Cardinals: 3 prospects St. Louis would have to sell in any Juan Soto trade

ATLANTA, GA - JULY 10: Juan Soto #22 of the Washington Nationals bats against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Truist Park on July 10, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Brett Davis/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 10: Juan Soto #22 of the Washington Nationals bats against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Truist Park on July 10, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Brett Davis/Getty Images) /
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St. Louis Cardinals, Juan Soto trade
Jordan Walker, of the Springfield Cardinals, during opening day at Hammons Field on Friday, April 8, 2022.Openingday0663 /

Any trade for Washington Nationals star Juan Soto will cost the St. Louis Cardinals these three prospects and more.

Would it be so preposterous for the Washington Nationals to ask for an organization’s entire Double-A and Triple-A squad in exchange for Juan Soto? In some cases, it might be what it takes. The St. Louis Cardinals would feel the “trade wrath” of Washington in any Soto trade. It would look like a bomb went off around their future.

Exactly what it would take to acquire Soto is a bit of a mystery. At least a couple of top 100 prospects would need to be involved. Frankly, it might take everyone you can throw at them when considering how the bidding war could go.

Although it wouldn’t complete the package, the Cardinals need to sell these three prospects in order to acquire Soto.

1. Cardinals would need to trade Jordan Walker for Juan Soto

The number seven prospect in Major League Baseball right now belongs to the Cardinals. He’s a third baseman named Jordan Walker. There is little doubt the Nationals would want to get their hands on him in any deal for Soto.

Walker is spending this season in Double-A where he has batted .304/.392/.486 with 8 home runs in 329 plate appearances. He has been as good as advertised, now holding a .311/.390/.519 slash line since making his professional debut in 2021.

The Nationals would be foolish to trade Soto to the Cardinals and not pick up what could be a potential star third baseman in another year or two. He is moving up quickly and the 21st overall pick from 2020 might not call St. Louis home when he does make it to the big leagues.

It’s a painful yet necessary headliner in a Soto trade. It’s also far from the end.