Padres could steal back former Juan Soto trade piece after Nationals shocker

The Juan Soto trade has lived so many different baseball lives for Padres fans. At first, it was the move that put San Diego at the very center of the sport. A roster with Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Juan Soto made a World Series feel like it was right there for the taking.

Then it became the thing everyone kept re-litigating once Soto was traded to New York. After that, it turned into a prospect check-in, with Padres fans occasionally glancing toward Washington to see which former San Diego prospects had aged well, and which ones sure could have helped the Padres’ current roster.

Now? It’s taken another strange turn. The Nationals DFA’d Robert Hassell III, and that should make the Padres at least pause for a second. Currently, the Padres are exactly the kind of team that should be hunting for cheap, interesting talent anywhere they can find it.

Washington needed a 40-man roster spot for reliever Eddy Yean, which somehow made Hassell the roster casualty. It’s a pretty stunning fall for a guy who was once considered a “jewel” in the package for Soto.

Robert Hassell III’s prospect shine has faded fast since Padres traded him

Hassell was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft and was supposed to be the polished bat in the deal. However, James Wood, CJ Abrams, and MacKenzie Gore all left Hassell in the dust to thrive at the major-league level. 

And now the Nationals will risk losing him. That also tells us exactly where his stock is right now. But that shouldn’t keep the Friars from at least checking in. He’s still just 24. He has the pedigree, some big league experience (.223/.257/.315 with 3 home runs, 18 RBI, and 61 OPS+ in 197 at-bats), and has been through enough turbulence that no one believes they’re about to unlock a star at this juncture. 

The Padres are not in any position to throw around any more high-end prospect capital. Their farm system is drained after being raided through years of aggression. With a former top prospect available for almost nothing, they really shouldn’t overthink it. 

Could Hassell help the Padres right now? Probably not. He’s slashing .215/.304/.289 with two home runs and 21 RBI in 63 games in Triple-A. If the Padres were looking for a left-handed bat in a pinch who could make an immediate impact, they probably would’ve plucked Jarred Kelenic one of the three times he was DFA’d this season. 

At the same time, not making an immediate impact is also why Hassell is available right now. He’s also not arbitration available until 2029, with years of control left. What is there to lose?

The Padres could use more outfield depth, and a younger, cheaper option could check that box.  Then there’s the obvious storyline here. The Padres getting a piece of the Soto trade back would be almost too perfect. It would be a funny and slightly awkward full-circle moment. San Diego sent Hassell away in a deal that defined one of the most aggressive chapters in franchise history. A few years later, the Padres may have a chance to bring him back at the lowest point of his professional value.

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