Washington Nationals & New York Yankees Complete Trade

The New York Yankees made a quiet move just days before Opening Day, shipping infielder Jorbit Vivas to the Washington Nationals in exchange for pitching prospect Sean Paul Linan. 

Yankees trade Jorbit Vivas amid roster crunch

Vivas, 25, was simply caught in a numbers game. 

Out of minor league options and unlikely to crack the Yankees’ Opening Day roster, the organization opted to move him rather than risk losing him for nothing on waivers. 

He got into 29 games last season, hitting just .161/.266/.250 with one home run and five RBIs, but the underlying profile suggests there may be more there than that small sample showed.

Yankees are trading Jorbit Vivas for the 11th-ranked Nationals pitching prospect Sean Paul Liñan

Vivas was out of options and not going to make the Opening Day roster. The Yankees now have a spot open on the 40-man roster. 21-year-old Liñan reached Triple-A last year pic.twitter.com/jTqfrOB1Uk

— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) March 22, 2026

At Triple-A, Vivas was far more productive, posting a .270/.389/.364 line across 100 games. 

Still, with a crowded infield that includes Amed Rosario, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Ryan McMahon, and a returning Anthony Volpe, there simply wasn’t a clear path to playing time in New York. 

Nationals take chance as Yankees add pitching upside

For the Nationals, Vivas steps into a situation where he’ll have a legitimate shot at a bench role right away, likely competing with players like Jose Tena and Nasim Nunez for infield reps. 

He doesn’t bring much power, but his contact skills and approach at the plate are traits the Nationals clearly value.

On the other side, the Yankees land an intriguing arm in Linan. 

The 21-year-old right-hander was ranked as the Nationals’ No. 27 prospect and is known for a changeup that’s been described as one of the best in the minors. 

He struck out an insane 106 hitters in just 77.1 innings across multiple levels in 2025.

Nats have traded for Jorbit Vivas, Yankees get Sean Paul Linan in return

I like what Toboni got back here

pic.twitter.com/rdMKv5NlrZ

— Kev (@klwoodjr) March 22, 2026

The question with Linan is everything else. 

His fastball sits in the low 90s without much life, and his secondary offerings beyond the changeup are still developing. That’s why there’s a growing belief he could eventually shift into a relief role, where that elite changeup could play up even more. 

For the Yankees, they turn a player they were about to lose into a young arm with at least one standout pitch.

Photo Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images