MLB Rumors: A Tampa Bay Rays Offer That Could Land Juan Soto

Could the Tampa Bay Rays really make a run at Juan Soto? That same Juan Soto who'll be demanding an extension worth upwards of $500M? Let's keep in mind that the Rays made a big run at the biggest free agent of this past offseason, Freddie Freeman. And most importantly, for the Soto Sweepstakes, they have a stacked farm system.

The Rays wouldn't even have to consider the $500M problem until 2024, when Soto is set to become a free agent. In the meantime, they'd have three playoff runs with the 23-year-old superstar as the impact bat they've been so craving.

A poll of major league execs put the Rays just below the top tier of teams who could actually pull this off.

Here's what Tampa could put together for the Washington Nationals in a Soto offer.

They could start with two premium prospects who actually now have some major league time under their belts, outfielder Josh Lowe and infielder Vidal Brujan.

Then we get to their prime pitching prospects. It starts with the team's overall No. 1 prospect Taj Bradley. The 21-year-old has been tearing through the Rays' minor league system, with a 1.96 ERA at High-A, a 1.70 ERA at Double-A earlier this year, and now five shutout innings in the books at Triple-A.

Throw in No. 2 prospect Curtis Mead, currently with the Triple-A Durham Bulls, and their second-best pitching prospect, Seth Johnson, who teams have been asking about in trades since last season, and the Rays could have themselves a deal.