Washington Nationals star Juan Soto hasn’t even turned 24 years old.
He has four seasons of MVP-caliber play already under his belt.
And after rejecting the Nats’ latest approach for an extension, Soto may very well enter the trade market and could be flipped for a huge, never-seen-before return package.
Why is he so valuable as a trade piece?
MLB insider Jon Morosi helps us gain some perspective.
“12 Futures Game players are *older* than Juan Soto,” he tweeted.
OK. Let's try this again.
12 Futures Game players are *older* than Juan Soto.
I re-read this sentence a dozen times and am confident in its accuracy.
I remain flummoxed by simple mathematics. And the English language.
With that, enjoy the All-Star Game! 😂@MLBNetwork https://t.co/3XwJjuqQrH
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 18, 2022
Imagine being a four-year MLB veteran with a World Series championship, 118 career home runs, more walks in his first few years than Barry Bonds, a batting crown, two All-Star berths, and two Silver Slugger awards and seeing a bunch of 24 or older prospects still in the minors.
The Nationals Still Would Like To Retain Soto
The contract Soto rejected is worth $440 million, but spread over 15 years.
That’s the part Soto’s camp doesn’t like at all: it would be an average annual value of $29.3 million, much less than, say, Max Scherzer‘s $43.3 million AAV.
The Nationals could approach Soto with an improved offer in the next few days.
If he rejects it, he may very well be placed on the trading block.
Of course, with two-and-a-half remaining years of team control and the aforementioned track record, he would require an insane package for the Nationals.
There is talk, for example, that the New York Yankees would need to start any conversation with Anthony Volpe and Jasson Dominguez, plus multiple additional top prospects.
We could be in for a fun couple of weeks leading up to the trade deadline, especially if the Nationals decide to field offers for their star outfielder.
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