Juan Soto is expected to be traded ahead of the 2022 MLB trade deadline. There are plenty of suitors and Soto's unwillingness to sign a long-term deal with the Washington Nationals suggests a move may be on the horizon. But which team currently leads the pack? Who are the favorites to land Juan Soto? MLB insider Jeff Passan wrote in a recent ESPN article that the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals are the current favorites.

He also wrote that the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers have the “talent, money, and motivation” to make a Soto deal come to fruition. But Washington's massive trade requests may deter both teams from fully engaging on the Soto front.

The Nationals reportedly asked the Dodgers for a Dustin May-led package. Meanwhile, Washington fancies Yankees' top prospect Anthony Volpe. The Dodgers and Yankees would prefer to not trade May or Volpe. But the thought of acquiring Juan Soto could change their minds.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals and Padres have minor league assets that stand out.

St. Louis has MLB No. 7 overall top prospect Jordan Walker who could be available. Other intriguing prospects include Matthew Liberatore, Nolan Gorman, Masyn Winn amongst many others.

But the Padres feature big name prospects such as MacKenzie Gore, C.J. Abrams and Luis Campusano.

The Cardinals and Padres are the favorites because of their overall minor league depth. The Nationals want a haul in return for Juan Soto. And both St. Louis and San Diego could potentially offer them what they are looking for.

With all of this being said, the Dodgers and Yankees should never be ruled out. Both teams are known for their ability to enter trade conversations and steal a player from other teams. But for now, the Padres and Cardinals lead the Juan Soto sweepstakes.