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(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
After weeks of rumors, the Yankees and Padres reportedly connected on a deal late Wednesday night to send all-star outfielder Juan Soto to New York in exchange for a package of prospects and established big leaguers with multiple years of control.
The move further fortifies and diversifies the Yankees’ lineup—coming a day after New York acquired outfielder Alex Verdugo from the Red Sox—with one of the game’s preeminent young hitters.
In return, San Diego adds an arm in Michael King who in 2023 emerged as a potential rotation piece with plenty of long-term upside and two more seasons of control at the head of a pitching-heavy package. The deal also includes top Yankees pitching prospect Drew Thorpe, who last season led the minor leagues in strikeouts and racked up the most whiffs by a Yankees farmhand since Brandon Claussen punched out 220 hitters in 2001.
The other pieces in the deal according to multiple reports include young big league pitchers Randy Vasquez and Jhony Brito, as well as veteran catcher Kyle Higashioka, who was the part of a six-man logjam at the position on New York’s 40-man roster.
YANKEES ACQUIRE
Juan Soto, OF
Age: 25
Soto was one of the fastest-moving prospects in recent memory. An injury cut short his 2017 season, but the outfielder hit warp speed through the minors the next season. He spent no more than 16 games in three stops at Low-A, High-A and Double-A and was promoted to the big leagues in between games of a doubleheader at Richmond and made his debut as a 19-year-old. Since then, all he’s done is hit. His signature moment came with the 2019 World Series-champion Nationals, when he took Astros ace Justin Verlander deep as part of a standout performance on the game’s biggest stage.
The Nationals dealt Soto to the Padres in 2022 for a package of prospects and big leaguers that included infielder CJ Abrams, lefty MacKenzie Gore, outfielders Robert Hassell III and James Wood and righthander Jarlin Susana. First baseman Josh Bell also went to the Padres in the deal, while Luke Voit went to Washington. Abrams and Gore are now established big leaguers, while Wood ranks as one of the team’s best prospects and Susana is one of the hardest throwers in the minor leagues.
Now, Soto is one of the best hitters in the game, period. At just 25 years old, he’s already a four-time Silver…