The hot stove season is about making moves, including big trades when the top free agents are outside a team’s budget. These days, teams are often loathe to move prospects, but in some cases it’s the only thing that makes sense.
Here are five valuable, MLB-ready prospects that could be the center pieces of major trades this offseason.
Giants Preparing To Make An Offer to David Price
Greg Bird, 1B, Yankees
Bird was impressive when he was called up to replace Mark Teixeira, the Yankees’ best player, last season. Bird hit 11 home runs in 46 games for the Yankees, and posted a .261/.343/.529 slash line.
The problem is the Yankees are locked into Teixeira at first base, Chase Headley at third, and Alex Rodriguez at DH. These guys aren’t going anywhere, and Tex and A-Rod were New York’s most productive bats in 2015. They need to be in the lineup, leaving nowhere for Bird to go. The Yankees could use him to land a much-needed starter this offseason, or perhaps to entice the Reds to trade them closer Aroldis Chapman.
Nationals Should Think Twice About Trading Strasburg To The Yanks
Zack Wheeler, SP, Mets
Mets fans are dreaming of their homegrown rotation next year featuring Wheeler, an ace-level prospect, as their fifth starter. It’s a thing of beauty for sure, but the Mets are losing OF Yoenis Cespedes and 2B Daniel Murphy this offseason, who won’t be easy to replace.
The Mets should consider trading Wheeler, who has immense potential even coming off Tommy John surgery. The Mets are incredibly deep at starting pitcher and can afford to deal him with Jonathon Niese still around, and Wheeler would be enough to land at least one right-handed power bat.
Kyle Schwarber, C/OF, Cubs
We covered Schwarber’s value here, but this monster masher will draw plenty of interest from AL clubs who will use him primarily at DH, but value his ability to fill in at RF, LF or even catcher. If a team decides to work with him, and make him a full-time catcher, his value skyrockets even higher.
If Chicago doesn’t want to spend upward of $200 million acquiring David Price or Zack Greinke, maybe they can use Schwarber to trade for someone like Oakland’s Sonny Gray.
Mookie Betts, OF, Red Sox
Betts has the look of a franchise cornerstone after an 18-home run, 21-stolen base 2015 campaign, but the Red Sox have other outfielders (Jackie Bradley Jr., Brock Holt) that can approximate his production. Betts’ greatest value to Boston is his ability to bring in an ace.
Dalton Pompey, OF, Blue Jays
Pompey hasn’t been able to hit in two brief stints at the MLB level, and the win-now Jays don’t have much patience for a developing prospect at the moment. Pompey profiles as an impact leadoff hitter if he can make more consistent contact however, because of his blazing speed.
Pompey has hit for average consistently in the minors, so Toronto should be able to use him to land some rotation depth, since losing David Price will be a tough pill to swallow.
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