Prospect power: Padres trade top talent for…

The San Diego Padres are rarely shy about making win-now moves.

Under president of baseball operations AJ Preller, the team has frequently leveraged its farm system to reinforce its roster with players like Luis Arraez and Tanner Scott.

Now, Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report has proposed another blockbuster swap for the Padres that would send its best prospect to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for reigning All-Star southpaw Garrett Crochet.

“Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill aren’t going anywhere any time soon, but the Padres have a lot to figure out between now and Opening Day in 2026,” Miller wrote. “Until that dilemma arrives, though, they might as well make the most of next season by going back to the White Sox for another ace.”

Miller’s proposed trade has the Padres flipping their system’s number-one ranked prospect Ethan Salas, number-three ranked prospect Kash Mayfield and number-six ranked prospect Kavares Tears to the White Sox in exchange for Crochet.

That would be a lot of prospect capital, particularly in Salas, who at just 18 years old is Major League Baseball’s number-19 overall ranked talent. But it could be worth a significant rotation reinforcement like Crochet, particularly for an aggressive front office like the Padres’.

“But with (Joe) Musgrove down for the count following his recent Tommy John surgery and both (Dylan) Cease and (Michael) King about to enter their final pre-free agency season, San Diego kind of desperately needs another not-that-expensive, multi-year option for its starting rotation to remain a top contender in 2025 and beyond,” Miller added. “Salas is arguably the Padres’ top prospect, Mayfield is No. 3 and Tears is just outside the top five. All three are nowhere close to ready for the big leagues, though, and 2025 might be the last season before San Diego’s window as a serious World Series threat closes in a hurry.”

In his first full season as a starter, Crochet maintained a 3.58 ERA in 32 starts, demonstrated valuable durability and effectiveness. With two years of arbitration eligibility ahead, he’s projected to earn just $2.9 million in 2025, making him one of the White Sox’ most valuable trade chips.

The Padres pulled off a similar move to add Cease from the White Sox this past season and it worked out well for San Diego. Perhaps they will try to repeat those results by flipping some of their remaining prospect depth for Crochet this winter.