Hidden Gems Primed to Be the Steals of 2024 MLB Trade Market
By this point in the buildup to MLB's 2024 trade deadline, you already know the big names likely to be on the move (Garrett Crochet, Jack Flaherty, Luis Robert Jr., etc.) and you're probably tired of hearing about the big names unlikely to go anywhere (Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Pete Alonso, Tarik Skubal, Mason Miller, etc.).
Beyond the stars being mentioned (and traded) on what is seemingly an hourly basis, though, is a robust market of hidden gems that A) should be relatively inexpensive to acquire and B) reasonably could be a key piece down the stretch for a contender.
As far as what qualifies as a hidden gem, The Athletic's Tim Britton and Aaron Gleeman put out a ranking last week of the top 50 players who might be traded. Anyone not on that list was deemed a candidate for this one.
We'll go alphabetically through the 12 teams most likely to do more selling than buying ahead of the trade deadline.
Chicago Cubs
1 of 12
Not a Hidden Gem: 1B/OF Cody Bellinger
The Cubs only had one player crack the aforementioned top 50, and even that lone wolf is virtually untradeable, as Bellinger is both presently injured and in possession of $52.5M worth of player options for the next two seasons.
But if the Cubs do embrace a short-term sale, they have quite a bit to offer.
LHP Justin Steele (arbitration-eligible for three more years) and 2B Nico Hoerner ($11.5M in 2025, $12M in 2026) have been mentioned as players that other teams would love to acquire, but it's highly unlikely Chicago will move either one. Those are key long-term assets for a team that expects to be back in the postseason picture over the next two years.
However, RHP Kyle Hendricks ($5.5M prorated salary) figures to be available, and has rebounded quite nicely from a horrific start to the year. He ended May with a 10.16 ERA, but he's at a much more respectable 4.30 in 44 innings pitched since then. It would feel just plain wrong to see him in a Cardinals jersey after more than a decade with the Cubs, but he would be a great fit for that team already linked to veterans Nathan Eovaldi and Erick Fedde.
RHP Jameson Taillon ($18M annually through 2026) has also emerged as a significant trade candidate, with both the Red Sox and Yankees reportedly among the interested parties. He got his ERA down to 2.96 with an impressive outing Tuesday against Milwaukee, and it sure feels like an oversight that he wasn't in the top 50. If he landed there, he would instantly become Boston's No. 2 starter.
On the relief front, both LHP Drew Smyly ($3.5M still owed in 2024, $10M mutual option with $2.5M buyout for 2025) and RHP Héctor Neris ($3M still owed in 2024, $9M club option with no reported buyout for 2025) have some value and should be movable. Each one has a FIP well north of his current ERA and isn't anything close to the least expensive reliever available, though, so we'll see if either one actually gets dealt.
Chicago White Sox
2 of 12
Not a Hidden Gem: LHP Garrett Crochet, RHP Erick Fedde, CF Luis Robert Jr., RHP Michael Kopech, RHP John Brebbia
The fire sale has yet to begin, but the expectation is that the White Sox will be stripped all the way down to the studs and legitimately could make a run at 120+ losses with what will be a glorified Triple-A roster for the final two months of the season.
Even with five noteworthy players ineligible for hidden gem status, this full-blown fire sale could produce a few.
The big one is SS Paul DeJong ($600k prorated salary). He isn't quite on track to match his 30 HR total from 2019, but he's slugging better than he had been in recent seasons and has become maybe the primary shortstop on this year's trade block—assuming Bo Bichette isn't going anywhere. Atlanta, Cleveland, Seattle and perhaps the Dodgers could all be interested.
OF Tommy Pham ($1M prorated salary) is another one to watch. Chicago signed him in mid-April, almost with the express purpose of eventually trading him for something. He has delivered for them, leading the team in batting average while bouncing around between the three outfield spots. Plenty of contenders could use an outfielder, and Pham is a solid option for the ones who don't want to pay the going rate for a Luis Robert Jr. (Or failed to get Randy Arozarena and Jazz Chisholm Jr.)
1B/OF Andrew Vaughn ($1M prorated salary, arbitration-eligible for next two years) is an intriguing multi-year option that hasn't been mentioned a ton as a trade candidate. Granted, that's because he has been a replacement-level player for four years now. However, he has a good enough bat to help out a contender, even if it's just in a pinch-hitting role or in a platoon where he gets the starts against left-handed pitchers.
Lastly, let's not forget about DH/OF Eloy Jiménez ($4.6M prorated salary, $16.5M club option with a $3M buyout for 2025, $18.5M club option with a $3M buyout for 2026). He has been so disappointing this season that Chicago might just about give him away for little more than salary relief, but he had a career .811 OPS prior to this season and could benefit from a change of scenery.
Cincinnati Reds
3 of 12
Not a Hidden Gem: RHP Frankie Montas
With the Cincinnati Reds, it's all about that bullpen.
RHP Lucas Sims ($900k prorated salary), RHP Buck Farmer ($750k prorated salary) and LHP Justin Wilson ($500k prorated salary) are all about to become unrestricted free agents. Farmer has been the best of the bunch with a 2.80 ERA, but all three should be on the move.
LHP Brent Suter ($800k prorated salary, $3.5M club option with $500k buyout for 2025) would've been another Reds reliever with trade value, but he landed on the IL a week ago with a partial tear of his teres major muscle and might not make it back onto the mound this season.
RHP Emilio Pagán ($2.7M prorated salary, $8M player option for 2025) is also working his way back from the IL with a lat strain, but he was going to be difficult to trade with that player option anyway.
The same goes for RHP Nick Martinez ($4.7M prorated salary, $12M player option for 2025) on the player option front, but at least he's healthy and is averaging nearly six strikeouts per walk. There could be some real interest there as Martinez works on his third consecutive season with a sub-4.00 ERA.
Beyond that, if the Reds do move a position player, it would probably be 2B Jonathan India ($1.2M prorated salary, two years of arbitration eligibility remaining). However, given how disappointing both Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Noelvi Marté have been this season, can't imagine they're in any rush to move one of their infielders who is actually producing.
Colorado Rockies
4 of 12
Not a Hidden Gem: C Elias Díaz, 3B Ryan McMahon
With Danny Jansen off the market, Colorado arguably has the two best catchers on the trade block in Díaz and C Jacob Stallings ($500k prorated salary, $2M mutual option with a $500k buyout for 2025).
Stallings had been dreadful over the previous two seasons in Miami, but life in Denver has been good for him. The best part is his home/road splits are negligible. In fact, prior to going for two doubles and a home run in Wednesday's rout of Boston, he had a higher OPS on the road (.781) than he did at home (.758). The tricky part is going to be finding a contender who needs a catcher, but maybe he could go back to Pittsburgh where his MLB career began.
The Rockies also have two intriguing starting pitchers in RHP Cal Quantrill ($2.1M prorated salary, arbitration-eligible in 2025) and LHP Austin Gomber ($1M prorated salary, arbitration-eligible in 2025).
They've both gotten shelled somewhat regularly over the past six weeks, but in mid-June, the former had a 3.30 ERA and the latter was sitting at 3.38. That's highly unusual for a pitcher who has to make half of his starts in Coors Field, and there should be plenty of interest in finding out if they can get back to pitching that well.
If you're in a pinch for a southpaw with some ninth-inning experience, LHP Jalen Beeks ($550k prorated salary) is also available. He has a 4.74 ERA, has blown seven saves and isn't getting whiffs at anywhere near his usual rate from 2020-23, but maybe he could turn a corner.
Detroit Tigers
5 of 12
Not a Hidden Gem: LHP Tarik Skubal and RHP Jack Flaherty
There has been a ton of talk about Skubal in recent days, but that still feels far-fetched.
It makes sense for the White Sox to unload Garrett Crochet with two years of arbitration eligibility remaining, because that team is not likely to be relevant again before he reaches free agency. But the Tigers are close to contending, even with Javier Báez's contract hanging like a millstone around their neck. Dumping Skubal would be a step backward, basically announcing they don't plan on contending again until Báez is out of the picture after 2027.
Getting rid of Flaherty, however, is all but guaranteed to happen, and there should be other expiring assets joining him on the exit ramp.
OF/1B/DH Mark Canha ($3.8M prorated salary) sits atop Detroit's list of hidden gems. He isn't having a fantastic season by any means, but it may be his seventh in a row with an OPS of at least .700. His flexibility to play first or either corner outfield spot all but ensures most contenders could find somewhere to put him.
IF Gio Urshela ($500k prorated salary) also has valuable flexibility, able to be deployed in any of the infield spots. With a .249 batting average and just four home runs for the year, he's not likely to make a major impact. The price is certainly right, though, at around half a mill.
Another Tiger to watch is southpaw reliever LHP Andrew Chafin ($1.4M prorated salary with a $6.5 million club option or $500k buyout for 2025). He has bounced back a bit from a rough 2023 campaign split between Arizona and Milwaukee. At nearly 12K/9, he could be a key seventh or eighth-inning asset for a team like the Yankees or Mets in need of some left-handed relief.
Last but definitely not least, 1B Spencer Torkelson (arbitration-eligible through 2028) has been popping up as a possible trade candidate lately. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 draft had a breakout year in 2023 with 31 home runs, but he couldn't hit anything this season and got sent back to Triple-A Toledo at the beginning of June. Maybe Houston or Seattle is desperate enough at first base to put together a considerable package to acquire the 24-year-old, but it's more likely Torkelson would get traded this offseason, if at all.
Los Angeles Angels
6 of 12
Not a Hidden Gem: LHP Tyler Anderson, IF Luis Rengifo, RHP Carlos Estévez, OF Taylor Ward
Most of what the Halos have to put on the trade block was in that top 50.
There was one noteworthy absence, though: OF Kevin Pillar.
After landing in LA at the end of April, the 35-year-old outfielder went on a tear, batting .409 for the month. He has since come back to earth in a big way, batting .212 since the start of June. However, at the low, low price of around $300k for the rest of the season, surely there are several teams who would like to find out if the impending free agent can capture that lightning in a bottle once more.
IF Brandon Drury ($2.8M prorated salary) would have been a compelling trade candidate four months ago, fresh off a two-year stretch with 54 home runs and a .808 OPS. That version of Drury has been on a milk carton, though, with just one dinger and a .456 OPS in 52 games played. Maybe someone agrees to also absorb his remaining salary while trading for one of the four players listed above as not hidden gems, hoping to benefit from a buy extremely low asset.
One final interesting Angel is RHP Luis García ($1.4M prorated salary). He has a 3.68 ERA dating back to the beginning of 2021 and has fared well this season as the Angels' primary choice for protecting a slim lead in the late innings. He has five wins, 11 holds and three saves and could be valuable in a set-up role for a team that occasionally has leads to protect.
Miami Marlins
7 of 12
Not a Hidden Gem: LHP Tanner Scott, LHP Jesús Luzardo, LHP Trevor Rogers, CF Jazz Chisholm Jr.
When the Marlins sent Luis Arraez to the Padres in early May, it quickly became a question of what else of value this team could put on the trade block.
The answer has been: Not a whole lot.
Even of the (non-Chisholm) players listed above, only Scott feels like a sure thing to get dealt as the only impending free agent of the bunch.
Beyond that, there only seem to be two names worth mentioning.
One of those is Josh Bell ($5.3M prorated salary), who has been on fire lately, homering in four of his last five games. Even with that hot streak, though, he has been worth a cumulative negative-1.3 bWAR since he was part of that monumental Juan Soto trade two years ago. Five games ago, his OPS for the year was .636.
Maybe Houston or Seattle takes a flyer on Bell, but that's Plan C if it becomes clear they're not getting Vladimir Guerrero Jr. or Isaac Paredes.
The other Marlin to watch for is RHP J.T. Chargois ($425k prorated salary, arbitration-eligible in 2025). He missed the first 10 weeks of the season due to neck spasms, but he has a 1.62 ERA in 15 appearances since mid-June. He also owns a solid 2.73 ERA in 135 innings pitched since the beginning of 2021. It's been mostly low-leverage work, though, so it won't move the needle if he does get dealt.
Oakland Athletics
8 of 12
Not a Hidden Gem: DH/OF Brent Rooker, RHP Mason Miller, RHP Lucas Erceg
It would be absurd for the A's to trade away either Miller or Erceg, who are under team control through 2029.
They do have several other noteworthy relievers who should be on the move, though.
LHP Scott Alexander ($725k prorated salary) has bounced back from a tough 2023 season with the Giants by giving the A's a 3.00 ERA in his 26 appearances. Aside from Tanner Scott, Alexander just might be the best left-handed reliever on the market this year. (Don't expect many strikeouts, though.) And you just know the A's would love to 'save' around $700,000 by trading him.
LHP T.J. McFarland ($500k prorated salary) and RHP Austin Adams ($250k prorated salary, arbitration-eligible in 2025) are less intriguing trade candidates. Each has an ERA of around 4.30. Both are surely available, though, if there are any interested parties.
But the big one not in the top 50 is UTIL Miguel Andujar ($570k prorated salary, arbitration-eligible in 2025).
He dropped off a cliff after finishing first runner-up to Shohei Ohtani for AL Rookie of the Year in 2018, but he has resurfaced in a big way in Oakland over the past two months, batting .300 with a little bit of pop. He can play first, third, left, or right and should be a primary target for the Seattle Mariners, who need a little bit of help everywhere except for catcher and center.
Tampa Bay Rays
9 of 12
Not a Hidden Gem: OF Randy Arozarena, 1B Yandy Díaz, 1B/3B Isaac Paredes, RHP Zach Eflin, RHP Pete Fairbanks, RHP Jason Adam
In a year when the demand for quality players on the trade block far exceeds the supply, the Rays have been beautifully positioned to cut future costs and further improve what was already the third-best farm system after the draft. In dealing both Arozarena and Eflin, they've already done well on both of those fronts—though it's surprising they weren't able to get more for Arozarena.
They have quite a bit more than just the six players above, too.
RHP Zach Littell ($600k prorated salary, arbitration-eligible in 2025) hasn't been sensational or anything in his first year as a full-time starter. In fact, he has allowed the most hits (129) among AL pitchers. However, he's putting up numbers on par with Toronto's Yusei Kikuchi and Colorado's Cal Quantrill and with a considerably lower salary. Teams like Atlanta, Baltimore, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Minnesota, San Diego and St. Louis could all benefit from acquiring Littell for the back of their rotation.
On the impending free agent front, SS Amed Rosario ($500k prorated salary) is a major name to watch. He batting north of .300 and can play pretty much anywhere other than catcher. The Dodgers took a flyer on him at last year's deadline, and bringing him back again to play second base could be huge.
The Rays also have RHP Shawn Armstrong ($680k prorated salary) on an expiring deal. He's having a rough go this season with a 5.64 ERA, but he finished last year at 1.38 and had similar marks in both 2018 and 2020. There should be some interest in the historically streaky reliever.
And if dumping salary is the name of the game for Tampa Bay (it is), got to at least throw 2B/OF Brandon Lowe ($3M prorated salary, $10.5M club option with $1M buyout for 2025, $11.5M club option with $500k buyout for 2026) into the conversation. He has an OPS of .963 dating back to June 4 and was legitimately one of the top players in the majors in 2020-21. He has dealt with injuries in each of the past three years, but he can still mash when healthy.
Texas Rangers
10 of 12
Not a Hidden Gem: RHP Max Scherzer, RHP Nathan Eovaldi
Texas is this year's biggest deadline domino, and it has yet to indicate which way it will fall.
At just a few games back in the AL West, the reigning champs presumably won't be trading away Scherzer or Eovaldi. And if they're in it to win it, the right-handed reliever quartet of Kirby Yates ($1.5M prorated salary), David Robertson ($1.6M prorated salary, $7M mutual option for 2025), José Ureña ($500k prorated salary) and José Leclerc ($2.1M prorated salary) won't be going anywhere, either.
[If the Rangers are taking calls on any of those pitchers, though, there are bound to be a lot of them for Yates, who has a 1.21 ERA and has gone 18-for-18 in save chances.]
However, they have some starting pitchers to offer, regardless of their deadline approach.
With Dane Dunning, Tyler Mahle and Cody Bradford all on the mend and Jacob deGrom slowly but surely progressing in his Tommy John rehab, Texas could have as many as nine healthy starting pitchers in a month's time if it doesn't do anything at the deadline.
That little nugget of information is why there has been some speculation that Scherzer and/or Eovaldi could be on the trade block, but it's far more likely they'll be looking to move LHP Andrew Heaney ($4.3M prorated salary) and RHP Michael Lorenzen ($1.5M prorated salary) instead.
They've both been solid, but they aren't part of the long-term equation. It's not often that a team can trade away two starting pitchers for prospects while still trying to contend, but Texas might lean into that position of strength.
Toronto Blue Jays
11 of 12
Not a Hidden Gem: 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr., SS Bo Bichette, RHP Chris Bassitt, LHP Yusei Kikuchi, C Danny Jansen, DH Justin Turner, RHP Yimi Garcia
With seven players in the top 50, we've pretty well speculated Toronto's potential fire sale to death.
Not many stones left unturned here.
There is one player strangely absent from the list, though: Isiah Kiner-Falefa ($2.5M prorated salary, $7.5M in 2025).
If Guerrero, Bichette and Bassitt are trade candidates with one year of team control remaining, why not IKF, who has been arguably Toronto's most valuable player this season?
He's putting up career-best marks in all three portions of his triple-slash (.292/.338/.420) while also providing quality defense no matter where the Blue Jays ask him to play. He had a rough go in 2023 and ended up settling for a two-year, $15M deal in free agency, but that looks like a steal now that he's OPSing at an above-replacement level.
Kiner-Falefa is working his way back from a knee sprain suffered on July 1, but he could be a major trade chip in a market lacking middle infielders.
RHP Trevor Richards ($700k prorated salary) is also worth mentioning. The occasional spot starter has an ERA north of 4.00 for the third consecutive year, but that's only after a recent rough patch. He was below 2.50 in early July and has kept his WHIP low all season long. Could be a good seventh-inning guy.
Washington Nationals
12 of 12
Not a Hidden Gem: OF/DH Jesse Winker, OF Lane Thomas, RHP Kyle Finnegan
With a 2.22 ERA through his first 11 starts of the season, RHP Trevor Williams ($2.3M prorated salary) was on the fast track to becoming one of the two or three most coveted rental pitchers on this year's trade block. However, he has been out for nearly two months now with a flexor strain and has yet to even throw off a mound since landing on the IL. Perhaps someone still takes a flyer on him, though.
Beyond that, the only not already identified Nationals who look like viable trade candidates are veteran relievers.
The big one is RHP Dylan Floro ($750k prorated salary). A reliever who routinely goes multiple innings, Floro has a 1.94 ERA for the year and a 3.10 mark in nearly 250 innings of work dating back to the start of 2020. There were only a couple of middle relievers in the top 50, but it's surprising Floro wasn't one of them.
RHP Jacob Barnes ($210k prorated salary) is an even cheaper option who also goes multiple innings somewhat regularly. From 2019-23, he pitched for eight different teams with a cumulative ERA of 6.32. He has been much more serviceable in the nation's capital, though, boasting a 2.52 ERA since the beginning of June.
The Nats also have RHP Derek Law ($500k prorated salary, arbitration-eligible for 2025), who has recorded at least four outs in 22 of his 51 appearances and a 3.19 ERA for the year. If they do trade away Finnegan, they'll probably just hang onto him and perhaps even see what he can do as a closer for the final two months of the year, but Law is at least a trade candidate.
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