ATLANTA, GA – JULY 09: Juan Soto #22 of the Washington Nationals hits a home run against the Atlanta Braves in the third inning at Truist Park on July 9, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Brett Davis/Getty Images)
The Chicago Cubs are unlikely to trade for outfielder Juan Soto before the deadline, but what about this offseason? These prospects would have to go.
Soto and agent Scott Boras have made their displeasure with the Washington Nationals obvious. A contract that would’ve made Soto the highest-paid player in baseball history was not enough to keep him in the nation’s capitol long-term.
So, the Nats front office had enough. GM Mike Rizzo went back on his previous word that he wouldn’t consider trading Soto. All of Soto’s contract negotiations went public, which the star outfielder wasn’t happy about. AND he was forced to fly coach to the All-Star Game with the rest of us peasants.
With that in mind, pretty much every team ought to do their due diligence on Soto, either at the deadline or this offseason. For the Cubs, the offseason makes the most sense, as they’ll be able to acquire a ton of prospect capital at the deadline in trades for Ian Happ, Willson Contreras and more.
Juan Soto rumors: 3 prospects Cubs would have to trade
To be clear, Jed Hoyer and Co. would have to deal away far more than just three prospects. The Nationals are looking for a Herschel Walker-like return for Soto, and it’s tough to blame them. He’s 23 years old and already one of the best players in all of baseball. Plus, his current contract takes him through three more postseason runs.
Juan Soto rumors: Cubs would have to trade Brennen Davis
Davis is the Cubs No. 1 prospect, and is as close to MLB-ready as they come. As an outfielder, he can step right into Soto’s shoes should the Nats prefer. The MVP of the Futures Game in 2021, Davis is well-known around minor-league circles for his raw power to all fields. He’s still learning how to make the most out of his plus speed on the basepaths, but surely there is enough potential there for Washington to turn their heads.
Davis’ averaged dipped this past year to .260 in Triple-A, marking some concern among scouts. However, even if his batting average isn’t what it once was come his promotion, he still possesses enough capability as a gold-glove caliber outfielder to make an impact.
Given Chicago doesn’t have many MLB-ready prospects, Davis would be a must.