The Washington Nationals’ front office went through a whirlwind this past summer. With longtime executive Mike Rizzo out and Paul Toboni not yet in the chair, it was interim GM Mike DeBartolo who found himself steering the ship during one of the most pivotal stretches of the season: the trade deadline.
Despite the uncertainty swirling around the organization, DeBartolo didn’t just sit on his hands. He made five trades before the July 31 deadline, sending out six veterans and bringing back 10 prospects. While only one of those new faces has made it to the big-league roster so far, several others are already turning heads in the minors - and could be knocking on the door in 2026.
Let’s break down the moves DeBartolo made and what the Nationals came away with in each deal, as the Toboni era begins to take shape.
Amed Rosario to Yankees for Clayton Beeter, Browm Martinez
This was the first domino to fall, five days before the deadline. Rosario, a steady veteran infielder, was shipped to the Yankees in exchange for a big-league-ready bullpen arm in Clayton Beeter and a 19-year-old outfield prospect, Browm Martinez.
Rosario did what he was brought in to do for the Yankees - hit for contact and provide depth - batting .303 with a .788 OPS in 16 games. But it’s Beeter who made the biggest splash post-trade.
After a brief stint in Triple-A Rochester, he was called up to D.C. and quickly became a key piece of the bullpen. His slider was downright nasty, helping him rack up 32 strikeouts in just 21 2/3 innings.
He held a 2.49 ERA and a 1.015 WHIP - numbers that scream "late-inning weapon." The one concern?
Command. He walked 14 batters, and his fastball location was inconsistent.
Still, the raw stuff is there.
As for Martinez, he hasn’t debuted in the Nats’ system yet. Whether he starts in the Dominican Summer League or in Florida with the rookie squad, he’s a long-term project with time on his side.
Andrew Chafin, Luis Garcia to Angels for Sam Brown, Jake Eder
This was a classic deadline deal: two veteran relievers to a team on the playoff bubble - in this case, the Angels - in exchange for controllable young talent. Chafin and Garcia gave L.A. some bullpen depth, but it wasn’t enough to lift them out of the AL West basement.
The Nationals, meanwhile, got a couple of intriguing pieces. Sam Brown, a 24-year-old corner outfielder/first baseman, impressed right away at Double-A Harrisburg.
He hit .307 with a .384 OBP and showed some pop with 13 extra-base hits in 35 games. He’s not flashy, but he’s productive - and that bat could play at higher levels if the contact and plate discipline hold up.
Jake Eder, a 27-year-old lefty, is a bit more of a question mark. He made eight relief appearances for the Angels before the trade, then bounced between Harrisburg and Triple-A Rochester in the Nationals system.
The results were mixed - two scoreless innings in one start at Harrisburg, but seven earned runs in five innings across two starts in Rochester. Still, he’s on the 40-man roster and will be in big-league camp this spring.
If he finds some consistency, Eder could be a depth option for the rotation or bullpen in 2026.
Alex Call to Dodgers for Sean Paul Liñan, Eriq Swan
This one flew under the radar, but it might age well. Call, a scrappy outfielder, wasn’t going to get regular playing time in Washington. The Dodgers saw value in his glove and hustle - and he ended up contributing to a World Series run.
In return, the Nationals got two young right-handers with upside. Sean Paul Liñan, just 21, made only one start at Single-A Wilmington but flashed some serious swing-and-miss stuff: five strikeouts in three innings.
Then he went to the Arizona Fall League and held his own against older hitters, striking out six in five innings while giving up just one run. He’s raw, but there’s real potential here.
Eriq Swan, 24, also showed he can miss bats - 25 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings - but control was an issue. He walked 17 batters in that same span. That’s going to need to tighten up if he wants to move up the ladder, but the arm talent is there.
Kyle Finnegan to Tigers for Josh Randall, R.J. Sales
Finnegan found new life in Detroit, becoming a key piece of the Tigers’ postseason bullpen after leaning more heavily on his splitter. But with free agency looming, the Nationals cashed in.
They landed two pitching prospects in return, and so far, R.J. Sales looks like the gem.
The 22-year-old, fresh off being drafted out of North Carolina in 2024, posted a 3.18 ERA and struck out 37 batters in 28 1/3 innings at Single-A Fredericksburg. That’s a strong start to his pro career, and he’s already showing signs of being a fast riser.
Josh Randall, another 2024 draftee, pitched at a higher level in Wilmington but struggled with results - a 6.44 ERA. Still, the 26-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio suggests there’s something to work with. If he can limit the damage and keep missing bats, he could bounce back next season.
Michael Soroka to Cubs for Ronny Cruz, Christian Franklin
This one didn’t work out for the Cubs. They took a gamble on Soroka’s upside, but the right-hander landed on the IL almost immediately with a shoulder issue. He pitched just 8 1/3 innings in the regular season and had a rough outing in the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Nationals were thrilled with what they got back - especially Christian Franklin. The 26-year-old outfielder hit .290 with a .382 OBP and a .427 slugging percentage in 31 games at Triple-A Rochester. That earned him a spot on the 40-man roster, and he’s now firmly in the conversation for a big-league role in 2026.
Ronny Cruz, a 19-year-old infielder, didn’t play after the trade, but there’s reason to be patient. The Cubs thought highly enough of him to use a third-round pick on him in 2024, and he held his own in 48 games in the Arizona Complex League before the trade. He’s raw, but there’s a foundation to build on.
Final Thoughts
All told, Mike DeBartolo’s run as interim GM might’ve been short, but it was impactful. He turned short-term veterans into a deeper farm system - one that now includes several arms with swing-and-miss stuff, a few bats that look ready to contribute soon, and a handful of long-term projects worth monitoring.
Now it’s up to Paul Toboni and the player development staff to turn these pieces into something more. But if even two or three of these prospects hit, the Nationals could look back on this chaotic summer as a turning point in their rebuild.