Nationals acquire LHP DJ Herz and SS Kevin Made

The Washington Nationals acquired left-handed pitcher DJ Herz and shortstop Kevin Made from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for infielder Jeimer Candelario and cash considerations on Monday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

Herz, 22, is 1-1 with a 3.97 ERA in 14 games (14 starts) for Double-A Tennessee. He has 80 strikeouts and a .216 opponents’ batting average in 59.0 innings pitched. He has pitched to a 0.90 ERA (1 ER/10.0 IP) with 17 strikeouts against just five walks and a .065 opponents’ batting average (2-for-31) over his last two starts. Herz struck out nine batters in 5.0 innings of one-hit ball in his most recent start on July 29 at Rocket City (LAA).

The 6-foot-2, 175-pound left-hander is rated as the No. 16 prospect in Chicago’s system per MLBPipeline.com and the No. 19 prospect according to Baseball America.

In 2022, Herz tied for the lead in Chicago’s Minor League system with 141 strikeouts in 95.1 innings pitched between High-A South Bend and Double-A Tennessee. In 66 starts across four professional seasons, Herz is 8-12 with a 3.80 ERA, 13.15 strikeouts per 9.0 innings and a .181 opponents’ batting average.

Herz was named Chicago’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2021 after leading the system with 131 strikeouts. He went 4-4 with a 3.31 ERA and a .157 opponents’ batting average in 21 starts in his first full professional season. 

Davidjohn “DJ” Patrick Herz was originally selected by the Chicago Cubs in the eighth round of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of Terry Sanford High School in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Made, 20, hit .240 with 17 doubles, two triples, three homers, 25 RBI, 30 walks, three stolen bases and 39 runs scored in 70 games for High-A South Bend in his third professional season.

The right-handed hitting Made is the No. 14 prospect in Chicago’s system according to MLBPipeline.com and the No. 6 prospect in their system per The Athletic. Prior to the season, he was cited by Baseball America as having the “Best Infield Arm” among Cubs farmhands. Made was rated by MLBPipeline.com as the No. 11 player in the 2019 international signing class.

A native of Bani, Dominican Republic, Made has hit .244 with 50 doubles, six triples, 14 homers, 89 RBI, 82 walks, eight stolen bases and 113 runs scored in 222 games across three professional seasons (2021-23).

Candelario, 29, hit .258 with 30 doubles, two triples, 16 homers, 53 RBI, 36 walks, six stolen bases and 57 runs scored in 99 games in his lone season with the Nationals.