3 Nationals who could be traded this Winter

I want to preface this article that I am not saying that any of these 3 players will be traded. In fact, if any of them were to be moved at all I would be pretty surprised. This is designed to be a fun exercise that could at least lay the foundation for the Nationals' upcoming offseason plans.

If I could underline, bold, and highlight the word "could" in the title of this article I would do all of the above. I don't want my words to be taken out of context in saying that I think these guys will be dealt or anything like that. In fact, I'd be shocked if the Nationals traded any sort of MLB level talent this winter. But after taking a look at the Nationals' 40-man roster and some of the pieces down in the minors, I decided on these 3 players who could potentially be trade chips.

RHP Jackson Rutledge

Pickings were tough to get a third name in this piece, as I am not a believer that CJ Abrams will be moved at all, and I didn't think Riley Adams would even have enough value at this point to be dealt. For those reasons alone, I chose to go with 2019 1st-round pick in righty Jackson Rutledge. My reasoning for this one is fairly simple in that I believe he is a prime candidate for a change of scenery.

Rutledge, now 25-years-old and still yet to establish himself firmly as a big leaguer, has all the potential to be a very solid pitcher at the highest level. The issue with him has been consistency, and his numbers with AAA Rochester this year did not look great on the surface. A move to the bullpen could definitely be in his future, but from what we've seen from him so far at the MLB level, even that is a major uncertainty at this time.

For a 6'8" pitcher, Rutledge does not overwhelm hitters with high velocity or insane stuff, and I believe time could be running out for him to prove he can stick in DC. Trading him this offseason would likely give the Nationals at least something of significance in return, as he's still a Top 30 guy in a loaded farm system, and would give him a chance with another club that doesn't have as many highly touted arms like Travis Sykora coming through the system as the Nationals do.

CP Kyle Finnegan

Legitimately one of the only Nats that I could see being dealt before Opening Day next season, closer Kyle Finnegan would have a place in every bullpen in the MLB. The only reason he makes this list is because of how heavily he was shopped at the trade deadline the last couple of seasons, and from the potential emergence of younger arms such as Jose A. Ferrer and even some prospects who have yet to debut.

Would I be surprised if Finnegan were to be traded at this point? Yes. I say this simply because his numbers in non-save situations and in the second half overall were not great, and he was unable to keep up his consistency from the first half when he was named an All-Star for the first time. If the team were to trade him, I could see it happening closer to the trade deadline next season, but overall I would expect him to stick around in DC, especially if the team is competitive in 2025, as expected.

OF Jacob Young

Look, I am firmly NOT a believer that Jacob Young should be traded. In fact, I believe he's one of the most valuable pieces on this team. Although he's not a flashy player with the prospect pedigree of his outfield counterparts in James Wood and Dylan Crews, Young more than proved his value this year. His defense, which was literally the best in baseball by OAA (according to Statcast), was crucial in center field this year, and his speed on the base paths was a valued asset near the bottom of the order for the Nationals.

With the stream of outfielders in the system who should make their way to DC by the end of next season including Daylen Lile and Robert Hassell III, the Nationals could possibly view him as a tradeable asset. Combine this with the fact that Dylan Crews' defense in right field was phenomenal, and the team could think it makes sense to move their young superstar to a premium position.

All in all, the only way in which I could potentially see a trade of Jacob Young is if the Nationals make a significant free agent signing of an outfielder. However, I believe if that were to happen that Young would be more valuable as a 4th outfielder, pinch runner, and late game defensive replacement, especially if that outfielder signing is one particular former National...

Who is someone you think could be potentially traded away by the Nationals this winter? As always, please let me know on X, @DCBerk.