Trade rumors are swirling around the Major Leagues and the Washington Nationals are no exception. Recently, a collection of the same players has been mentioned. This time let's look at a few trade candidates within the organization and unmentioned trade targets. The Nationals have a few prospects or pieces they could package in a trade to acquire more talent. Let's dive into it.
There are a few untouchable prospects in the organization. Those seemingly are Travis Sykora, Dylan Crews, Jarlin Susana, and Luke Dickerson (James Wood graduated from prospect status last season). If the right deal were to propose itself, Mike Rizzo should be willing to package any prospect not on that list for top-tier talent.
Selling high on prospects such as Brady House and Robert Hassell III would make sense as Washington is looking to take the next step in a rebuild. Why House and Hassell III? The Nats have another third base prospect, Yohandy Morales, who swings a heavy bat. It's unlikely that either House or Morales will stick at third base defensively; a move to first base is in both their futures. Both House and Hassell III have dropped in prospect rankings, although it could not mean much, it might make them expendable.
What should GM Mike Rizzo look for in return? The starting rotation lacks a true number-one starter who can lead young pitchers by example. A home-run trade would be to acquire left-hander Garrett Crochet from the Chicago White Sox. It would likely take more than just House and Hassell III to nab Crochet, but the Nats would sign him to a lengthy extension.
An unlikely trade would be to make a move for Athletics outfielder, Brent Rooker. He's been mentioned on the trade block for a while, and the Nationals making a move seems a bit far-fetched. He would fill a hole in the roster exceptionally well, power-hitting. Rooker has quietly become one of the premier right-handed hitters in baseball in Oakland. Rooker posted 39 HR and 112 RBI last season with a .293 batting average, according to baseballreference.com. His defense is nothing to write home about, so he'd slide in the designated hitter slot in the Nats' lineup. Once again, a trade for Rooker is unlikely, but he'd fit on the team perfectly. The price would not be cheap.
Ryan Helsley, the closer for the St. Louis Cardinals, should be a serious target for the Nationals. The Cardinals have an aging core of players who are regressing, a roster rebuild could be imminent. A steady force for the club has been Helsley, who saved 49 games in 2024 and has recorded an ERA under 2.10 each of the past two seasons. Helsley is a lockdown closer, and while Kyle Finnegan has been serviceable, adding another arm to the backend of the bullpen is never a bad idea.
An organizational rebuild takes unexpected turns and sometimes trades. What are your thoughts on these trade targets? Who should Mike Rizzo and the Nats target this Winter?