Many MLB executives are currently engaged in discussions about trading minor league prospects before the July 30 deadline. However, the San Diego Padres’ track record with trading minor league prospects suggests that there are occasions where retaining the best young players in the system can be advantageous.
According to USA Today, in recent years the Padres have traded away notable prospects such as Trea Turner, Max Fried, Emmanuel Clase, Josh Naylor, Andres Muñoz, Ty France, Matt Strahm, Brent Rooker, James Wood, C.J. Abrams, and MacKenzie Gore, among others.
This strategy has seen mixed results. Strahm, Muñoz, Naylor, and Abrams made their first MLB All-Star appearances this season. Fried, now a two-time All-Star, and Turner and Clase, both three-time All-Stars, have played pivotal roles for their current teams. Turner and Strahm have been particularly influential for the Philadelphia Phillies, who currently boast the best record in MLB and recently tied the league record with eight All-Star selections.
Clase and Naylor were traded to the Cleveland Guardians. In his fourth season with Cleveland, Clase leads the American League with 29 saves in 45 appearances and also tops all MLB pitchers with a remarkable 0.85 ERA and 0.64 WHIP. Naylor has reached career highs with 22 home runs and leads all first basemen with 70 RBIs.
Wood, Abrams, and Gore were sent to the Washington Nationals. Abrams has excelled at the plate with an .831 OPS and 15 stolen bases as a 23-year-old. Wood recently made his debut with the Nationals, hitting a single in his first plate appearance and notching his first home run in his sixth game with the team. Gore has shown promise as the Nationals’ third starter, compiling a 6-8 record with a 4.01 ERA.
Fried, now 30 years old, has achieved a stellar career record of 69-31 with a 3.04 ERA over parts of eight seasons with the Atlanta Braves. He is a former All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner. Rooker, 29, continues to shine following his breakout season in 2023 with the Oakland Athletics, earning a spot on the AL All-Star team. Muñoz and France currently play for the Seattle Mariners. Muñoz has recorded 15 saves in 38 appearances, while France, an American League All-Star in 2022, holds a .228/.317/.357 slash line this season.
