"The Washington Nationals have been mired in a very busy offseason full of tons of difficult yet interesting decisions so far. Whether it was the organization hiring Paul Toboni to lead from the front office or hiring the youngest big league manager in over 50 years, it's safe to say that things are going to look a lot different in the 2026 season."
"The Rule 5 Draft itself can be a bit of a mixed bag, and the Nationals have been no strangers to experiencing this themselves. A few years back, they selected righty Thaddeus Ward from the Boston Red Sox who spent a full season battling injuries for the big league club before he was ultimately waived in 2024. Then 2 years ago, the Nationals nabbed infielder Nasim Nuñez from the Miami Marlins, and he has turned into a valuable bench contributor."
The Nationals completed a busy offseason with significant front-office and managerial hires and are reshaping the roster ahead of 2026. The Rule 5 Draft remains an underrated December event that affects roster decisions and player protection. Past Rule 5 moves have produced mixed results, including Thaddeus Ward’s injury-plagued tenure and Nasim Nuñez’s emergence as a bench contributor, while Evan Reifert was returned before the season. The Nationals recently added lefty Jake Bennett, outfielder Christian Franklin, and righty Riley Cornelio to the 40-man roster. Notable prospects left unprotected include righties Tyler Stuart and Marquis Grissom Jr. and infielder Cayden Wallace.
Read at District on Deck
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