Aug 12, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A Washington Nationals hat and glove in the dugout before a game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Peter Aiken-Imagn Images

Nationals Deadline Acquisition Is Biggest Breakout Prospect in System

Originally posted on Washington Nationals on SI
By Sean O'Leary | Last updated Sep 19, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The Washington Nationals are looking towards the future. After being in a rebuild since 2020, it's time to shake things up in the entire organization and that's exactly what they plan to do. From the front office to on the field, things will begin to look different in the years to come.

Washington will spend from now until the offseason looking for their next general manager and manager to lead them to become, hopefully, the next great Nationals team. The way they will get there is the players on the field, and there are some exciting players to look forward to.

They have some of the top prospects in baseball. From first overall pick Eli Willits to Travis Sykora and Jarlin Susana, the top of the system is loaded. While that will be a luxury to add to the current core, the ability to produce depth in the system is what seperates good teams from the great ones.

According to MLB Pipeline, a deadline acquisition, Sean Paul Liñan, is the biggest riser in the Nationals system.

Who Is Sean Paul Liñan?

Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Liñan was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the trade that sent Alex Call out west. According to Pipeline, he was signed out of Columbia for $17,500 and wasn't even on the Dodgers' Top 30 entering the season.

The right-hander really made a statement across four levels this season. Overall, Liñan made 15 starts in 19 appearances, throwing 77.1 innings with a 3.03 ERA and 106 strikeouts, a 12.3 K/9.

His best work came in 16 appearances in Single-A and High-A. In six appearances at Single-A, Liñan threw 29.1 innings allowing just four runs and striking out 50 batters with a 0.843 WHIP. His elite stretch at the level earned him a promotion to HIgh-A.

In 10 appearances at High-A in the Dodgers system, the 20-year-old threw 37.1 innings, striking out 39 and posting a 2.65 WHIP.

He made two Triple-A appearances where he allowed eight runs in 7.1 innings. In his lone outing after being traded, The right-hander allowed three runs in three innings. He was placed on the injured list soon after the trade.

Liñan is currently the 14th ranked player in the Nationals system. He sits around mid-90s with an average slider, but his bread and butter is the changeup, which is given a 65 on the 20-80 scouting scale.

"Liñan has one of the best changeups in the Minors, a high-spin cambio that veers sharply down and to the right as it approaches the plate around 80 mph," his scouting report states.

The 20-year-old will pitch in the Arizona Fall League this year and if he pitches well there is little doubt he will climb even further up the Nationals' rankings. It will be the highest level of competition he's faced in his young career and he could make a name for himself this fall.

This article first appeared on Washington Nationals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: