10 Top Prospects Who Could Be the Prizes of MLB Trade Deadline Blockbusters
The 2023 MLB trade deadline is set for Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET. While the biggest name on the market is seemingly no longer available after the Los Angeles Angels decided to hold onto Shohei Ohtani and buy instead, plenty of impact players figure to still change hands in the coming days.
Most of the focus is on established veterans who could be changing teams just in time for the stretch run, but what about the top prospects that will be heading the other way in those trades?
Here, we've highlighted 10 notable prospects who could serve as the centerpiece of blockbuster deals at this year's deadline.
Included is a look at each player's 2023 stats, why they have the potential to be impact players down the road, and why they are not untouchable in their current organization.
C Samuel Basallo, Baltimore Orioles
1 of 10
Age: 18
Stats (A): 80 G, 342 PA, .299/.380/.508, 35 XBH (12 HR), 60 RBI
Why He's An Attractive Trade Chip
Basallo is already way ahead of the developmental curve as an 18-year-old catcher playing at the Single-A level, and he is thriving offensively. On top of the damage he has done in the batter's box, he has also thrown out 33 percent of base stealers thanks to a strong throwing arm. There is a chance he could outgrow catching as his 6'3", 180-pound frame matures, but he has the bat to profile as a middle-of-the-order run producer at first base.
Why He's Not Untouchable
The Orioles are set at catcher for the foreseeable future with Adley Rutschman under club control through the 2027 season. They are one of the few organizations that can justify trading a teenage catching prospect with All-Star potential.
IF Tyler Black, Milwaukee Brewers
2 of 10
Age: 23
Stats (AA): 77 G, 351 PA, .288/.429/.540, 35 XBH (14 HR), 44 RBI, 45 SB
Why He's An Attractive Trade Chip
Black hit .383/.496/.683 during his junior season at Wright State before going No. 33 overall in the 2021 draft, and he has continued to show an advanced offensive game in pro ball. His 16.5 percent walk rate this year speaks to a hitter with a plan at the plate, and he has also shown great instincts on the bases with 45 steals in 53 attempts.
Why He's Not Untouchable
Black has seen time at second base, third base and in the outfield, but he is not a particularly good defender at any of those spots, and it remains to be seen where he will line up defensively at the next level. After unsuccessfully playing a similar game with Keston Hiura for several years, the Brewers might be willing to deal Black now in the right trade.
OF Ryan Clifford, Houston Astros
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Age: 20
Stats (A/A+): 80 G, 357 PA, .290/.403/.522, 32 XBH (18 HR), 57 RBI
Why He's An Attractive Trade Chip
Outfielder Drew Gilbert is widely regarded as the top prospect in the Houston system, but Clifford has narrowed the gap considerably. The Astros gave him second-round money as an 11th-round pick in 2022 to sign him away from a commitment to Vanderbilt, and the 6'3", 200-pound outfielder is showing big raw power and a better-than-expected approach at the plate.
Why He's Not Untouchable
Clifford is striking out roughly 25 percent of the time, and swing-and-miss concerns on the showcase circuit prior to his senior year of high school are part of the reason he slipped in the draft. The Astros are also clearly in win-now mode, and Gilbert is closer to the majors, so Clifford makes more sense as their top trade chip.
2B/3B Justin Foscue, Texas Rangers
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Age: 24
Stats (AAA): 76 G, 346 PA, .268/.390/.470, 32 XBH (11 HR), 45 RBI
Why He's An Attractive Trade Chip
With a .390 on-base percentage and more walks (50) than strikeouts (42) this season, Foscue has an extremely high floor thanks to his plus hit tool and advanced feel for hitting. The 2020 first-round pick could fit at second base, third base or in left field, and he is as close to MLB-ready as any prospect that might be on the move at the deadline.
Why He's Not Untouchable
Foscue is firmly blocked by Marcus Semien at second base and Josh Jung at third base. With Evan Carter and 2023 first-round pick Wyatt Langford profiling as the Texas Rangers' outfielders of the future alongside Adolis García, it's difficult to see how Foscue fits into their future plans.
SS Noelvi Marte, Cincinnati Reds
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Age: 21
Stats (Rk/AA/AAA): 72 G, 318 PA, .292/.359/.473, 29 XBH (9 HR), 38 RBI
Why He's An Attractive Trade Chip
Marte was the top prospect whom the Cincinnati Reds acquired in the deal that sent Luis Castillo to the Seattle Mariners last summer. With some of the best raw power of any prospect, he remains a consensus top-100 prospect in 2023. Long viewed as a future third baseman, he has made strides defensively at shortstop, but his offensive upside should fit cleanly at the hot corner as well.
Why He's Not Untouchable
The Reds are reportedly considering trading 2021 NL Rookie of the Year Jonathan India due to their abundance of young infield talent, and Marte is up against that same logjam. With Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain and Spencer Steer all looking like long-term pieces of the Reds' puzzle, Marte could be on the move again this summer in a deal for pitching help.
SS/3B Orelvis Martinez, Toronto Blue Jays
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Age: 21
Stats (AA/AAA): 76 G, 321 PA, .230/.337/.483, 30 XBH (18 HR), 53 RBI
Why He's An Attractive Trade Chip
After piling up strikeouts to begin the 2023 season, Martinez is hitting .292/.401/.467 in 152 plate appearances since the beginning of June. He crushed 30 home runs in a full season at Double-A last year, and it's easy to forget that he is still extremely young to be playing in the upper levels of the minors. He has also trimmed his strikeout rate from 28.6 to 20.6 percent this year, showing he has the ability to make adjustments.
Why He's Not Untouchable
With only four home runs in his last 35 games, the strides that Martinez has made with his contract rate have seemingly come at the cost of his prolific power production. Striking a balance between the two will be the key to tapping into his full potential, and until he proves he can do that, he is still a high-risk, high-reward prospect.
RHP Griff McGarry, Philadelphia Phillies
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Age: 24
Stats (A/AA): 12 GS, 3.09 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 27 BB, 63 K, 46.2 IP
Why He's An Attractive Trade Chip
Outside of the likely untouchable duo of Andrew Painter and Mick Abel, McGarry is easily the best pitching prospect in the Philadelphia farm system. The 6'2" right-hander has some of the best pure stuff in the minors with a 70-grade fastball that bumps 100 mph and the potential for three quality off-speed pitches. He has 236 strikeouts in 158.1 innings in pro ball since going in the fifth round of the 2021 draft.
Why He's Not Untouchable
The question for McGarry is his command. His 13.8 percent walk rate this season is right in line with his 14.2 percent mark across all pro levels. With Painter and Abel in the pipeline looking like future frontline starters, the Phillies can afford to move a pitcher who has more of a boom-or-bust profile.
RHP Marco Raya, Minnesota Twins
8 of 10
Age: 20
Stats (A+/AA): 14 GS, 2.91 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 13 BB, 50 K, 43.1 IP
Why He's An Attractive Trade Chip
A fourth-round pick in 2020, Raya spent the 2021 season watching from the sidelines while nursing a shoulder strain. However, he had a strong pro debut last year, and he has continued to impress while climbing the ladder to become one of the youngest pitchers at the Double-A level. He has a legitimate four-pitch mix, headlined by a fastball that has touched 97 mph and a high-spin slider that is effective against righties and lefties.
Why He's Not Untouchable
The Twins have not had the best luck developing in-house pitching talent, and they didn't hesitate to trade Brusdar Graterol a few years ago when he was the consensus top pitching prospect in their system. Raya's undersized 6'1", 170-pound frame also presents some reliever risk.
RHP Gavin Stone, Los Angeles Dodgers
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Age: 24
Stats (AAA): 15 GS, 5.86 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 32 BB, 82 K, 70.2 IP
Why He's An Attractive Trade Chip
Stone's minor league numbers don't stand out, and he has been even worse in limited MLB action with a 12.75 ERA in 12 innings of work, but he still has the potential to be an impact starter in the majors. Just last season, Stone logged a 1.48 ERA with 168 strikeouts in 121.2 innings across three levels in the minors, and his changeup is an elite secondary offering behind his upper 90s fastball.
Why He's Not Untouchable
In a season where the Dodgers have been forced to lean heavily on young pitching, Stone has been the odd man out while Bobby Miller, Emmet Sheehan and Michael Grove have all held down spots in the starting rotation. He might have a higher ceiling than Sheehan and Grove long-term, but the Dodgers need help now.
SS Carson Williams, Tampa Bay Rays
10 of 10
Age: 20
Stats (A+): 74 G, 323 PA, .255/.359/.500, 33 XBH (15 HR), 49 RBI
Why He's An Attractive Trade Chip
The No. 28 overall pick in the 2021 draft, Williams has shown significant extra-base power and the quick-twitch athleticism to be a standout defensive shortstop since beginning his pro career. One of the youngest players in the South Atlantic League, he ranks in the top 10 in home runs (15, fifth), RBI (49, sixth) and total bases (139, seventh).
Why He's Not Untouchable
With Wander Franco and top prospect Junior Caminero looking like the future left side of the infield in Tampa Bay, Williams could be viewed as an expendable piece in the right deadline deal. His high strikeout rate is also an early red flag. He has whiffed at a 31.6 percent clip in three seasons of pro ball.
All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and accurate through Wednesday's games.
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