Nearly all of the Atlanta Braves top prospects have graduated to the major leagues, which would make a trade for Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto even more devastating for Atlanta.
The Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals both reside in the National League East so despite the Nationals likely looking for a trade suitor for Juan Soto, it’s unlikely to be between these two teams.
Soto, 23, has reportedly turned down a 15-year deal for $440 million, which is why the Nationals could look to move him as early as this year’s trade deadline despite having two more years of arbitration with him before becoming a free agent.
If they did trade him now with 2+ years of control remaining, they would be able to get one of the biggest trade returns in MLB history, which also makes a deal with the Braves more unlikely.
Currently, the Braves don’t have a single prospect in MLB.com’s Top 100. Even in 2019, they had four prospects in the Top 100 but all are contributors to their MLB team (Mike Soroka (who has been injured in the majors), Kyle Wright, Ian Anderson, and Austin Riley).
Juan Soto rumors: What a Braves-Nats trade would look like
Braves Get
OF Juan Soto
Nationals Get
SP Ian Anderson, C William Contreras
OF Michael Harris, SP Spencer Strider
SP Kyle Wright, SP Kyle Muller
Essentially, to get Soto, the Braves would have to take a wrecking ball to their starting rotation. Frankly, the Nationals might do that trade just to do that. Contreras is an All-Star and Muller is their top prospect.
For the Braves to not completely decimate their rotation, they’d have to take on all of Patrick Corbin’s contract.
Braves Get
OF Juan Soto
LHP Patrick Corbin
Nationals Get
C William Contreras, SP Kyle Wright
SP Spencer Strider, SP Kyle Muller
OF Michael Harris
The Braves would probably find this a bit more palatable but still, this would be a hefty return for Soto and an awful contract.
Either way, the chance of it happening is about one-in-a-million but Braves fans can dream about it to address their outfield woes outside of Ronald Acuña Jr.