Nationals Have Turned Juan Soto Trade Pieces into Franchise Cornerstones

The Washington Nationals have been building something rather special for a few years now, primarily by trading away veteran or valuable assets in return for prospects and high-level young talents.

While trading away Juan Soto three years ago was one of the most difficult decisions facing any team in recent memory, the return package they received was quite impressive at the time.

The trade would consist of Soto and Josh Bell going to the San Diego Padres, neither of whom are there anymore. Bell has actually since returned to the Nationals after stints with a few other teams. Soto is with the New York Mets.

In return, Washington received CJ Abrams, MacKenzie Gore, James Wood, Robert Hassell III, Jarlin Susana, and Luke Voit. While Voit has since moved on, the remaining players are still valuable components to the roster.

How Have the Players From the Return Package Performed So Far?

Of the return package, three players currently reside on the MLB roster with CJ Abrams, James Wood, and MacKenzie Gore. All three have been truly impressive this season as well, which only helps. Abrams, in 25 appearances, is slashing .286/.355/.500, with 16 runs, 14 RBI, eight stolen bases, and 22 strikeouts to eight walks. He has been a crucial part of this youth movement for the Nationals, and is someone who long-term could be a focal point on offense.

Wood has been similarly impressive, but in a larger sample size. In 38 games he is slashing .281/.382/.555 with 22 runs, 23 RBI, five stolen bases, 10 home runs, and 45 strikeouts to 23 walks. He has been truly outstanding for Washington, and his ability to generate both power and contact is extremely impressive.

As for Gore, he has become one of the centerpieces of the pitching staff, and in 2025 has really started to take off. Through eight starts he has pitched 46.0 innings, with a 3.33 ERA, 1.152 WHIP, an MLB leading 68 strikeouts, only 13 walks allowed, and 1.5 WAR.

His 13.3 strikeouts per nine innings, also leading the MLB, is absolutely outstanding for any starting pitcher, and as time goes on, he may only continue to improve as he looks to limit hard contact.

As for the two prospects in Susana and Hassell III, they have both become centerpieces of the farm system in their own right.

Susana is now the No. 2 prospect for the franchise, and Hassell III is the No. 11 prospect according to MLB Pipeline. Both of them have made it to the upper levels, with Susana in Double-A and Hassell III in Triple-A, so this trade may finally show its full hand as all of the players get the chance to show their value.