Closer look at the Nationals' return in the MacKenzie Gore trade

The Washington Nationals officially pulled the trigger on its marquee offseason trade after officially parting ways with starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore in exchange for five prospects from the Texas Rangers. Analysts and experts graded the Nationals' return favorably, highlighting the added talent infused into the farm system including another first round pick in last year's draft, giving the Nationals a new page to turn to under its first-year leadership.

"If you asked me a week ago was this going to happen, I probably would've said no," Toboni said on Zoom with local media on Thursday night. "But over the course of the last week, momentum built, and we finally got to a spot where it made sense for us."

The return included shortstop Gavin Fien, right handed pitcher Alejandro Rosario, infielder Devin Fitz-Gerald, outfielder Jeremy Cabrera and first baseman Abimelec Ortiz with Fien graded the highest among them.

Fien, who went 12th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, will likely head to Single-A with a chance to change positions in 2026. With Eli Willits already slotted at shortstop, Fien could move to either second or third base to give the Nationals' juice in its future infield. Expected to head to the major league in 2029, Fien was named MVP at the MLB's High School All-American Game while he led the U-18 national team in slugging (.680) with some scouts viewing him as the best hitter in his class. His older brother, Dylan, is also catcher with the Athletics.

Rosario, expected to make his debut in 2027, is the one to watch with more patience required. Calling it a "worthwhile move," president of baseball operations Paul Toboni confirmed that Rosario is expected to undergo Tommy John surgery in the coming weeks with the expectation he returns in 2027. While all eyes will be on his recovery, he joins the organization with plenty of upside with a fastball consistently between 94 and 98 mph with praise for his splitter. He checks in as the 11th-best prospect in the Nationals' farm system.

Abimelec Ortiz, the lowest-ranked prospect in the haul, could become a first base candidate in 2026 to become a possible solution at one of the team's biggest questions ahead of Opening Day. In 2023, Ortiz led the minors in slugging (.619) before finishing the 2024 season with 15 home runs over his final 43 games. He was also aded to the 40-man roster after being promoted to Triple-A in 2025, giving him a chance at cracking the Nationals' 40-man roster to open the 2026 season.

Fitz-Gerald, ranked right after Rosario at 12th overall, won four consecutive 7-A state championships out of high school at Stoneman Douglas (FL) before materializing into a fifth round pick in 2024, though hamstring injuries slowed him down to start 2025. Capable of switch hitting by lining up as a right-hander, MLB.com pointed to scouts preferring Fitz-Gerald as a left-handed hitter due to his swing and power potential, but he's credited for his contact and "driving the ball from gap to gap" with a potential of reaching 12 to 15 home runs per season. He's projected to head to the big leagues in 2028.

Cabrera was arguably the Rangers' top prospect in the 2022 international class with his power pointed to as a top trait that scouts love. MLB.com pointed to him as the pitcher with the "best speed and power combinations" in the Rangers' farm system with an expected 2028 debut.

Updated top ten in Nationals' farm system - ETA: