Juan Soto Trade #1: The Mariners sell the farm
Our coding only allows four players underneath a team, so I’ve got the Nationals on here in two spots to get all the players in. Jarred Kelenic, Noelvi Marte, Emerson Hancock, Levi Stoudt, Gabriel Gonzalez, and Milkar Perez would all go out in order to get Juan Soto.
Would it be enough? I think it’s in that range. The Mariners top prospect in Marte, two of their top pitching prospects in Hancock and Stoudt, a young rising star in Gabriel Gonzalez, and Milkar Perez. Oh, and we also send Kelenic, who was a top-5 prospect in baseball not that long ago. He’s still just 23 as well.
If Kelenic was never called up, he would still be a top-10 prospect. You add him, a top 20 in Marte, Hancock who looks healthy, Stoudt and his nasty changeup, the young Gonzalez, and Perez at third to take over where Kieboom has fizzled, and you have a pretty good offer.
Better yet (for the Mariners) it doesn’t take any of their current major leaguers. I have seen people list Gilbert and Kirby in trades, but I just don’t really think the Mariners want that to happen… not unless they have a secondary trade in the wings to bring in another frontline starter.
If you count Kelenic as a prospect, this makes it six of the Mariners top 12 prospects heading over in the deal, and I think it’s one that has a decent chance of being able to happen. However, it has been reported that the Nationals are looking for some MLB-ready talent that could join the big leagues right away. If that’s the case, then I think we could see something like this happen instead.