Going Deep with The Nats

Tick tock goes the clock as we head into the final evening of this year’s Winter Meetings. There have been some notable players on the move, from Juan Soto to Max Fried to the Garrett Crochet trade — but in all, there are still over 30 free agents unsigned in the Top-50 rankings.

The Winter Meetings usually wrap-up after the Rule-5 draft, but this event actually runs through tomorrow in Dallas, Texas. The Washington Nationals were the surprise lottery winners in the MLB Draft after the ball bounced their way for the first pick in the MLB Draft in July. Today, eyes are on the Rule-5 draft, and unlike the prior two years, the Nationals were not attached to any rumors from their spot at being able to select a Rule-5 eligible minor leaguer at pick No. 6. With RHP Evan Reifert available, the Nats selected him. He will turn 26 in May and has pitch up to the Double-A level. The Nats will give him a chance in the bullpen.

The first night of the Winter Meetings began with breaking news leaking that Juan Soto received a contract for over three-quarters of a billion dollars from the New York Mets. That deal will put his career earnings near $850 million, and that does not include endorsement deals that could put Soto above a billion in earnings. In total, Soto’s new deal with the Mets has more than doubled the contract given to the Mets best player, Francisco Lindor. Now we move into the second evening of the Winter Meetings and see if any major news breaks.

The 2024 MLB Winter Meetings open up in Dallas, Texas tonight and will run through Thursday morning. Much of the coverage will be shown on MLB Network. The most important day for the Washington Nationals is on Tuesday when the 2025 MLB Draft order is determined by the lottery balls. But the most important immediate impactful moment for the Nats could be an acquisition(s) of a top player(s) who can step into the roster and add wins to this team.

As the 2025 MLB season approaches, the trade market is buzzing with rumors. Trades can be a crucial part of shaping team rosters and can significantly impact playoff potential. But who are the hottest trade prospects this time around? Is there one player on the list that you would want the Washington Nationals to acquire? Who else would you add to the list?

Certain players become hot property due to their performance, potential, and team needs, however they need to be evaluated carefully by the brains trust. Trades can dramatically alter team dynamics, offering players new opportunities and teams fresh talent to fill gaps, however, a wrong decision can disrupt teams – with unforeseen negative consequences. Fortunately, the hot prospects on this list have a track record that speaks volumes.

The Winter Meetings open on Sunday night. Washington Nationals GM Mike Rizzo has a shopping list. He has publicly stated that he is actively looking to acquire not just one, but two middle-of-the-order bats to bolster the team’s lineup for the upcoming season as well as pitching.

Putting a strong focus on adding run-creators and consistency to the heart of the batting order should be a priority. While Rizzo did not specifically mention the full profile of the hitters he would like to acquire, let’s hope they can also play defense — and that would be advisable given that you need those two-way players when your team was near the bottom in both power and defense in the 2024 season.

We do not know if the Juan Soto “free agent auction” is in the final bidding, but if you followed the BS on Twitter/X, Soto already signed with the Boston Red Sox three days ago. Don’t worry, ESPN’s Jeff Passan publicly embarrassed podcaster Mick, a self-described Cape Cod insider with a podcast, who claimed Soto is already signed with Boston. Look, Soto could very well end up in Boston. That was always a logical destination — but we also know the rumors that Mets’ owner Steve Cohen won’t be outbid. So is it all about the money or the fit or both?

For most baseball executives, the day after Thanksgiving has few “Black Friday” shopping opportunities. The bargains are out there for most teams as normal with minor leaguers, lower level players, retreads, and finding players looking for rebound contracts. The Washington Nationals did sign Jeimer Candelario after Thanksgiving in 2022 on this same day. Canderlario was coming off of a rough 2022 campaign in which he hit just .217 with a .633 OPS. That signing worked out very well for the Nats. Candelario did well in the 2023 season and was flipped at the trade deadline for DJ Herz and Kevin Made.

Most Nats’ fans do not want to see the Nats shopping in that aisle of the store because for every bounceback player that works, like Jesse Winker, you have players like Nick Senzel, Eddie Rosario, and Joey Gallo that might not work. Nats fans want general manager Mike Rizzo shopping at the luxury stores in this offseason.

So far in this offseason, only two big names have been signed with Yusei Kikuchi and Blake Snell, and that leaves 48-names remaining in MLB Trade Rumors Top-50 rankings.