Breaking: The Yankees acquire Milwaukee Brewers' former first-round pick in a massive, spectacular trade involving an ace

Milwaukee Brewers’ Former First-Round Pick to Yankees in Huge Juan Soto Deal

The Milwaukee Brewers have a wealth of talented outfielders on their roster. But after relatively quiet Winter Meetings in Nashville this week, a blockbuster deal between the San Diego Padres and New York Yankees that will see All-Star Juan Soto headed to the Bronx, also included one of the Brewers’ former leading outfield prospects who is no longer with the team.

Milwaukee Brewers, Brewers News, Brewers Rumors, San Diego Padres, Padres News, Padres Rumors, New York Yankees, Yankees News, Yankees Rumors, MLB News, MLB Rumors — Sep 30, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; San Diego Padres left fielder Juan Soto (22) runs to score against the Chicago White Sox during the second inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

In 2015, the Brewers selected Trent Grisham, one of baseball’s top prospects, with the 15th overall pick. He was ranked a top-five Brewers prospect in 2016, sitting just below All-Star reliever Josh Hader.

Now, Grisham is headed to the Yankees along with Soto, in exchange for right-handed pitchers Michael King and Jony Brito, right-handed pitching prospects Drew Thorpe and Randy Vásquez, as well as catcher Kyle Higashioka.

Former Milwaukee Brewers Top Prospect Trent Grisham Traded to New York Yankees Along With Juan Soto

Milwaukee Brewers, Brewers News, Brewers Rumors, Toronto Blue Jays, Blue Jays News, Blue Jays Rumors, Alek Manoah — Milwaukee Brewers conduct batting practice before Game 2 of the Wild-Card playoff against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday October 4, 2023 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wis.

Grisham spent the next four years in the farm system, ascending to Triple-A in 2019 and slashing .300/.407/.603 with 26 homers in 370 at bats that season.

Debuting for the big league team in 2019, he hit .231/.328/.410 with six homers in 51 games. But he may be best remembered for a critical error committed in the Brewers 2019 wild card game against the Washington Nationals when a ball, hit hard by none other than Soto and given up by none other than Hader, got past him.

Grisham was traded to the San Diego Padres on November 27, 2019, along with right-handed starting pitcher Zach Davies, in exchange for infielder Luis Urías and lefty starter Eric Lauer.

Milwaukee Brewers, Brewers News, Brewers Rumors, Brewers vs Cubs, Eric Lauer — Sep 30, 2023; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Eric Lauer (52) delivers a pitch against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports

Urías batted worse than .250 in three seasons with the Brewers and was optioned to Triple-A in Nashville as the much-hyped Brice Turang took his spot. Lauer has had productive campaigns for the Brewers, with an impressive 3.19 ERA across 118 innings in 2021, but was placed on the injured list last season with a shoulder impingement.

Meanwhile, Grisham has struggled at the plate for the Padres, batting .198/.315/.352 in 469 at bats last season. But he has been critical on defense, receiving two Gold Glove awards in his time roaming center field in San Diego.