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
ST. LOUIS, MO – JUNE 25: Ivan Herrera #47 of the St. Louis Cardinals bats during the eighth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium on June 25, 2022 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Scott Kane/Getty Images) /

2. Cardinals would need to trade Ivan Herrera for Juan Soto

Even if the Nationals already have Keibert Ruiz, it wouldn’t hurt to have a second young catching prospect in the system or even on the major league roster. Ruiz has been okay for them this season, batting .251/.313/.350 in his first 289 chances. It’s hardly enough for them to sway away from any catching prospects, including Ivan Herrera.

Herrera had an underwhelming 11-game stint with the Cardinals this year in the absence of Yadier Molina. However, in Triple-A, he has hit .291/.385/.425. It’s very possible he was simply not ready for big league games.

The type of hitter he’ll become is still unclear. In 2021, he hit 17 home runs but did it with only a .229 batting average. He appears to be one of those prospects with power potential. Unlocking it regularly might be a bit of a challenge.

The inclusion of Herrera is also important for a couple of other reasons. The Nationals will want the trade to sting for the other teams. They need to hit them where it hurts. That means taking away their best prospects regardless of the position they play.

Another big reason to include Herrera is that even with Ruiz present there will be a market. Why not flip him for a different prospect?

The 82nd-ranked prospect in MLB right now, losing their future catcher would certainly cause pain in St. Louis but with the benefit of adding Juan Soto.