Seattle Mariners: 5 Best Trade Spots for Outfielder Mitch Haniger

5. San Diego Padres

Finally, we come to the National League Team who insists it is ready to compete without many indications they actually can. After shelling out huge money to Eric Hosmer, who ultimately flopped in year 1, the Padres have been connected to a multitude of high profile free agents and trade candidates like Corey Kluber.

In the Kluber rumors, the Padres are rumored to be building a package with either Manuel Margot or Hunter Renfroe. If that deal is accepted, it could very well bump the Padres into the top 3 of the Haniger sweepstakes. The outfield is already a bit of a question mark in San Diego, and subtracting a player would require adding one down the road.

While they may believe that Wil Myers, Travis Jankowski, and Franmil Reyes is “good enough”, I don’t believe the Padres are stupid. Adding Haniger to that mix would instantly upgrade both the lineup and defensive ability.

Prospect wise, the Padres have one of the better systems in the game. Personally, I find it a bit overrated, but it is still deep enough to make a Haniger trade make sense for both sides. Fernando Tatis Jr., MacKenzie Gore, and Francisco Mejia are likely off-limits. But the Padres could still put out a nice prospect haul to make something happen.

Names like Chris Paddack, Michel Baez, Logan Allen, Anderson Espinoza, Cal Quantrill, and Adrian Morejon could all fill the Dipoto need of a top pitching prospect. And Luis Urias, Jankowski, Austin Hedges, and Reyes all make some sense as a bat heading back to Seattle.

San Diego’s package back to Seattle would likely be pitcher heavy, but Dipoto may not care if the package is overwhelming. The Padres still have a good blend of need and ability to acquire Haniger, and perhaps my bias against their system has been factored into my ranks.

Aside from these 5 teams, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, and the Philadelphia Phillies also make sense for varying degrees of reasons.