What's the best trade package the Reds could receive from the Padres for Luis Castillo?

We recently explored what the Cincinnati Reds might be able to receive from the New York Mets in exchange for Luis Castillo, but a couple of other teams were rumored to be interested in the right-hander as well.

In addition to the Mets, the San Diego Padres were mentioned as a possible trade destination for Castillo. This was a bit surprising, as San Diego's starting rotation is quite good. The Padres' rotation ranks behind only the Los Angeles Dodgers in terms of ERA.

But, one look at the NL East-leading New York Mets will tell you that depth in a club's starting rotation is crucial. The Padres are in a race for the National League West Division title, and if they hope to unseat the Dodgers, perhaps adding an arm like Castillo will put the Friars over the top.

What might the Padres be willing to offer the Reds in exchange for Luis Castillo?

Again, I'm a little perplexed by the mention of the San Diego Padres in Jon Heyman's reporting earlier this week. Every Padres' starter, except for Blake Snell, have an ERA below 4.00. That said, Joe Musgrove, Mike Clevinger, and Sean Manaea are all free agents after this season.

When it comes to the what the Cincinnati Reds may be able tot get in return for Luis Castillo, the Padres have the ability to offer more than most teams in terms of top prospects. While trades have robbed San Diego's farm system of some talent, according to MLB Pipeline, the Friars still have three players among the Top 50 in all of baseball.

Speaking of Top 50 prospects, that's exactly where Cincinnati should begin should trade discussions develop. Robert Hassell III should be part of any potential deal for Luis Castillo. If Padres' GM A.J. Preller balks at that, Nick Krall should just hang up the phone.

Hassell III was the Padres' first-round pick in 2020 and was rumored to be on the Reds' radar. Instead, Cincinnati selected Austin Hendrick after Hassell III was taken with the eighth-overall pick. Hassell III would be a tremendous get for the Redlegs and could be a middle-of-the-lineup bat for years to come.

Some might have you believe that a straight swap involving Luis Castillo and Robert Hassell III is more than fair, but not in this market. Outside of Oakland A's starter Frankie Montas, there are very few starters other than Castillo who can be difference makers for contending teams. So Cincinnati should be able to squeeze a little more out of the Padres farm system.

The Cincinnati Reds need to focus on the bullpen, and the San Diego Padres have some pitchers in their farm system who could certainly help. If Krall were able to convince the Padres to include right-handers Jairo Iriate and Kevin Kopps, that could seal the deal.

Kopps is an advanced pitcher. At 25 years old, Kopps isn't far away from making his major league debut. Iriarte might be the more compelling prospect. According to FanGraphs, the 20-year-old needs to harness his command in order to be an effective pitcher. But his secondary stuff could be quite exciting.

What do you think, Reds Country? Is that enough to part with Luis Castillo? I know the overwhelming majority of Cincinnati Reds fans would rather see the team sign La Piedra to a contract extension, but that just doesn't seem very likely