The Washington Nationals are in limbo.
For the first time in years, the Nationals are playing meaningful baseball in July -- treading water, albeit frustratingly, around the .500 mark for the majority of the summer months so far. And that means, also for the first time in years, Washington has a decision to make at the deadline.
Paul Toboni has a decision to make -- Buy? Sell? Stand pat? For starters, this weekend's series might have more implications than any series since 2019.
That has been the discourse around the Nats for weeks now, and will not stop anytime before August 3 -- baseball's 6pm deadline for trades. There are valid arguments on both sides:
Buy: Washington's offense is the leagues' best -- leading all of baseball in runs scored, home runs, and slugging %. They finish top-5 in almost every offensive category. The fault of this roster is clear -- relief pitching. Address the need, and go for it; simple as that.
Stand/Sell: Paul Toboni has preached a patient approach to this rebuild, why rush it? The Nationals only have one major contributor that will reach free agency this winter, Foster Griffin. This core can run it back. Should Washington move unproven prospects early for the sake of pushing for the playoffs in Year 1 of the Butera and Toboni era?
We've talked at length about what the Nationals could (and should do) -- that's not the purpose here today. Our purpose is to focus on one of the arguments against buying at the deadline: trading prospects away.
With all of emphasis on player development since Toboni's arrival; the focus on analytics and not being afraid to make unconventional or controversial decisions for the greater good of the Nationals, the thought of parting with prospects so early into the new era of Washington baseball, causes some sense of unease.
Why should a young, up-and-coming team mortgage future pieces to add players to a rebuild that's already far ahead of schedule?
That's not to say Toboni shouldn't trade any prospects -- rather, there are some who have turned in performances in the minor leagues that should force Toboni's hand -- it's too early to give up on them.
Here are three prospects that I believe should be off the table in any trade discussions at the 2026 MLB trade deadline.
Seaver King
Washington's #4 and MLB's #76 prospect, the 23-year-old shortstop has turned in a strong 2026 season so far. After tearing up Double-A Harrisburg batting .336, Seaver King was promoted to Triple-A Rochester, where he currently is batting .275, has more hits than games played, and is on pace to hit the most homers he ever has since being drafted #10 overall by the Nationals in the 2024 draft.
It's hard to say for certain if King will see the major leagues this season -- however, his production at shortstop and his ability to play second base is a welcomed insurance policy for the Nationals -- as both CJ Abrams, and more recently Luis Garcia Jr. have found themselves in trade talks. While no move is imminent (for now) for either Abrams or Garcia, I don't think it's far out of the realm of possibility that King makes his major league debut this season.
Regardless if he does or doesn't, I believe King provides a safety cushion to the future of the Nationals infield that Paul Toboni should not part with.
Miguel Sime Jr.
Cambridge, MA native and Washington's #10 prospect has garnered a lot of attention in the last twelve months, and it's for good reason. He's 19, already in High-A, and his fastball is already over 100mph. That's reason enough, right? Have I mentioned his fastball is 70-graded?
In all seriousness, however, Sime Jr. has a career sub-4 ERA, a four pitch mix, and is so young that a few more years in Washington's revamped minor league system, with all the modern day technology and analytics that the previous regime, for whatever reason, did not have, Sime Jr. has too high of a potential for Toboni to trade him for someone that is not a blue chip piece, which we have reason to believe Washington will not be in the market for, at least at this deadline.
I do not believe that the Nationals should part with ANY pitcher that is within their top-11 prospects, or those who are close to making their major league debut. With the current state of their bullpen, Washington needs to keep rolling the dice and testing their young arms in the majors -- you never know what you'll find. A great example of this is what the Nationals are doing with Eddy Yean.
Abimelec Ortiz Jr.
While Ortiz Jr. has already made his MLB debut, I still consider him to be a prospect -- one that has a reasonable chance to provide more value to Washington as a National, not as a trade piece.
Acquired from the Rangers in the Mackenzie Gore trade, Ortiz Jr., Washington's #23 prospect, has the power to make noise as a long(er) term answer at first base for Washington. Luis Garcia Jr. has fit that mold perfectly -- he's already set a career high in home runs, and it's not even August. Garcia, and Nationals fans alike, have enjoyed his breakout season. However, as mentioned above, teams have been calling Washington about his availability in a trade, and while we do not know for sure what will happen it is reasonable to think that Toboni may want to capitalize on his value being the highest it has ever been.
Anyway, Ortiz is on pace for roughly 34 homers in the minor leagues this season. He also has a 60-graded hit tool, and has posted a respectable .248 average in 76 appearances in Rochester. If Washington does make a trade within the infield at the deadline, don't be surprised to see Ortiz recalled to the big leagues, and be given the opportunities to make a name for himself.
Nationals fans everywhere will be watching closely as we navigate the weeks and days leading up to the trade deadline. Paul Toboni has to commit to one direction or another. Which will he choose? Are there any prospects you'd like to see him hold on to? Feel free to debate in the comments, or on X (@andrewpindc).
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