Juan Soto is expected to be available ahead of the 2022 MLB trade deadline. The Washington Nationals superstar reportedly turned down a massive extension offer from the ball club which has led many to believe he will be traded. Naturally, big market teams such as the Dodgers and Yankees are already linked to him. But the St. Louis Cardinals may have the prospect capital to entice the Nationals.
Washington doesn't have to trade Juan Soto this season. He is still under contract for a couple of years after the 2022 campaign. The Nationals will only deal him away if they get an offer that knocks them off of their feet. So can the Cardinals make that happen?
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The Best Juan Soto Trade Package Cardinals Must Offer Nationals
Centerpiece
The St. Louis Cardinals have one player that will immediately capture the Nationals' attention. Third baseman Jordan Walker is MLB's No. 7 overall prospect. The 20-year-old is currently in Double-A but is on the precipice of being Major League ready. His MLB ETA is 2023, per MLB.com.
Walker is a well-versed player whose main attribute is impressive power-hitting ability. He also has a good arm which suits him well at third base. Jordan Walker would need to highlight a Juan Soto trade package.
The entire package
As good as Walker is, it would take more than just him to land Juan Soto.
MLB's No. 45 overall prospect Matthew Liberatore may be included in trade discussions. However, the Cardinals won't love the idea of trading their top 2 prospects. But this is Juan Soto we are discussing.
Should St. Louis want to keep Liberatore, the Nationals would still likely have interest in top pitching prospects. Cardinals No. 6 and No. 7 overall prospects Michael McGreevy and Zack Thompson may pique their interest.
Liberatore and Thompson have already seen MLB time. Thompson is also already 24. So McGreevy may be Washington's main target since he's only 22.
One other option may be Dylan Carlson. Carlson is an outfielder already in the big leagues, but is only 23 years old. He's someone who can certainly enhance the trade package given his former prospect pedigree.
Overpaying?
The Cardinals would then need to add one or two more top 40 prospects to truly catch Washington's attention. In order to acquire Juan Soto, teams will need to overpay a bit.
But Soto is a 23-year-old superstar who is considered one of the best hitters in today's game. In fact, Soto has been referred to as the Ted Williams of the modern generation. His ability to hit for contact and power while getting on-base at a high rate is unparalleled by many.
The Dodgers feature one of the deepest farm systems in baseball. The Yankees have some top-tier prospects that stand out. Even teams such as the Mets and Padres will make offers. So it won't be easy for St. Louis to make this deal come to fruition.
But With Jordan Walker in the conversation, the Cardinals will have a chance to make this happen. Adding Carlson would possibly place them a step ahead. However, it is yet to be seen if St. Louis would be willing to part ways with Dylan Carlson ahead of the 2022 MLB trade deadline. He hasn't set the league on fire by any means, but Carlson has flashed star potential at times.
In the end, expect the St. Louis Cardinals to make a legitimate run at landing Juan Soto.
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