The Washington Nationals acquired right-handed pitcher Richard Guasch, catcher Drew Millas and right-handed pitcher Seth Shuman from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for catcher Yan Gomes, infielder/outfielder Josh Harrison and cash considerations on Friday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.
Guasch, 23, joins the Nationals after going 1-4 with a 4.67 ERA in 13 games (nine starts) for High-A Lansing this season. He has recorded 68 strikeouts and 29 walks in 54.0 innings pitched. On June 3 he recorded his strongest start of the season, tossing 6.0 scoreless innings, giving up just three hits and one walk while striking out eight batters.
Guasch is ranked as the No. 30 prospect and as having the “Best Slider” in Oakland’s Minor League system according to Baseball America.
In three professional seasons (2018-2021), the 6-foot-4, 205-pound right-hander has gone 2-8 with a 3.89 ERA in 39 games. He had extensive amateur experience in Cuba and went on to compete as a member of Cuba’s 2017 Pan-American team.
A native of Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, Guasch was signed as a free agent on July 13, 2018. The first letter of his last name is pronounced with an “h” sound, as in “hwahsh”.
Millas, 23, is the No. 13 prospect and the “Best Defensive Catcher” in Oakland’s Minor League system according to Baseball America. In 59 games this season, he hit .255 with 12 doubles, one triple, three home runs, 28 RBI, 10 stolen bases and 34 runs scored. He walked 41 times against just 39 strikeouts in 2021.
The switch-hitting Millas was originally selected in the seventh round of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of Missouri State University.
Shuman, 23, went 2-3 with a 2.25 ERA in 13 games (11 starts) for High-A Lansing in 2021. He struck out 62 batters in 56.0 innings pitched while walking 15 and surrendering four home runs. He made his professional debut in 2019, appearing in 11 games (eight starts) for rookie-level Vermont. He went 0-3 with a 2.39 ERA, 29 strikeouts and two home runs allowed.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Shuman is a native of Valdosta, Georgia and attended Georgia Southern University. He was originally selected in the sixth round of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft.
Gomes, 34, joined the Nationals prior to the 2019 season and became the primary catcher in Washington’s run to the 2019 World Series title. In three seasons (2019-21) in D.C., Gomes hit .250 with 33 doubles, two triples, 25 homers, 91 RBI, 57 walks and 80 runs scored in 190 games.
Harrison, 34, hit .291 with 25 doubles, two triples, nine homers, 52 RBI, six stolen bases, 31 walks and 50 runs scored in 123 games across two seasons (2020-21) with the Nationals.
