need is clear as day. He is an enigmatic player, but I would certainly be intrigued by the idea of Luis Arraez on the Nats.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...hington-nationals-sign-polarizing-luis-arraez

 

[Washington Nationals]

Will the Washington Nationals get creative in how they deploy the pitching staff?

It is no secret that pitching is a major concern for the Washington Nationals. As a team, they posted a 5.35 ERA, the worst mark since the franchise moved to DC. There is also a strong possibility that the Nats trade their best pitcher, MacKenzie Gore. This made me wonder about how Paul Toboni and Blake Butera will manage the pitching staff.

Well, one thing they are going to do is add some free agent talent. Mark Zuckerman reported that the Nats met with some agents at the Winter Meetings and that pitching is the top priority for Paul Toboni. However, it is unlikely that the Nats will be shopping at the top of the market. A lottery ticket like Dustin May or a proven innings eater like Zack Littell feels more likely than an expensive ace.

It's not yet clear how the Nationals' new front office will approach free agency this winter. But if Paul Toboni and Co. do take that route, they appear most inclined to pursue pitching.https://t.co/jcXe23MojW

— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) December 10, 2025

However, additions are not the main thing I want to talk about today. Right now I am more intrigued about how Paul Toboni and Blake Butera will deploy their pitchers. Last season, the Nationals used a traditional pitching set up. They had five starters and a bullpen. Those five starters would change, but they had five guys they used as traditional starters.

There is a chance that this changes in 2026 though. Over the last half decade or so, the idea of bullpen games have become more popular. Teams use an opener to go one or two innings before turning to a long reliever who goes about four innings.Th Ideally that pairing would get you through five or six innings and then you can turn to the rest of your bullpen.

This idea was popularized by the Rays back in 2018. Ironically, both Blake Butera and bench coach Michael Johns come from the Rays organization, so maybe they could help bring that idea to DC. The reason I bring this up is because I think this would help get the best out of the arms the Nats have.

Brad Lord and Andrew Alvarez are two players that would be well suited in the bulk man role. Both seem best suited to multi-inning relief work. Once hitters see them a third time, they start to get figured out. Mitchell Parker and Jake Irvin could also be candidates to be used in this role.

Lord is a pitcher I think would absolutely thrive in this role. He was solid in the rotation, but he did his best work out of the bullpen. Lord was excellent in two to three inning spurts. He does not have a very deep pitch mix, so he is not very well suited to seeing a lineup for a third time.

Brad Lord impressed everywhere he pitched in 2025
2.79 ERA out of the ‘pen, solid as a starter too.

Now the question: rotation piece or bullpen weapon in 2026? #Nats #Natitude #MLB pic.twitter.com/a92fOiK5u2

— natsfanatics (@natsfanatics_) November 14, 2025

Obviously, you cannot do this every game. It would put too much strain on the bullpen. The Nats will need starters who can consistently deliver six innings. If Gore sticks around, he will be relied upon to go deeper into games. Cade Cavalli is another guy who is going to have to step up as a true starter.

The Nats will also need to acquire an innings eater or two as well. Chris Bassitt or Zack Littell would be perfect for that role. Bassitt has thrown at least 170 innings in each of the last four seasons and has posted a sub-4 ERA in three of those years. Littell has also been very durable the last two seasons as a starter.

In the Paul Toboni era, the Nats are not going to be afraid to try new things. Mike Rizzo and Davey Martinez mostly played it by the book in how they deployed pitchers. I have a feeling that this will be different in 2026. The Nats are not going to trot out Jake Irvin and Mitchell Parker every fifth day, expecting five or six innings.

Hopefully the Nats get to a point where they have enough quality starting pitching to be more traditional. However, they are not at that point right now and Blake Butera will have to get creative. Even for this approach to work, the Nats need more arms in the rotation and bullpen.

However, when you have lesser talent, it is more effective to operate this way than to use a traditional five man rotation. The Nats have a lot of names that can pitch, but not many exciting options. This could be a way to get guys like Parker, Irvin, Lord, Alvarez, Josiah Gray and Trevor Williams involved.

How Blake Butera uses this pitching staff will be a good test of his managerial chops. As a 33 year old manager, most of the questions have naturally been about how he will lead the clubhouse. However, he also has a lot to prove as a tactician as well. He has a lot of pieces on this pitching staff, but he does not have an ace up his sleeve. Let’s see how Blake Butera plays his cards.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...et-creative-in-how-they-deploy-pitching-staff

 

[Washington Nationals]

Why Clayton Beeter Is A Prime Breakout Candidate Under New Washington Nationals Coaching Staff

With the losses of Robert Garcia, Kyle Finnegan, and, most recently, Jose A. Ferrer, in the past year, the Nationals’ bullpen is in much worse shape than it started the year, though the farm is better off for it. Pending any free agent additions or other trade subtractions, the Nats will enter 2026 with an incredibly young bullpen unit, with just one arm projected to be in the bullpen over the age of 29, being the 30-year-old Julian Fernandez. This leaves a lot on the shoulders of the returning arms to carry a unit that was the worst in all of baseball last season, and at the forefront of the cast of returning arms is righty Clayton Beeter.

Acquired for Amed Rosario at the trade deadline this season, Beeter made 24 appearances for the Nats in August and September, and was perhaps the Nationals’ best reliever during that time. Across 21.2 innings, he had a 2.49 ERA, 2.72 FIP, struck out over 13 batters per 9 innings, and posted 0.5 fWAR. The strikeout stuff was the key for Beeter, as he posted one of the best whiff rates among all relievers in baseball at 32.9%. Beeter also excelled at limiting hard contact, as he allowed an expected batting average of just .200, and an average exit velocity of 88.3 MPH.

One of the most impressive parts of Beeter’s success was the fact that he was getting it done with just 2 pitches: his fastball, which averages 96.5 MPH, and his slider, which gets an impressive 41 inches of vertical drop. The fastball is a sturdy pitch, often setting him up well for his breaking ball later, but the slider is his best offering, as it had devastating results in 2025, such as a .098 opponents’ batting average, 49.1% whiff rate, and .216 opponents’ slugging percentage. Similar to Kyle Finnegan and his splitter, Beeter can throw hard and will do so, but he’s looking to get hitters out with his slider.

The main issue for Beeter in 2025, and practically his whole career, has been allowing free passes at a high rate. Part of the reason the Yankees were willing to let an arm like Beeter with impressive stuff and solid results go was the fact they couldn’t count on him to throw strikes consistently, and while his strike-throwing improved in his short first stint in DC, it still is the major flaw in his game. While you could live with his 16.7% walk rate if it meant continued results in the future, the reality is an inability to consistently find the zone lowers Beeter’s floor compared to other relievers and makes him hard to count on in high-leverage situations.

So what can the new Nationals coaching staff do to turn Beeter from a high upside arm currently to a future setup man or closer? For starters, they should do as much tinkering as possible in the offseason and winter to find tweaks in Beeter’s game to throw more strikes. Whether it’s an arm angle change, changing up his timing, or a mindset change on the mound, they should explore all avenues they can to get Beeter to fill up the zone as much as possible, as when he does, he’s proven he is very difficult to hit.

The next step I would take is exploring a third pitch that Beeter can add to his arsenal. Having 2 pitches works when both are working for you on a given day, but when you’re having a bad day and one of them is off for you, you become very predictable as hitters sit and wait for that other pitch, a tale we saw told with Kyle Finnegan many times. Ideally, he adds a pitch to give him a boost against lefties, such as a changeup or splitter, as that was the side that gave him the most trouble in 2025, posting a .345 wOBA against him versus righties who posted a .195 wOBA.

Lastly, an easy step the new Nationals coaching staff can take towards improving Beeter’s performance is just tweaking his pitch usage so that he is throwing his best pitch most often. Like practically all Nationals pitchers under Jim Hickey, Beeter was throwing his fastball more than any other pitch, despite his slider being the substantially better offering.

Beeter’s slider has the ability to terrorize right-handed hitters, and yet for some reason, he was throwing it 49% of the time against them, with the other 51% being his heater. Nationals fans saw this story play out when Kyle Finnegan left the Nats for the Tigers and immediately saw improvement due to increased splitter usage and less fastball usage, and Beeter could see the same kind of jump in results if he is simply allowed to use his best pitch the most.

I am excited to see all the little changes and improvements the new Nationals coaching staff is able to make with all the current players on the roster, and Beeter is near the forefront of that when it comes to arms I want to see changes made to. I believe with the right tweaks and additions to his repertoire, Beeter will be ready to take over the closer’s role one day for the Nationals.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...idate-new-washington-nationals-coaching-staff

 

[Washington Nationals]

Five under the radar relievers the Washington Nationals should take a look at

It is no secret that the Washington Nationals need bullpen help. The Nats 5.59 bullpen ERA was comfortably the worst in baseball. However, most of the top free agent relievers have already found new homes. To improve the bullpen, Paul Toboni is going to have to find diamonds in the rough rather than signing proven commodities. Here are five potential hidden gems he could explore.

The first name I want to explore is a guy Nationals fans should know. Ironically it is because the Nats seem to have a ton of success whenever they face this pitcher. That would be Ryne Stanek, who spent last season with the Mets. On the surface, Stanek’s numbers look unimpressive, but I think he would be a worthwhile project.

In each of the last three seasons, Stanek has posted an ERA over 4. At 34 years old, Stanek had his worst season in 2025, posting a 5.30 ERA. So why would he be an interesting option for the Nats? Well, his stuff is still very good and there are a few tweaks that could be made.

Last season, Stanek threw his fastball over 57% of the time despite allowing a lot of damage on the pitch. His fastball is a quality offering, averaging 98.5 MPH with good life. However, the pitch got overexposed and hitters were able to sit on it. Stanek has a good slider and splitter, he just did not throw them enough.

Tigers nailed this change, one that for a couple years so many have been calling for.

The Ryne Stanek blueprint is similar. Fewer fastballs. More splitters. More sliders. Think he's a pretty easy unlock in terms of performance. https://t.co/tpQnBbgfaH

— FullCountTommy (@FullCountTommy) December 11, 2025

The Nats could do what the Tigers did with Kyle Finnegan and just have him throw fewer fastballs. Stanek’s slider was by far his best pitch last year, but he only threw it 21% of the time. He should be throwing it a lot more, especially to right handed hitters. With that adjustment, Stanek could be a valuable member of a Nats bullpen. He has experience in high leverage roles and has been very durable in his career, making at least 55 appearances in every non-COVID season since 2018.

The next pitcher I want to talk about is also a former Met in Drew Smith. He is a player fans might have forgotten about because he has missed most of the last two seasons following Tommy John Surgery. However, from 2021 to 2023, Smith was a reliable option out of the Mets bullpen. He was pitching well in 2024 as well before he got hurt.

Thank You Drew Smith aka "Drew Chainz" https://t.co/HVE1UJ8eEY pic.twitter.com/cUFKVmvYyy

— Mets'd Up Podcast (@MetsdUp) November 4, 2025

Reports indicate that Smith should be ready to enter 2026. Paul Toboni will have to do his due diligence about how Smith looks following the surgery, but if the stuff has not diminished, he is an interesting option. Before getting hurt, Smith had a strong fastball, cutter, slider combination. He generates plenty of whiffs on all of those pitches.

Smith has his flaws though. His control can be suspect and when he does allow contact, it tends to be hard contact. However, his swing and miss stuff gives him a home in a big league bullpen. He has a career 3.48 ERA and if he can bring those results to DC, Nats fans will be thrilled.

Since Paul Toboni came from Boston, it is only natural that I include a former Red Sox arm on this list. That arm would be Josh Winckowski. At 27 years old, Winckowski is comfortably the youngest player on this list. He also has a history of big league success.

Winckowski was fantastic in 2023, posting a 2.88 ERA in 60 appearances spanning 84.1 innings. He took a step back in 2024, but was still decent, posting a 4.14 ERA in 76 innings. Last year was an injury riddled campaign for Winckowski, who dealt with elbow issues. He should be ready to go for Spring Training, but it is unclear. Coming from Boston, Toboni should be very aware of what Winckowski’s timeline looks like.

As a pitcher, Winckowski is a versatile arm who relies on getting ground balls. He has posted ground ball rates over 50% every year of his career. In Boston, he has mostly been used as a long reliever. However, he has the ability to start games as well.

He throws a 4-seamer and a sinker, both of which sit at around 95 MPH. Winckowski’s secondary offerings are a cutter, a slider and a changeup. The cutter is probably his best secondary pitch, but all of them are decent.

Josh Winckowski, 27, is SP depth.

He's out-of-options and recovering from an elbow injury, but the arsenal has some interesting traits.

The SI deviates quite a bit from his slot w/ good SSW, and he has a hard CH and hard gyro SL.

He also threw the 4S way more this year. pic.twitter.com/uXRcCW2yoA

— Remi Bunikiewicz (@RBunikiewicz) November 19, 2025

If Winckowski is healthy, I like him as an option. He can perform in a number of roles, is young and has proven MLB success. You can argue that he is a bit redundant with guys like Brad Lord, but you can never have enough pitching. At just 27, Winckowski is a very intriguing option.

The next arm we will discuss played for the Red Sox arch rival, the New York Yankees. Ian Hamilton has been a solid reliever in the Bronx for the last three seasons, but has never been the star of the show. His best season came in 2023, when he posted a 2.64 ERA in 58 innings.

The last couple seasons have been so-so and injury plagued. However, Hamilton’s ERA marks of 3.82 and 4.28 would be helpful for the Nats bullpen. There is also a chance he can recapture his 2023 form at just 30 years old. His 2-seam fastball is nasty and is a thing of beauty at its best.

Ian Hamilton, Vicious 95mph Front Hip Two Seamer

24 inches of Run. pic.twitter.com/yFYg7nW3pU

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 14, 2025

While the 2-seamer is his most visually appealing pitch, Hamilton’s slider is his out pitch. He got hitters to whiff at his slider 50% of the time last season. Each of the last three years, he has generated whiff rates over 40% on the pitch.

Hamilton does have control issues, with walk rates over 10% in two of the last three seasons. However, he has struck out at least 25% of hitters in the last three seasons as well. Hamilton would be a clear upgrade for a Nats bullpen that needs help.

The last arm I want to talk about is Dauri Moreta. After a strong 2023 season, Moreta missed all of 2024 recovering from Tommy John Surgery. He came back in the second half of last season and showed he was still the same guy. Moreta posted a 3.24 ERA in 18 outings last year.

Moreta’s signature pitch is his slider which has unusual movement. Instead of moving away from right handed hitters, it has almost a screwball type of action. This throws hitters off and gets a lot of swings and misses.

#1: Dauri Moreta, RHP

Recently Non-Tendered by the Pirates, Moreta is a 29 year old right hander. Moreta has a slider that is very intriguing, as seen in the video below. It's got legit results, with a 22.8% swinging strike rate and a good zone rate even coming off a torn UCL. pic.twitter.com/SoT8paa8Ye

— Boston (@BallByBoston) December 6, 2025

Despite throwing the slider well over half of the time, he generates whiffs at around a 40% clip on the pitch. While the slider is his primary pitch, he is not totally a one trick pony. At 95 MPH, Moreta has enough heat on his fastball to keep hitters honest.

He is entering his age 30 season, so Moreta should have plenty of solid years ahead of him. It was a surprise that the Pirates DFA’d him given the fact he looked strong in his return. This should be an opportunity that Paul Toboni explores.

While these are not the biggest names and probably won’t close games for you, all five of these guys are solid options. They will all come quite cheap as well given their flaws or lack of experience. However, all five of these names have a good chance of being upgrades in the Nats bullpen.

If Paul Toboni and his player development team can make some tweaks to these players, they could reach new heights as well. The big name relievers may be off the market, but there are still quality options that will be affordable as well.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...relievers-washington-nationals-should-look-at

 

[Washington Nationals]

What will the Washington Nationals do with their bullpen?

The Nationals bullpen was a major problem in 2025 and the issue is even bigger now that Paul Toboni traded away the team’s most promising reliever Jose A. Ferrer. If Harry Ford becomes a quality starting catcher, the trade will be worth it. However, losing Ferrer makes the Nats bullpen even more of a question mark.

More on the trade that's now official: Nats acquire top catching prospect Harry Ford and right-hander Isaac Lyon from the Mariners for Jose A. Ferrer. https://t.co/khq9BDohVE

— Bobby Blanco (@Bobby_Blanco) December 6, 2025

Last season, the Nats had the worst bullpen in all of baseball, with the unit posting a 5.59 ERA. Now that Kyle Finnegan is in Detroit and Jose A. Ferrer is in Seattle, the Nats are without the two most reliable members of last year’s bullpen. That means Paul Toboni is going to have to largely rebuild this unit from scratch.

Building bullpen’s, at least in the offseason, was never one of Mike Rizzo’s strengths but with Toboni in the door hopefully better bullpens are built. A bullpen is one of those units that you can build on the cheap if you know what you are doing. Teams like the Guardians and the Rays have mastered the art of building cheap bullpen’s.

Toboni came from the Red Sox, who actually had the second best bullpen ERA last year. Outside of Aroldis Chapman, that unit was mostly made up of unheralded guys. Garrett Whitlock, who was the team’s second best reliever came via the Rule 5 Draft. Greg Weissert was a secondary piece in the Alex Verdugo trade and Justin Wilson was a 37 year old who posted an ERA well above 5 the previous season.

Those three guys were the bridge to Aroldis Chapman for the Red Sox. Hopefully Toboni can help bring those kinds of hidden gems to DC. He can actually start that process today in the Rule 5 Draft. The Red Sox have been good at finding bullpen talent in the Rule 5 Draft in recent years. Both Whitlock and Justin Slaten have been quality relievers for them in the last few years.

There are a few relief arms I would like to see Toboni take in the Rule 5 Draft. The one I like the most is Zach McCambley. He was left unprotected by the Marlins, but has proven himself at the AAA level and can slide right into the bullpen. His fastball is not overwhelming, averaging just over 94 MPH, but he can really spin the ball. McCambley’s breaking balls make him a great target for the Nats.

Zach McCambley (RHP, 26)

I expect to McCambley to be selected after very strong showing in the minors in 2025. He posted a 2.60 FIP with a 33.1 K% in 47 relief appearances between AA/AAA.

McCambley features a nice sweeping slider with both a FC and FF that have ELITE spin. pic.twitter.com/mdP6iLAz1q

— Ray Ballstein (@RaysRanter) November 30, 2025

We went over some other Rule 5 candidates in detail, including a couple more relievers. With all the holes in the bullpen, I think it is almost inevitable that the Nats select some sort of reliever today. The Rule 5 pick will not be a high leverage guy in all likelihood, but given the situation, whoever they pick will likely play a pretty big role.

Toboni can also go down the free agent route, which he will likely have to do. I do not think he is going to make some massive splash, but Toboni will likely bring in a couple arms. On the pricier end, Pete Fairbanks or Tyler Rogers would be fun. There are plenty of options still available on the market though.

Internally, the Nats have a few guys who should slot into their bullpen already. Clayton Beeter, PJ Poulin and Cole Henry all showed promise last year and will likely be on the team in 2026. Jackson Rutledge, Orlando Ribalta and Konnor Pilkington had their struggles, but are still on the roster and showed some flashes.

The Nats 2026 bullpen will not be star studded, but hopefully it is more effective than last year. After all, it is tough for the unit to get a whole lot worse. With new coaching, hopefully the unit can punch above its weight. Every year we see previously anonymous relievers around the league break out. Hopefully that can happen for a few of these Nats bullpen arms.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/general/87816/what-will-washington-nationals-do-with-bullpen

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals lose Josh Bell to the Twins in free agency

In their hunt for a first baseman, the Nats are no longer going to be able to have Josh Bell as a fall back option. According to multiple reports, Bell will be signing with the Minnesota Twins on a one-year $7 million deal with a mutual option for a second year. We will break down what options remain for Paul Toboni.

First baseman Josh Bell and the Minnesota Twins are in agreement on a one-year contract with a mutual option, sources tell ESPN. Bell, 33, is a switch hitter who will play at first and DH for a Twins team making its first big league signing of the winter.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 15, 2025

Last offseason, Mike Rizzo decided to bring back Bell for a second stint with the Nats. He gave Bell a 1-year $6 million deal. For the most part, Bell held up his end of the bargain. He had a brutal April, but played some of his best ball in years after that. After May 1st, Bell hit .267 with 18 homers and an .812 OPS.

Bell was also a strong clubhouse presence for the Nats last year. He was always giving advice to young hitters or doing his great work in the community. Unlike most other additions last offseason, Bell lived up to his deal.

However, he is gone now. The well traveled Bell is checking another team off of his list with the Twins. He is somebody I will always be rooting for regardless of where he plays. Both of his stints with the Nats he started slow, but found a way to turn things around which I love.

With Bell gone, the Nats are going to have to find a new first baseman yet again. We have discussed a couple of the options already. With Josh Naylor and Pete Alonso off the board, Ryan O’Hearn is probably the most ambitious option. He has been very reliable for the last three seasons and was an All-Star last season.

Another guy we discussed is the polarizing Luis Arraez. He is a three time batting champion, but he is a very one dimensional player. There is not much power, speed or defense with Arraez. If the market for him just is not there, he is a guy to consider. For all his flaws, .300 hitters do not grow on trees.

Another player I would throw into the mix is Rhys Hoskins. As most NL East fans know, Hoskins had some great years with the Phillies. He has hit at least 25 homers five times in his career. The Nats have been missing that kind of pop from the first base position for a long time.

Hoskins also draws a ton of walks. Every year he has played in the league, Hoskins has posted a walk rate over 10%. Since tearing his ACL and leaving the Phillies, Hoskins has not quite been the same player, but he has not been bad either. He is entering his age 33 season as well.

This is a player you can bring in on a 1-year deal for a fairly cheap price. In a lineup full of left handed hitters, Hoskins’ righty power could also provide balance to the lineup. He is probably the most realistic option and is a good fit.

A younger, more under the radar option could be Michael Toglia. The 27 year old had a brutal season in 2025, but hit 25 homers for the Rockies in 2024. He had great quality of contact that season and looked like a breakout candidate. However, the wheels really came off for the switch hitter last year.

He would be very cheap, but is also a boom or bust player. Strikeouts have been a big problem for Toglia over the years. However, he could be a guy that Paul Toboni thinks he can unlock. The Rockies have not exactly been known for their player development in recent years.

We will see what happens, but the Nats need a first baseman pretty badly. Unless they decide to make Luis Garcia Jr. a full time first baseman, there is no internal solution right now. Andres Chaparro is a Quad-A player and Yohandy Morales is not ready yet.

The Nats badly need a stop gap first baseman and one of their clear options is off the board. Josh Bell is a player I have a real soft spot for, but given his defense and inconsistency, it makes sense why Toboni would want to go in another direction. It is time for Paul Toboni to dive into the free agent market though.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/mlb...nationals-lose-josh-bell-to-twins-free-agency