The Nationals made their deadline message loud and clear: the future comes first.
Paul Toboni moved Luis Garcia Jr., Foster Griffin, and Curtis Mead, and with Washington sitting at 56-61 and 6.0 games out of the NL Wild Card as of August 7, the club is leaning into the next wave. The Nationals are still technically alive, but Vegas has them at 40-1 to reach the postseason. That kind of number tends to open the door for prospects.
Three names are starting to move into that conversation: left-hander Jackson Kent, right-hander Luis Perales, and shortstop Seaver King.
Kent looks like the most immediate possibility. He’s ranked eighth in MLB.com’s Nationals system and is scheduled for a 2027 arrival, but his path may be speeding up.
The 23-year-old has made 13 starts for Triple-A Rochester and is 8-3 with a 4.38 ERA. That number doesn’t fully capture the way he’s throwing right now.
A few rough outings have done most of the damage. In his second Triple-A appearance back in May, he was tagged for seven earned runs by the Syracuse Mets.
On July 9, the Worcester Red Sox got him for eight earned runs. Since then, though, he has given up just seven earned runs over his last four starts, covering 20.2 innings.
Washington’s depth chart currently shows a four-man rotation, and the club needs another arm. Trevor Williams has been floated, but the cleaner move may be to see what Kent can do in the majors before the season slips away.
Perales is in a similar spot, but with a more advanced timetable. Also working out of Rochester, the 23-year-old right-hander is expected up in 2026 and could be next in line if the Nationals want more pitching depth. He came over from the Red Sox organization in December and has spent his entire season with Rochester.
His overall line is solid: 17 starts, 20 total games, a 5-5 record, and a 3.44 ERA. The recent stretch has been even better.
Perales has gone six straight starts without allowing more than two earned runs, and he has given up only six earned runs across his last 28.2 innings. If Washington decides one of its young starters is ready, Perales would probably get the edge over Kent.
But both could be knocking on the door soon.
King is the third name, and he’s the least likely of the trio - but not by much. He was viewed as a longshot earlier in the year, yet by early August he’s suddenly in the mix. The chance of a call-up is close to a coin flip, and if it happens, the fit will need some sorting out.
CJ Abrams has shortstop covered, so King wouldn’t be coming up to play there. The most likely setup would push Nasim Nunez to the bench for a bit while King handles second base. Nunez has brought speed and defense, but his 71 wRC+ leaves plenty to be desired.
King, 23, is ranked No. 74 on MLB.com’s overall prospect list and is on a 2027 timeline. Still, he’s producing in Triple-A Rochester. He’s hitting .277 with a .793 OPS, and his 135 wRC+ stands out.
A promotion for King would not be immediate, but it is very much in play as Washington’s season drifts toward the finish.
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Nationals Just Sent Chris Hacopian A Message About His Future
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For Hacopian, the move also adds a little intrigue to what comes next. He is projected as a second baseman, but there is already at least some possibility the Nationals could try him in a corner outfield spot if that better fits the long-term plan. However they map out the fit, the assignment says plenty about how Washington views his bat and his ability to handle an aggressive opening push in the minors. [Read more 🡒]