According to multiple reports from Major League Baseball’s biggest insiders, the Washington Nationals are trading generational talent, Juan Soto, to the San Diego Padres in exchange for a massive haul of prospects.
Full blockbuster trade details include the San Diego Padres acquiring Juan Soto and Josh Bell while the Washington Nationals receive Mackenzie Gore, C.J. Abrams, Luke Voit, Robert Hassell III, James Wood, and Jarlin Susana.
Current major leaguer, Eric Hosmer, was originally included in the deal to Washington, but used the no-trade clause in his contract to reject his departure. Less than a couple hours later, Hosmer was traded to the Boston Red Sox as part of a separate deal.
Juan Soto, at just 23 years old, is considered by many to be a top five player in the entire sport. The young superstar has already racked up many accolades during his short career with two all-star appearances, two All-MLB Team 1 selections, two Silver Slugger awards, and two top five finishes in MVP voting.
Apart from his incredible skill, what makes him so valuable is his young age. The fact he is so talented and accomplishing these things at an age in which most players are still in the minor leagues is why, either as an extension with the Padres or elsewhere through free agency, his next contract could be worth nearly half a billion dollars.
The other part of the package San Diego received was Josh Bell, a former all-star in his own right. The switch-hitting slugger was gaining interest from multiple teams around the league before being included in this deal.
Soto and Bell now join the likes of Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, Jake Cronenworth, Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove, Blake Snell, Mike Clevinger, and recently acquired Josh Hader, a team full of individual accolades and all-stars.
As far as the Nationals haul, Mackenzie Gore and C.J. Abrams are both rookie major leaguers that are former top ten draft picks and still considered highly touted players. Luke Voit, who was included after Hosmer’s inclusion fell through, is a slugger that led the MLB in home runs during the shortened 2020 season.
For the minor leaguers that are part of the deal, according to MLB.com’s prospect rankings, Robert Hassell III is the number 21 prospect in baseball, James Wood is 88, and Jarlin Susana is not currently in the top 100. They are the number one, three, and fourteen ranked prospects in the Padres’ organization, respectively.
The San Diego Padres won the Soto sweepstakes and with his addition, they bolster hopes of not only making the playoffs, but truly contending for a World Series ring, which would be the first in franchise history.
Rush Springs Gazette 
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