The San Diego Padres find themselves in a difficult position, as they attempt to compete in 2024 but might have to do so without Juan Soto.
Because of all of the long-term contracts the Padres have hamstrung themselves with, the chances of them being able to afford an extension for their best position player are certainly slim. With that in mind, trading Juan Soto to ensure the Friars get something for him while also achieving their goal of shedding payroll is the likely outcome.
Soto has long been rumored to be a prime Yankees target, but this new update from Jon Heyman of the NY Post opens the possibility for a slew of other teams to swoop in and snag the Padres star. The price of two top-100 prospects might seem like a lot for a rental, but for a player of Soto's caliber, it's quite affordable. These teams should be doing whatever they can to try and steal Soto away from the Bronx Bombers.
New York Mets
If Soto isn't going to the Yankees, what about the other New York team? All of a sudden, the Mets are loaded with prospect capital that they can trade after selling at this year's trade deadline.
New York has five top-100 prospects according to MLB Pipeline including Luisangel Acuna (38), Drew Gilbert (52), Jett Williams (78), Ronny Mauricio (87), and Kevin Parada (89). Any combination of these prospects feels like a good amount to offer for Soto, but it's probably unlikely the Mets get it done.
These prospects all have bright futures, but are also all position players. Even without Soto, the Padres could have one of the best offenses in baseball led by the core players they still have. Their pitching, however, is a bit of a mess following the likely departures of Blake Snell, Michael Wacha, Nick Martinez, and Josh Hader. One thing that made the Yankees such an enticing destination was their pitching prospects.
The Mets have a glaring need in left field which Soto could fill perfectly. He'd slide right into the middle of the order and take New York by storm as he always has as a visiting player. New York would also love their chances when it comes to re-signing Soto, armed with the richest owner in the sport and the desperation to field a contender.
Chicago Cubs
It feels like the Chicago Cubs have been connected to just about every star player this offseason, whether it's in the free agency market or on the trade block. Guys like Shohei Ohtani, Pete Alonso, and even Bo Bichette have been linked to the Windy City which raises the question of whether Chicago will pull off a monster deal.
The Cubs are a team that just missed out on the playoffs in 2023 and look to have a very bright future. Not only did they give Craig Counsell the largest contract for a manager in MLB history, but they're also armed with a loaded farm system.
The Cubs have six top-100 prospects according to MLB Pipeline including Pete Crow-Armstrong (12), Cade Horton (29), Owen Caissie (64), Kevin Alcantara (71), Ben Brown (86), and Matt Shaw (96). While a package including both Crow-Armstrong and Horton will presumably not be remotely close to the table, it'd be one that'd be virtually impossible to beat if the Cubs wanted Soto badly enough.
Even without that monster package being available, the Cubs have several intriguing prospects to give up. Even one of Crow-Armstrong or Horton along with another top-100 guy could put Chicago right in the driver's seat.
With Cody Bellinger possibly leaving, the Cubs have a gaping hole in the middle of their order. Adding Soto would give them an upgrade, and a chance to get back to the playoffs in a 162-game season for the first time since 2018.
Toronto Blue Jays
Teams like the Mets and Cubs might not be considered the favorites to land Soto, but they've always been in the discussion. A team like the Toronto Blue Jays has not been discussed nearly as much, and that's because their farm system is relatively weak compared to the rest of the competition for his services.
While the Blue Jays only have two top-100 prospects, a combination of Ricky Tiedemann (31) and Orelvis Martinez (88) could potentially get a deal done. Perhaps Toronto will have to add in a third prospect or player, but they've got the main part of the package down.
The key to Toronto getting a Soto deal done is parting with Tiedemann. The southpaw is the second-highest ranked left-handed pitching prospect overall according to MLB Pipeline and is ranked fifth overall. While he missed most of the season due to injury, he impressed when healthy. Especially in the Arizona Fall League going up against some of the better prospects in baseball.
The Padres need pitching, and Tiedemann might be the best pitching prospect they can get. Additionally, the Blue Jays need another big bopper, particularly in the outfield, to stick in the middle of their order while they're also armed with one of the best rotations in the game.
No, trading Tiedemann wouldn't be easy, but adding Soto to the middle of their order surrounded by the likes of Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. could make Toronto one of, if not the absolute favorites in the American League.
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are another team in desperate need of another bat. There's Julio Rodriguez and not much else in their lineup. That's why they missed the playoffs in 2023, and is something they need to fix to get there in 2024.
Seattle is armed with one of the best rotations in baseball, but finished 12th in runs scored and 16th in OPS. With Eugenio Suarez gone and Teoscar Hernandez likely behind him, they need more help.
The Mariners don't have an elite farm system, but they do have three top-100 prospects. While the Padres would likely prioritize some of Seattle's young starting pitching in trade talks, a combination of Cole Young (37), Harry Ford (39), and Gabriel Gonzalez (66) could potentially get something done.
The Mariners are in a similar position as the Mets in these talks if we're talking strictly prospects. All of their top-100 guys are position players. While the Padres might like them, what they really need is pitching.
Regardless, the Mariners do fit the description of having two top-100 prospects the Padres ask for. They might need to offer all three of them or add one of their pitchers to get a deal done, but they definitely have enough to be in the discussion, plus the obvious need to acquire him.
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox have to do something big this offseason. They've finished at the bottom of the AL East in three of the last four years and have missed the playoffs in four of the last five seasons. For a franchise that expects to compete every year, that's unacceptable.
Chaim Bloom took the fall for their failures, and Craig Breslow will look to get them back on track. Boston does need pitching, but a player like Soto is too good to ignore. Fortunately, the Red Sox have the prospect capital, the desperation, and the money to get a deal done.
Boston can dangle any combination of Marcelo Mayer (11), Roman Anthony (35), Ceddanne Rafaela (72), and Kyle Teel (82) and like their chances. Again, they're all position players, but they have enough high-end talent to garner San Diego's interest. Guys like Mayer and Anthony are among the most intriguing prospects in all of baseball and are absolutely good enough to garner interest for a Soto deal.
Boston needs to make multiple big moves to get back in the AL East discussion with teams like the Orioles, Rays, and Blue Jays. This one could be the biggest one of all outside of an unlikely Shohei Ohtani deal, and would also give them the satisfaction of stealing Soto away from the Yankees.