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By The Washington Nationals acquired shortstop Ronny Cruz and outfielder Christian Franklin from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for right-handed pitcher Michael Soroka on Wednesday. Nationals Interim General Manager Mike DeBartolo made the announcement.
Cruz, 18, is Chicago’s No. 13 prospect according to MLBPipeline.com and No. 17 prospect according to Baseball America. In his first professional season in 2025, he is hitting .270 with 10 doubles, six triples, two home runs, 21 RBI, 10 walks, 10 stolen bases and 20 runs scored in 48 games for the Arizona League Cubs.
Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, before moving to Florida for his final two years of high school, Cruz was selected by the Cubs in the third round of the 2024 First-Year Player Draft out of Miami Christian School (Fla.).
Franklin, 25, the Cubs No. 14 prospect according to MLBPipeline.com, led the Cubs Minor League system in walks (63) and ranked in runs (2nd, 61), triples (T3rd, 4), on-base percentage (5th, .393), doubles (5th, 20), extra-base hits (T7th, 32), OPS (7th, .820), hits (7th, 85), and slugging (8th, .427) in 86 games for Triple-A Iowa this season. He also hit .265 with eight home runs, 41 RBI, 11 stolen bases and 61 runs scored in 2025.
The right-handed hitting Franklin ranks 10th in all of Minor League Baseball over the last two seasons with 134 walks. He has hit .261 with 53 doubles, 10 triples, 26 home runs, 143 RBI, 208 walks, 63 stolen bases, and 208 runs scored in 307 career Minor League games over five seasons, while playing 122 games in center field, 79 games in right field and 74 games in left field.
A fourth round pick in the 2021 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Arkansas, Franklin was a National College Baseball Writers Association Third-Team All-American, Second-Team All-SEC honoree and an SEC All-Defensive Team selection in his final season with the Razorbacks.
