The Chicago White Sox and Washington Nationals completed a trade Saturday afternoon involving infielder Curtis Mead. The South Siders sent the former Tampa Bay Rays prospect to Washington in exchange for catching prospect Boston Smith. Chicago had designated Mead for assignment on Wednesday.
White Sox Trade Infielder Curtis Mead to Nationals
Mead, originally from Adelaide, Australia, originally signed with the Philadelphia Phillies organization in 2018. The Phils then traded him to the Rays the following year. Called up from Triple-A Durham for his major league debut in 2023, he hit .253 with one homer, five RBI, and a .675 OPS in 24 major league games that season. Mead played in 38 major league games in 2024, then 49 with Tampa Bay in 2025.
Although he rose as high as No. 3 on MLB Pipeline‘s Rays prospect rankings in 2024, it eventually became clear that the team’s infield logjam would limit any opportunity he had with the team. The Rays traded him to the White Sox at last season’s trade deadline, part of a four-player deal that sent pitcher Adrian Houser to Tampa.
We have acquired UTIL Curtis Mead from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for C Boston Smith.
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) March 28, 2026
While he has limited major league experience in terms of games played, Mead is still only 25 years old and could benefit from another fresh start in the nation’s capital. For his career, he has a .238 average, five home runs, 31 RBI, and a .617 OPS. His bat picked up a bit after last year’s trade, with his average jumping from .226 to .240. Mead also provides some defensive versatility. He has played first, second, and third base in his career.
Smith to the South Side
Smith was taken by the Nationals in the sixth round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Wright State University (OH). In 59 games with the Raiders last year, he hit .330 with 26 homers, 70 RBI, and a 1.269 OPS. While he’s not on a fast track to the big leagues, he could figure into the mix for Chicago a couple of years down the road, depending on how he develops in the minors.
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