Washington Nationals Outfielder Drew Trade Interest from AL East

Could another Washington Nationals starter draw trade interest this offseason? That remains to be seen, but the front office had a decision to make due to at least one team in 2026.

The New York Yankees reportedly expressed interest in Washington Nationals outfielder Jacob Young in 2026, putting an intriguing trade candidate profile back on the table for a second consecutive offseason.

In addition to star infielder CJ Abrams, Young was among the Nationals to draw interest last January after the Nationals pulled the trigger on a deal that shipped right handed pitcher MacKenzie Gore to the Texas Rangers for five prospects, including first baseman Abimelec Ortiz and prospects Gavin Fien and Devin Fitz-Gerald.

Young's defensive presence has always made him an attractive option for teams, albeit others like CJ Abrams and Foster Griffin dominated the majority of headlines while the front office followed through on a pair of midseason trades that sent Luis Garcia Jr. and Curtis Mead to the AL East. Young, however, followed it up with another strong 2026 season that arguably should have ended as a Gold Glove finalist. Left fielder Daylen Lile instead represented the Nationals on the list announced by the league last week, though that's not to overshadow Young's production.

Young previously made a strong case to win Gold Glove in 2024 after leading all MLB outfielders with 20 outs above average.

The 27 year old is also coming off a season where he appeared in 140 games and batted .252 while notching ten home runs -- doubled his career total compared to his first three seasons -- in addition to notching a career-high 50 RBIs. Young also ranked fourth on the team with 18 stolen bases in 2026, in addition to notching a .318 OBP and .707 OPS.

Through four seasons, Young has 129 RBIs and 15 home runs with a career .248 batting average.

Whether the Nationals opt to cash in on Young similar to Mead and Garcia remains to be seen with the Baltimore Orioles, Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays expected to evaluate options in center field this offseason. While president of baseball operations Paul Toboni previously pointed to the club's mindset of evaluating options rather than shopping players, Young could also materialize into one of a handful of intriguing trade candidates along the roster, though all eyes will be on what ultimately unfolds with the ongoing negotiations for the unresolved collective bargaining agreement before evaluating the trade market.