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3 New York Mets players the San Diego Padres should demand in a Juan Soto trade

If the San Diego Padres traded Juan Soto to the New York Mets this offseason, they should be getting at least one of these three players back.

By Zachary Rotman |
San Diego Padres v San Francisco Giants
San Diego Padres v San Francisco Giants / Ezra Shaw/GettyImages
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Payroll has been a hot topic of discussion surrounding the San Diego Padres in the 2023 season. The Friars spent more money than they ever had, only to find themselves on the heels of being eliminated from postseason contention before we reach October.

The season has been a failure of epic proportions in large part because of the monstrous payroll. The Padres payroll will once again be a hot topic of discussion this offseason, as San Diego reportedly plans on making huge cuts from where they currently stand. Ownership can't really be faulted as they did everything they could to deliver a World Series championship to San Diego, but the team failed.

Losing guys like Blake Snell and Josh Hader in free agency feel like a given now with this latest report. Assuming the Padres don't want that payroll to elevate to massive levels again following the 2024 season, Juan Soto will be out the door too. The Padres can't get anything in return for Snell or Hader, but selling Juan Soto while they can would not only get them closer to where they want to be financially, but he'll bring back a nice haul that would help make San Diego more well-rounded.

A team that could be one to watch in a potential Juan Soto trade would be the New York Mets who not only have the prospect capital to get a deal done, but they have the game's richest owner who has shown he's willing to pay the right people. If a trade with the Mets would go down this offseason, the Padres would need at least one, and probably multiple of these three players back for it to make any sense.

1) New York Mets prospect Drew Gilbert

When the Mets traded Justin Verlander at the trade deadline back to the Houston Astros, Drew Gilbert was the centerpiece of the players that went back to New York. Gilbert was selected in the first round by the Astros in the 2022 draft and has lived up to the billing with a fanstic first full season in professional baseball.

Splitting time in High-A and Double-A in the Astros and Mets organizations, Gilbert has slashed .289/.381/.487 with 18 home runs and 59 RBI this season. He's added 26 doubles and 12 stolen bases.

Gilbert is a player who has all five tools. He's got speed, has shown he can hit for power, puts the ball in play, has a solid eye, and can defend at a premium position. There's not much to dislike here.

The outfield is a place the Padres will have to search for upgrades if a Soto trade did happen. We know Fernando Tatis Jr. will be in right, but Trent Grisham isn't anything super valuable in center, and there is a gaping hole in left that no prospect is ready to fill right now.

While Gilbert might not be ready to go on Opening Day, the fact that he played 95 games in Double-A shows that he's awfully close to being MLB-ready. When Gilbert is ready to go, he looks like a legitimate MLB regular with outstanding potential. He should be the first player the Padres demand in any deal with the Mets.

2) New York Mets prospect Jett Williams

Jett Williams has risen on prospect lists and is currently the number 3 prospect on the Mets list according to MLB Pipeline. He's a versatile player that would fit in beautifully at the top of the Padres order for a very long time.

Like Gilbert, Williams was a first round pick in the 2022 draft as he was selected 14th overall by the Mets. He's risen through three levels in the minors this season and has displayed true star potential offensively.

His .263 average doesn't blow you away, but Williams has a .425 OBP and an .876 OPS this season overall. He drew a whopping 104 walks in 534 plate appearances, displaying elite plate discipline while only striking out 14 more times than he walked.

Williams has displayed some power by hitting 13 home runs, and he's also displayed elite speed, swiping 45 bags in 52 attempts and hitting eight triples. Williams has played shortstop and center field and would presumably be fine at second base as well.

By acquiring Williams, the Padres would acquire a guy who would slot in perfectly at the top of the order for a long time playing somewhere up the middle, whether it's in the infield or center field. He's a bit further behind than Gilbert given the fact that he made his Double-A debut earlier this month, but he should be ready to contribute sometime next season.

3) New York Mets prospect Ryan Clifford

While Gilbert was the main piece of the trade New York made with Houston, Ryan Clifford was added for a reason. He was the Astros number two prospect at the time right behind Gilbert and is the Mets sixth-ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline.

The 20-year-old might've been an 11th-round pick made by Houston in 2022, but he's developing into one of the game's best power-hitting prospects. He's made his way up from A to High-A this season, and has been great offensively.

Clifford has slashed .262/.374/.480 with 24 home runs and 81 RBI in 115 games. There're questions about his hit tool as he's fanned 140 times this season, but he takes his walks and of course, has monstrous power.

The young Mets prospect fits best at first base defensively but has the ability to play both corner outfield spots. He's further away than both Gilbert and Williams considering the fact that he hasn't even appeared in a Double-A game yet, but he'll be worth the wait.

Clifford probably isn't good enough to be a headliner in a deal that includes a player as gifted as Juan Soto (few are) but as a secondary piece, he would be one A.J. Preller absolutely should be demanding.

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