Veteran Nationals catcher declares free agency after not appearing in majors in 2026

Washington Nationals catcher Riley Adams has declared free agency after spending the entire 2026 season in the minor leagues with Triple-A Rochester. Eligible to enter free agency early as a minor leaguer, the 30-year-old backstop did not make an appearance at the major-league level during the 2026 campaign.

Adams originally joined Washington via a 2021 trade from the Toronto Blue Jays for Brad Hand. Over parts of five seasons with the Nationals, he posted a .215 batting average with 21 home runs across 819 plate appearances.