5 MLB Teams with the Prospects to Pull off Offseason Blockbuster Trade
While the postseason is heading toward the World Series and, thus, the conclusion of the 2014 Major League Baseball season, that only involves the four teams still playing. For the other 26, the offseason began more or less as soon as they were eliminated from the playoffs or contention.
As those clubs prep for a winter that's bound to be filled with transaction action—rumors, speculation, trades, signings and more—it's time to take stock of the teams that are in position to potentially make a major move involving a trade of prospects and/or young big leaguers for more established stars.
To that effect, this isn't a rundown of the best farm systems but rather a look at a handful of clubs that both have quality and quantity in the minor leagues as well as the need to make a trade to upgrade at the major league level.
In short, these are teams that have the young talent to spare and/or swap and either already are contenders or are positioned to join the playoff picture in 2015.
Other teams, like the Minnesota Twins, Houston Astros or Colorado Rockies, would fit the bill from a talent standpoint, but it's less likely they would go this route just yet because they're still making the long climb up the rebuilding path.
It's easier to understand or even expect teams closer to the winning/contender side of the competition spectrum to unload some of the future for help in the present.
Like these.
Pittsburgh Pirates
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The one thing the Pittsburgh Pirates have both in the majors and minors? Crazy outfield depth, what with reigning NL MVP Andrew McCutchen, spark plug Starling Marte and former top prospect Gregory Polanco already roaming the green grass in Pittsburgh.
That leaves outfield prospects Josh Bell, one of the big-bonus babies picked in the second round of 2011 who hit .325/.375/.459 between High- and Double-A this season, 19-year-old 2013 first-rounder Austin Meadows, and Harold Ramirez, a 20-year-old out of Colombia, as potential trade chips.
The Pirates also have infielder Alen Hanson, right-hander Nick Kingham and stud righty Tyler Glasnow, who posted a 1.74 ERA and 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings at High-A as a 20-year-old, as other pieces that could be included in a major move to address their biggest needs.
The biggest one remains shortstop, where Jordy Mercer is plenty capable but not a real needle-mover. Otherwise, they could use some starting pitching and maybe a catcher if Russell Martin bolts via free agency.
Seattle Mariners
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Even with last winter's blockbuster free-agent signing of Robinson Cano and the emergence of Kyle Seager as a perennial All-Star-caliber player, the Seattle Mariners will never not need bats. Especially at first base, shortstop and in the outfield.
They'll also, it seems, never run out of strong starting pitchers. Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma are one of the best one-two combinations in the sport, and the Mariners will back them up with fellow right-hander Taijuan Walker, 22, and lefty James Paxton, 25, in 2015. Unless, of course, they trade one of them.
Neither is technically a prospect anymore (both surpassed 50 career MLB innings in 2014), but both Walker and Paxton essentially are still in that phase of their very young careers. As John McGrath of the Tri-City Herald writes, now is the time for general manager Jack Zduriencik to swap one of them to bring aboard another big stick.
Besides, behind Walker and Paxton, the M's also have pitching prospects Luiz Gohara, Edwin Diaz and Victor Sanchez, a 19-year-old who already pitched all of 2014 at Double-A.
On the position-player front, Seattle's biggest chip would be 2013 first-rounder D.J. Peterson, but he hit 31 homers between High- and Double-A in his first full pro season and may be getting prepped for a shift from third to first base to help solve that problem.
"I just think he’s a very, very valuable asset for us right now,” Zduriencik said of Peterson in July via Stephen Cohen of SeattlePI.com. “You never say never to anything, but I really don’t have any intentions or desire to trade him."
New York Mets
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Let's start by listing some names: Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, Jacob deGrom, Jon Niese, Dillon Gee and Bartolo Colon
If you lost count along the way, that's six starting pitchers who should be ready to go by Opening Day 2015. At last check, teams are still using five-man rotations. That gives you an idea of just how well-armed (pun intended) the Mets are.
Because in addition to that group, there's still right-handers Noah Syndergaard and Rafael Montero as well as lefty Steven Matz, all of whom are set to get their big league careers underway in full force next year.
Yes, the Mets are positively swimming in young pitching, and so it may behoove general manager Sandy Alderson to pick the three or four starters he is certain to build around and use the others as a means to acquire a position player.
New York has a pressing need at shortstop, where the likes of Ruben Tejada and rookie Wilmer Flores aren't going to cut it anymore. Maybe the Chicago Cubs would part with, say, Starlin Castro for an arm or two? Adding a left fielder with some pop would be another priority.
The Mets could consider swapping some of their young hitters, like second baseman Dilson Herrera, catcher Kevin Plawecki, outfielder Brandon Nimmo or shortstop Amed Rosario, but they need just about all the bats they can get.
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Boston Red Sox
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The Boston Red Sox are going to be a very interesting club to watch this offseason because they have a lot of excess talent that is either in or on the cusp of the majors.
It looks like shortstop Xander Bogaerts, a consensus top-three prospect at the start of 2014 who had a disappointing year, and second baseman-turned-outfielder Mookie Betts are building blocks going forward. But the Red Sox might make one of their third basemen, Garin Cecchini or Will Middlebrooks, available. And while catcher Blake Swihart is viewed as the backstop of the future, Boston did just introduce defensive wizard Christian Vazquez late in the year.
But where the Red Sox really have a surplus is on the mound, where left-handers Henry Owens and Brian Johnson as well as righties Anthony Ranaudo, Brandon Workman, Allen Webster and Rubby De La Rosa all could see MLB action in 2015. That's a gaggle of arms that could pitch in the middle or backs of most rotations and cost next to nothing toward the payroll.
Plus, there's always the possibility general manager Ben Cherington could package a veteran bounce-back candidate like Allen Craig to further entice an interested party.
The big rumor is and always has been that the Red Sox will go after Miami Marlins stud outfielder and potential NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton, as Ricky Doyle of NESN.com writes: "Reeling in Stanton this offseason admittedly would be the best-case scenario for the Red Sox, almost regardless of the package they’d be forced to assemble. He’s young (turning 25 in November). He’s under team control through 2016. And he’s that good."
Of course, in the wake of trading away starters Jon Lester, John Lackey and Jake Peavy this past July, Cherington did acknowledge that he will be looking to obtain pitching, too. Perhaps a Cole Hamels or Chris Sale would be gettable given Boston's bunch of young talent.
Chicago Cubs
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The Cubs have the best collection of young position players in baseball, and that's a very good asset to have in the sport at a time when pitching is thriving and offense is extremely hard to find and keep.
It all starts with third baseman Kris Bryant, the No. 2 overall pick in 2013 who absolutely obliterated Double- and Triple-A this year, hitting .325/.438/.661 with a best-in-baseball 43 homers. He's ready to be the starting hot cornerman very early in 2015 and isn't going anywhere.
Neither is Cuban outfielder Jorge Soler, who debuted in Chicago in late August and went on to post a .903 OPS in his first 24 big league games. And while shortstop/second baseman Javier Baez didn't have nearly that kind of success in his first taste (.169 average, 41.5 percent strikeout rate), one imagines his massive upside will make him borderline untouchable, too.
And don't forget about shortstop Addison Russell, obtained in the midseason blockbuster that sent Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to the Oakland Athletics.
The Cubs, though, have a serious need for a pitcher or two to team with all these young hitters. Sure, they may go the free-agency route (Jon Lester?), but it's not crazy to think this club could move, say, first baseman Dan Vogelbach, third baseman Jeimer Candelario or even center fielder Albert Almora in a deal to land an arm or two.
Plus, while neither Starlin Castro nor infielder/outfielder Arismendy Alcantara are prospects anymore, both are still very young and have had success or shown flashes in the big leagues. That could make them intriguing chips to use, too.
"We're in a position, perhaps as soon as this offseason, and certainly over the next 15 months, we're going to be adding some talent from outside the organization that will further round out our club," president of baseball ops Theo Epstein said per Jesse Rogers of ESPN Chicago.
On the cusp of regaining their relevance after five consecutive losing seasons, the Cubs are going to do something big this winter. It's just a matter of what, when and which young players will be involved.
Statistics are accurate through Oct. 14 and courtesy of MLB.com, Baseball-Reference and FanGraphs, unless otherwise noted.
To talk baseball or fantasy baseball, check in with me on Twitter: @JayCat11.
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