Right or wrong, Yankees GM Brian Cashman has frequently been accused of "prospect hugging" by the team's passionate fan base in recent years. If New York wants to land Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. in a trade, they must be willing to cash in a lot of value from their farm system.
The idea behind the Yankees acquiring Tatis is that he would provide the team with another superstar outfielder to play alongside Aaron Judge. The San Diego star's bat has always been exemplary, but he also played Gold Glove defense in 2023 and 2025. It might take him time to adjust to playing left field at Yankee Stadium, but his defensive upside should permit higher-ups with the Yankees to be bullish about that transition.
How the Yankees could acquire Fernando Tatis Jr.
For what it's worth, the Padres insist they will not be trading Tatis this offseason. More examination of their financial future might change the club's stance. Manny Machado is still owed $299 million over the next eight years, and Xander Bogaerts is owed over $203 million over the same term. Tatis is the most valuable of the trio and would fetch the most in a potential trade.
The Padres are not a motivated seller despite their payroll issues which means the Yankees will need to bowl them over with a big offer. Here are some high-profile prospects the team must be willing to give up in a potential Tatis trade.
The Yankees must make George Lombard Jr. available
Bogaerts may be entrenched as the Padres starting shortstop of the present, but there's no certainty regarding how long he can maintain that defensive position. That's why San Diego should set their sights on the Yankees' No. 1 overall prospect if they're going to part with Tatis.
George Lombard Jr. is that guy and profiles as an above-average defensive shortstop. Getting a top prospect at a premium position would be a coup for the Padres. The Yankees don't want to give him up but he's the sort of asset they'll need to trade if they want to build a package big enough to entice San Diego to make a deal.
Lombard may not have superstar potential, but he can give the Padres an above-average regular with a lot of cost control. Cashman needs to accept the reality that he may be the centerpiece of any Tatis deal.
Carlos LaGrange could also headline the deal
No team ever has enough pitching and the Padres would love to add at least one premium arm in any Tatis deal. The Yankees top pitching prospect, Carlos LaGrange, would give San Diego a flamethrower to add to their talented pitching staff.
There's still debate over whether LaGrange's future is as a starter or closer. What's not up for debate is the velocity he brings with his right arm. He regularly hits triple digits which is a scary proposition for opposing hitters given his 6-foot-7 frame.
San Diego does have a large quantity of arms at the top of their farm system, but LaGrange would comfortably slot into their top five if he made the move. He's the sort of high-ceiling prospect the Padres should be looking for in any Tatis deal.
Spencer Jones should be an easy add for the Yankees
If the Yankees do land Tatis their outfield depth chart will be set for years to come. There's no reason for the organization to keep a flawed prospect like Spencer Jones in the fold at a corner outfield spot.
Jones has flashed prodigious power in the minors, but he struggles to make enough contact to make his powerful bat play at a high level. He's a reasonable lottery ticket for the Padres to take a chance on and the Yankees should be more than happy to cash him in via any Tatis deal.
The Yankees would pause on Elmer Rodriguez, but ultimately relent
Elmer Rodriguez has value to the Yankees because of his talent level and his readiness to make an impact at the Major League level. Of course the Padres would also be interested in his services for both of those reasons.
The subtle value of Rodriguez for Cashman is that he might be good enough to prevent the team from needing to add rotation insurance in free agency. A quality Spring Training could be enough to put him in Boone's rotation on Opening Day.
That short-term considerations should not keep Rodriguez out of trade talks. The Yankees can posture as if they won't include him in Tatis talks, but they must ultimately relent if it's the difference between completing a deal and passing on the superstar outfielder.