MLB Insider Predicts Yankees Will Acquire Superstar Juan Soto Next Offseason
The Yankees could be getting closer to signing Aaron Judge to a long-term extension ahead of Opening Day, but one MLB insider still believes they will add another superstar outfielder next offseason as well.
Juan Soto is one of the best young stars in the game of baseball, and eventually, he will be paid as such. To this date, the Washington Nationals have offered the 23-year-old a $350 million contract extension. But Soto is expected to exceed Mike Trout’s record-setting $426.5 million deal and could possibly become the first player to earn a contract in the $500 million-range.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic predicts that the Nationals will increase their offer to Soto, but only to $390 million, which will lead to the outfielder rejecting it. As a result, Soto would hit the free agent market in three years.
But instead of keeping Soto for three more years, before letting him walk to the highest bidder in free agency, the Nationals will instead trade him to the Yankees in December for seven prospects, including prized shortstop Anthony Volpe, as Bowden boldly predicted.
Up until this point, the Yankees have been unwilling to part with Volpe, the No. 1 ranked prospect in their farm system. The Bronx Bombers centered their offseason plans around not blocking Volpe and fellow top prospect shortstop Oswald Peraza at the big-league level, despite both players still requiring further development in the minors.
Regardless, if it’s for a player of Soto’s caliber, this is a trade that the Yankees would be crazy not to pull the trigger on. There is also a scenario where the Yankees could hang onto Peraza if they send Volpe to Washington, allowing them to keep a potential long-term shortstop option.
Seven prospects, with Volpe being the main chip, is pricey, but Soto is easily a top-five position player in all of baseball, who does not turn 24 years of age until October. And despite not even reaching his mid-twenties yet, Soto has helped the Nationals win a World Series title, won a batting title in his third season, holds two Silver Slugger Awards, and made his first All-Star appearance last season in year-four of his major league career.
The left-handed hitting Soto has a career slash line of .301/.432/.550 with a .981 OPS. He is also a 30-35 home run type player, so it’s not difficult to envision him exceeding 40-plus long balls if he gets to call Yankee Stadium his home ballpark. A lineup and outfield with Soto and Judge would get the Yankees back in the conversation as being serious contenders. Although Judge’s contract situation is seemingly coming to a head, Yankees fans can only dream of Soto playing in the Bronx for now.
It’s not unrealistic to predict the Nationals putting him on the trading block over the course of the next year or so. And if they do, the Yankees should pounce.
MORE:
- Miguel Andújar's Future With Yankees Still Uncertain Despite Encouraging Spring
- Yankees Acquire RHP David McKay From Rays
- Yankees' Aaron Boone Explains Why Ender Inciarte Didn't Make Opening Day Roster
Follow Pat Ragazzo on Twitter (@ragazzoreport). Be sure to bookmark Inside The Pinstripes and check back daily for news, analysis and more.
