Juan Soto trade rumors: Best trade package for every AL East team
By Jake Oliver
The best trade offers that every team in the AL East could offer for superstar outfielder Juan Soto at the MLB Trade Deadline.
When Juan Soto is traded by the Washington Nationals, the return will be one of the biggest in MLB history. If it happens at the MLB Trade Deadline, then the return could be the absolute biggest in history.
The Nationals are preying on a team hoping to push all-in for a World Series in one of the next 2-3 seasons. Washington only has a week to determine if they want to push for an extension, or in the likelier chance, trade him. If they choose to trade him ASAP, they must sort through the many trade offers that have hit their inbox recently.
Either way, trading Soto would ultimately determine the Nationals and their trade partner’s future for the foreseeable future, if not for a decade or more. Juan Soto is the type of player that becomes available for trade maybe once a decade. He’s worth selling the farm for.
Here are the best Juan Soto trade packages from each AL East team.
Juan Soto rumors: Boston Red Sox best trade package
The Red Sox have a middle-tier prospect system, though it’s one that pales in comparison to the rest of the AL East. They are a team that ultimately should sell and hold onto their prospects, but I would understand them moving all-in for a player like Juan Soto. MLB Pipeline rated them as having the 14th highest system before the 2022 season.
Yet to get Juan Soto, they would have to empty their prospect cupboard dry if they wanted to hang onto their MLB talent. First off, their No. 1 prospect and the No. 10 prospect for MLB Pipeline, Marcelo Mayer, would have to be the lead prospect in this trade package. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 draft would give the Nationals an established potential star prospect at shortstop. He’s only 19 and is hitting .288 with 23 doubles, 8 home runs, and 36 walks to only 70 strikeouts at High-A.
Triston Casas is nearly MLB-ready at 1st base with a power bat in Triple-AAA and is MLB Pipeline’s No. 14 prospect. Brayan Bello has struggled at the MLB level so far but has proven he belongs in the MLB as a starting pitcher after a terrific season at Triple-AAA. He’s another top-100 prospect. Jeter Downs is a strong infielder that has done well in the minors but struggled in the MLB so far.
Nick Yorke would give the Nationals a long-term answer at second base with a high hit tool and yet another top-100 prospect. Meanwhile, Jay Groome gives the Nationals a high-upside lefty in the rotation that could find his way into the bullpen eventually. This package would be a lot to give up for Boston, but that’s the price of business when it comes to Soto.