MLB Trade Rumors: 7 Top Prospects Who Are Already Being Dangled

Even though teams are, for the most part, content with their rosters at the moment, it doesn't mean that front offices are no longer looking to part with their top prospects in order to fill an immediate need on the major league roster.

Since most of the top prospects in the country will be playing for their respective teams during spring training to get a taste of what major league caliber baseball is like, no prospects will likely be dealt until sometime closer to the trade deadline in July 2012.

However, teams like the Detroit Tigers have started to dangle their top prospects in order to grab other team's attention about a possible trade in the future.

Here's a list of seven prospects whose names have already been—or will soon be—mentioned in trade rumors.

Chris Archer

No. 89 overall prospect, according to Baseball America.

Chris Archer is currently the Tampa Bay Rays' top pitching prospect. He was acquired from the Chicago Cubs in the Matt Garza trade in 2011.

However, Archer's 2011 season turned out to be a disappointment as he compiled a 4.09 ERA for the double-A and triple-A affiliates of the Rays.

Unfortunately for Archer, his struggles in 2011 might have opened the door up for another trade in the future. The Rays already have David Price (26), Jeremy Hellickson (24), James Shields (30) and now the No. 2 overall prospect Matt Moore (22).

If the Rays' offensive struggles continue in 2012, don't be surprised to see Archer's name appear in trade rumors.

Jurickson Profar

No. 7 overall prospect, according to Baseball America.

While Jurickson Profar hasn't been mentioned in any trade rumors since last year's trade deadline when the San Diego Padres tried to pry him from the Texas Rangers, the Rangers could still be looking to move him.

As of now, Elvis Andrus is slated to be the shortstop of the Rangers for at least the next 10 years. So unfortunately for Profar, there might not be any room for him in the major leagues.

Second base might not be an option either, as Ian Kinsler should be the starter for at least the next five years.

The Rangers are always in need of pitching, so they might be wise to trade Profar for some starting pitching that they desperately need.

Anthony Rendon

No. 19 overall prospect, according to Baseball America.

Now that Ryan Zimmerman will be in a Washington Nationals uniform for at least the next eight years, that leaves Anthony Rendon, one of the Nationals' top prospects, in a peculiar situation.

Rendon is currently playing third base in the minor leagues, but that's the same position that Zimmerman (27) is currently playing in the majors.

Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post reported that the Nationals will try playing Rendon at shortstop, second base and third base in order to possibly move him to another position once he inevitably reaches the major leagues within the next few seasons.

However, the Nationals might be open to trading him as well if he can't make a smooth transition to another defensive position.

Chris Tillman

No. 22 overall prospect in 2009, according to Baseball America.

Although Chris Tillman isn't considered to be a prospect anymore, he's still only 23 years old and has yet to live up to the hype in the major leagues.

According to HardballTalk of NBC Sports, the Orioles made it clear that they are open to trading Tillman if the right deal arose.

The Orioles already have a core of young start pitchers in the major leagues—Brian Matusz (25), Jake Arrieta (25) and Zach Britton (24). If Tillman doesn't start to figure things out in the major leagues, he could be on his way our of Baltimore in the near future.

Matt Dominguez

No. 4 overall prospect in the Miami Marlins organization, according to Baseball America.

If there was one person in the Marlins organization that wasn't too thrilled about the Jose Reyes signing, it would be Matt Dominguez.

The trade forced Hanley Ramirez to move to third base, which blocked Dominguez from making it to the big leagues as the starting third baseman of the future, at least for the time being.

Even though his development as a hitter in the minor leagues hasn't progressed like the Marlins had hoped, he's still a talented prospect that other major league teams would covet.

Since Ramirez and Reyes are still only 28 years old, there might not be any room for Dominguez in the major leagues, at least with the Marlins.

Jacob Turner

No. 22 overall prospect, according to Baseball America.

There's no secret here; Buster Olney of ESPN tweeted that the Detroit Tigers are actively trying to trade their top prospect Jacob Turner for the right pitcher.

It was also rumored that Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland Athletics, was interested in Turner and tried to make him the centerpiece of the Gio Gonzalez trade.

If any prospect is on the move in the near future, it will be Turner.

Arodys Vizcaino

No. 40 overall prospect, according to Baseball America.

In today's age when pitching is at a premium, the Atlanta Braves are in a very fortunate situation.

Not only do they have a very young and talented pitching rotation—Jair Jurrjens (26), Tommy Hanson (25) and Brandon Beachy (25)—but they also have a three top prospects that are primed to make the jump to the majors in 2012—Julio Teheran (21), Randall Delgado (22) and Arodys Vizcaino (21).

It's possible that the Braves might want to move at least a couple of those prospects to the bullpen, but the Braves already have a few All-Star caliber relievers in the pen as well—Craig Kimbrel (23), Jonny Venters (26) and Eric O'Flaherty (27).

While Vizcaino's name hasn't surfaced in trade rumors yet, the it's no secret that they're actively trying to pursue another bat in order to bolster their offense.

Vizcaino might be the prospect that's traded, or maybe it'll be either Delgado or Teheran. Either way, there's little doubt that the Braves are dangling these prospects to other teams in hopes of landing a bat.