Trade talks surrounding the Washington Nationals have begun to rumble—there are reports of the Nats shopping starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore around the league. The idea of the Nats trading Gore means that more trades could follow. It wouldn't be surprising to see a prospect packaged with Gore in a trade. Which Nats prospects could be up for the taking?
Seaver King
The experiment with Seaver King has not worked out for the Washington Nationals. Former front-office employees drafted him, which could lead to him being traded this offseason. He has a .648 OPS in 580 career Minor League at-bats. More than likely, he'd have to be included in a package deal, similar to Hassell III, but he would carry less value.
King was the tenth overall selection in the 2024 MLB Draft. While it's quick to cut ties with a prospect so early, he's young enough that teams could believe in "fixing" him. King has the tools to be a special player, but it hasn't worked out with the Nationals organization. Despite a very good performance in the Arizona Fall League this year, King has yet to put it together for long enough to showcase long-term upside, in my opinion.
Robert Hassell III
I am slightly cheating here, as this player is not technically considered a prospect anymore, and I'll start by saying this: Robert Hassell III is a promising player, suggesting the Nats should trade him doesn't change that. Hassell III is simply the odd man out in the Nats outfield. With the emergence of Daylen Lile last season, I project Hassell III as the Nats' fourth outfielder to begin the 2026 season. James Wood, Dylan Crews, and Daylen Lile would be the three starting outfielders.
While the Nats can mix up the designated hitter slot and create space for Hassell III to spot start, it would be better served for him to be playing every day. The Nats should look to include Hassell III in a trade with MacKenzie Gore. An ideal scenario would be to package Gore and Hassell III together and send them to Seattle for the catcher, Harry Ford. He's a 22-year-old who could solve the Nats' catching woes for a long time.
Ideal Trades
1. Washington Nationals receive Harry Ford; Seattle Mariners receive MacKenzie Gore and Robert Hassell III
2. Washington Nationals receive Carter Jensen; Kansas City Royals receive MacKenzie Gore, Robert Hassell III, and Seaver King
3. Washington Nationals receive Dalton Rushing; Los Angeles Dodgers receive MacKenzie Gore and Robert Hassell III
As you can infer, the Washington Nationals need to solve their problem at catcher. Keibert Ruiz is clearly not the answer, and the Nats need to find a new solution. I'm not sure Washington will move off Ruiz entirely because of his contract situation, but he is not a starting-caliber catcher in the Major Leagues. The Nats could fill a need in their roster by packaging a prospect with MacKenzie Gore. Gore has legitimate value across the league, and the Nats need to capitalize on it.