The Washington Nationals announced three players, including one familiar name, have agreed to terms on minor league contracts with invitations to spring training.
The Washington Nationals made a pair of moves official on Thursday afternoon after announcing both pitchers Trevor Gott and Zach Penrod have signed with invitations to 2026 major league spring training, giving the bullpen a potential boost with a homecoming on the table for Gott. But the announcement also came with a surprise signing after the team also announced that catcher Tres Barrera has agreed to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training, marking a second potential homecoming for the Nationals.
Barrera, 31, began his career with the Washington Nationals after becoming the 184th overall selection in the sixth round of the 2016 MLB Draft. He spent time in Low-A where he posted three home runs in his first season before being promote to High-A in 2018 and Double-A in 2019.
He made his debut with the Nationals back on Sept. 8, 2019 against the Atlanta Braves where he went hitless across a pair of at-bats before being sidelined the following season. Barrera was suspended 80 games for testing positive for PED before appealing and having the punishment reduced to the rest of the 2020 season while being reinstated from the restricted list.
His first home run came in 2021 where he posted a pair of home runs and ten RBIs while hitting .264 across 30 appearances in 2021, but after 19 appearances the following season, he was removed from the 40-man roster toward the end of the season before electing free agency.
Barrera signed a minor league deal with St. Louis in 2023 where he appeared in only 12 games before moving onto Toros de Tijuana of the Mexican League the following season. He played in Double-A with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2025, finishing with eight home runs and 33 RBIs while hitting .209 in 70 games.
He becomes the latest roster addition after president of baseball operations Paul Toboni hinted that the front office was not done making moves ahead of spring training, whether it be via trade, free agency or waivers. While the move comes two days removed after announcing the team has claimed utility Mickey Gasper, who also has experience playing catcher and much more at first base, it gives the Nationals a chance to get more looks at potential upgrades to depth across the eventual 40-man roster while restocking its young core. Whether Barrera heads back to the Nationals' minor league will also be worth tracking with a chance of impressing the revamped front office.