
Re-Ranking Top MLB Trade Chips Available on the Market Post-GM Meetings
The general managers meetings are typically a preface to the winter meetings in that a lot of rumors are discussed and big names are tossed around, but not a lot of deals are ultimately reached.
This week was no different.
Other than the reported Giancarlo Stanton deal, which took the biggest potential chip off the trade market, we've had former MVPs, multiple All-Stars, CY Young candidates and Gold Glove winners all come up in various rumors. Some of these players have a lot more risk attached to them in terms of health or their current contract, but we also heard about young stars in their 20s who may be moved.
Trades will go down this offseason—it's only a matter of time. Here are the top names on the block.
Best of the Rest
1 of 14
1. Los Angeles Dodgers OF Andre Ethier
On Wednesday, new Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman said that he was looking to deal one of the team's outfielders. Per Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com:
"It's believed they're most likely to trade Andre Ethier, who was virtually unused in the final few months, or Carl Crawford. Yet Friedman said he wouldn't rule out moving Matt Kemp, who led the majors in slugging after the All-Star break.
"
Ethier is far removed from his top-10 MVP season in 2009 when he hit 31 home runs with 106 RBI. Last season, he struggled in a part-time role, hitting .249 with just four home runs over 130 games. He's guaranteed $53.5 million through 2017, with a $17.5 million vesting option for 2018, and he's turning 33 next April.
He still has some value left in his bat, but with his production falling and that albatross of a contract, a team likely won't have to trade very much to get him.
2. Seattle Mariners OF Michael Saunders
ESPN's Jerry Crasnick reported that Seattle was going to shop Saunders "hard" at the GM meetings. This should not come as much of a shock, after The Seattle Times' Ryan Divish put the fractured relationship between the team and Saunders on full display.
Off-field issues aside, Saunders is a talented player. He hit 19 home runs and stole 21 bases in 2012, and he had a career-high .273 batting average and .450 slugging percentage this past season. However, he's injury-prone, playing in just 349 games over the past three seasons. Saunders would be a nice buy-low candidate.
3. Detroit Tigers Catcher Alex Avila
CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reported that the Detroit Tigers have made Avila available, and The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo mentioned the Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves as teams that have discussed him in trades.
Avila is a former All-Star who never followed up on his best season in 2011, when he hit .295 with 19 homers and 82 RBI. From 2012-2014, he's averaged 10 homers, 47 RBI and a .229 batting average while dealing with issues staying on the field, with multiple concussions becoming a long-term concern.
4. Baltimore Orioles RHP Ubaldo Jimenez
Brittany Ghirolo of MLB.com reported that the Orioles have discussed Jimenez with several teams at the GM meetings. CBS Sports' Jon Heyman also reported the Orioles were fielding offers for him.
Jimenez will turn 31 years old in January and is owed $38.75 million over the next three seasons. In his first season with the Orioles, he had a 4.81 ERA and 77 walks in just 125.1 innings. Jimenez still has tremendous upside, but his inconsistency and contract should limit what the Orioles are able to ask for in any trade.
13. Philadelphia Phillies 1B Ryan Howard
2 of 14
Despite a relatively late start to his MLB career, Ryan Howard was on his way to the Hall of Fame before injury struck.
After winning the Rookie of the Year award in 2005, from 2006-2011, Howard averaged 44 home runs and 133 RBI a year, with a .274 batting average. He finished in the top 10 on the MVP ballot each of those six seasons, including winning the award in 2006.
In the Phillies' final at-bat of the 2011 postseason, however, Howard's career took a dramatic turn as he tore his Achilles tendon while trying to run out of the batter's box, and his All-Star-level production never returned.
Moving ahead to this offseason, the Phillies are "trying to blow up" their roster, per Jim Salisbury of CSN Philly, and GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said, "We’re open to talk about anybody.” Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported the Kansas City Royals had internal discussions about Howard, but Salisbury reported that the interest was overblown.
Ryne Sandberg spoke briefly about the situation and suggested a move to first base would help Chase Utley after he benched Howard in July.
"I think playing first base would eliminate a little wear and tear at that position," Sandberg said. "Whether that's a consideration or not has yet to be seen."
Howard turns 35 this offseason, and he's guaranteed $50 million over the next two seasons, with a $10 million buyout for 2017. With his history of injuries, a disappearing batting average and a monster contract, he will be next to impossible to move unless the Phillies eat a large portion of his deal. But after a season in which he hit 23 home runs with 95 RBI, he could provide some value as a DH in the American League.
Potential Landing Spots: New York Yankees, Kansas City Royals, Seattle Mariners, Oakland A's, Baltimore Orioles
12. Texas Rangers SS Elvis Andrus
3 of 14
After hitting .286 with a .349 on-base percentage and earning his second All-Star appearance at the ripe old age of 23, the Texas Rangers gave Elvis Andrus an eight-year, $120 million extension hoping he would continue to grow into a perennial All-Star.
However, in each of his last two seasons, his average and on-base percentage have declined. He went from an above-average defender to someone who cost his team 13 runs last season, according to Baseball-Reference.com. He's still young, so he could turn things around, but Andrus is obviously trending in the wrong direction.
The Yankees were rumored to be interested, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, but that rumor has since been squashed by both Andrew Marchand of ESPN and Mark Feinsand of the New York Post.
Potential Landing Spots: New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers
11. Chicago White Sox SS Alexei Ramirez
4 of 14
One reason the Yankees reportedly moved on from Andrus is the possibility of acquiring Chicago White Sox All-Star Alexei Ramirez, according to CBS Sports' Jon Heyman.
The 33-year-old Ramirez is coming off of his best season since 2010, hitting .273 with 15 home runs and 21 steals, so his trade value may never be higher. The White Sox "have heard from numerous major league clubs," according to CBS Chicago's Bruce Levine, with the Mets reportedly being the most aggressive in their pursuit.
The White Sox are seeking pitching in return and likely won't need a long-term replacement at shortstop, with 2013 first-round pick Tim Anderson performing well at Double-A.
Ramirez's stats won't blow you away, but with a reasonable contract ($10 million for 2015) and a clean bill of health (he played 158 games each of the past four seasons), teams could do a lot worse that slotting him as their everyday shortstop.
The problem for the Mets and other teams is that the White Sox's asking price is reportedly very high. According to the New York Daily News' Andy Martino, Chicago is looking for top prospects, such as Mets right-handers Noah Syndergaard and Rafael Montero, or a proven starter, such as Zack Wheeler.
Good for the White Sox, but as long as the price is that high, teams should stay away and try to sign Jed Lowrie, Stephen Drew or Asdrubal Cabrera.
Potential Landing Spots: New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers
10. Colorado Rockies OF Carlos Gonzalez
5 of 14
Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal reported that the Colorado Rockies are listening to offers on Carlos Gonzalez, but there are roadblocks that stand in the way of a potential trade:
"Tulowitzki had a torn labrum in his right hip, Gonzalez a damaged patella tendon in his left knee. Both are progressing well in their rehabilitations, sources say, but interested teams likely would want assurances about the players’ respective conditions before moving forward in trade discussions.
"
In addition to the knee injury that ended his season, Gonzalez previously missed time due to inflammation in his left index finger, finishing 2014 with a .238 batting average and 11 home runs over 70 games.
Not exactly All-Star level.
Gonzalez just turned 29 years old, so he has some great years left in the tank if he can stay on the field.
For a team willing to gamble on that ability, he's owed $53 million over the next three seasons, so the long-term risk should not pose as a huge obstacle, considering a player like Melky Cabrera, who has considerably less talent and an expansive performance-enhancing drug history, is projected to get a five-year, $66 million contract, per Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors.
Another concern is the immense differences in Gonzalez's split stats:
| BA | HR | RBI | OBP | SLG | |
| Home | .329 | 82 | 295 | .387 | .601 |
| Road | .258 | 54 | 162 | .314 | .437 |
A healthy Gonzalez playing in Coors Field is a Hall of Famer. A healthy Gonzalez on the road is a middle-of-the-road outfielder, if not a little below average.
Rosenthal also reported on the asking price for both Tulo and CarGo:
"One rival official said the Rockies are willing to move Tulowitzki and Gonzalez but only for returns that would reflect their contributions when healthy. In other words, no discount for injury.
If the Rockies hold firm in that stance, it would be difficult for them to move either player this offseason. But if they are willing to be creative — and in Tulowitzki’s case, include cash in any deal — they could reshape their club dramatically.
"
Gonzalez has never played in more than 145 games, and that was back in 2010. As offense around baseball continues to decline, a team may think it has a buy-low candidate in Gonzalez, but I'd stay far, far away and save my money and resources for the players higher on this list.
Potential Landing Spots: New York Mets, Oakland A's, Chicago White Sox
9. Los Angeles Angels 2B Howie Kendrick
6 of 14
Howie Kendrick has been on the trading block for what seems like forever, and CBS Sports' Jon Heyman has the latest:
"The Angels aren't necessarily looking to trade Howie Kendrick or David Freese, but they are getting calls on both of them, and if they can acquire the right pitcher for either, they'd still consider it.
[...]
The only reason they would consider trading Kendrick at all is they have Gordon Beckham, who they acquired last summer from the White Sox and could play the position. They are also thought to be on the verge of signing Cuban infielder Roberto Baldoquin, with a good arm, hands and hitting abilities, though that deal isn't yet official. Scouts believe he could play in the big leagues at some point in 2015.
"
Heyman lists the Yankees and Blue Jays as teams that have already expressed interest in the 2011 All-Star. Kendrick has been a consistent hitter his entire career, as evidenced by his career .292 average, and brings with him some solid home run pop for a middle infielder, averaging 11 home runs a year over the past five years, not to mention his above-average defense.
Kendrick is owed $9.5 million next season before hitting free agency, so he won't bring back a big group of prospects, but he's a low-risk, high-quality piece to trade for heading into his age-31 season. I'm not sure why the Angels would rather hold onto Gordon Beckham.
Potential Landing Spots: New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets
8. San Diego Padres SPs Tyson Ross, Andrew Cashner, Ian Kennedy
7 of 14
Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal is reporting that the San Diego Padres are listening to offers on their top starting pitchers, Tyson Ross, Andrew Cashner and Ian Kennedy. He also lists the Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, Arizona Diamondbacks, Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs as teams with the biggest pitching needs.
Each pitcher is entering arbitration, with Kennedy's projected salary at $10 million and Ross and Cashner expected to get around $5 million.
Kennedy is the most proven of the bunch. A former Yankees top prospect, he won 21 games in 2011 with the Diamondbacks and won another 15 games the following season, despite a 4.02 ERA. In 2013, he struggled to a 4.91 ERA, but last season, he rebounded with a 3.63 ERA in Petco Park and profiles as a nice middle-of-the-rotation arm.
Ross is a 6'5" right-hander coming off a breakout season. He made his first All-Star game, pitching to the tune of a 2.81 ERA and 195 strikeouts in 195.2 innings. The problem is, prior to this season, he had a 4.34 ERA over 273.2 innings in just 21 starts. For teams that inquire, was the breakout Petco-induced? Or is the 2014 Ross the real deal? It seems like the Padres are trying to sell high, and rightly so.
Cashner has been a top prospect since he was drafted 18th overall by the Cubs in 2008. He looked like a usable piece in Chicago, but the team kept him in relief and ultimately traded him to the Padres for an up-and-coming first baseman in All-Star Anthony Rizzo. Over the last two seasons as a starter in San Diego, he has a 2.87 ERA and 221 strikeouts over 298.1 innings. He just can't stay healthy for a full season. He has the stuff of an ace and the stats to prove it; now he just has to stay on the field.
In other news, the Padres are also listening to offers for their catchers, according to CBS Sports' Jon Heyman
Potential Landing Spots: Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, Arizona Diamondbacks, Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs
7. Los Angeles Dodgers OF Matt Kemp
8 of 14
As I noted in the first slide about Ethier, Dodgers president Andrew Friedman said that his outfielders are on the trading block. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports and Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported that the Dodgers are shopping them aggressively, and while they prefer to trade Ethier or Crawford, they will listen to offers for Kemp. Here is a note from Sherman's piece:
"Dodgers officials have let teams know they are willing to kick in cash or take a problematic contract back to facilitate a trade. For example, the Dodgers are looking for a veteran back-end-of-the-rotation piece, so they could counteract some of the cash by trading Ethier or Crawford to the White Sox for John Danks (owed $28.5 million the next two years) or to the Orioles for Ubaldo Jimenez (owed $37.75 million over the next three years).
The Dodgers have informed potential suitors that the better the return, the more they would be willing to pay. That is not necessarily the case with Kemp, who after battling injuries returned to a star level in the second half to finish with 25 homers and an .852 OPS.
"
Kemp is no stranger to the rumor mill, as his name frequently came up over the summer, despite GM Ned Colletti's best attempts at killing the rumors. ESPN Boston's Gordon Edes reported that the Red Sox were interested.
After a strong second half in which Kemp hit .309 with 17 home runs in just 64 games, he looked like the player who deserved the NL MVP award in 2011. However, as good as he looked, the injury concern is still a big factor. Over the past three seasons, Kemp has averaged only 110 games playedm and even when he was on the field in 2013, he hit just six home runs in 73 games.
In addition, he's owed $107 million over the next five seasons. Considering he's already 30 years old and he's turned into a terrible defensive outfielder, costing the Dodgers 23 runs in the field last season, according to Baseball-Reference.com, I'm not sure an NL team would be able to trade for him. CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reported that Kemp is generating some interest, and one AL team would make sense:
"Word is, there is some interest in Kemp after his nice second half in LA last year, so he could be the right-handed middle-of-the-order bat several teams need. The Mariners are prominent among teams looking for a cleanup hitter to bat behind Robinson Cano, and they have their eye on switch hitter Victor Martinez and several others, including Hanley Ramirez and possibly Justin Upton, who recently removed Seattle from his four-team no-trade list.
"
With V-Mart off the market after re-signing with the Tigers, maybe Kemp is the Mariners' best bet.
Potential Landing Spots: Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets
6. Philadelphia Phillies LHP Cole Hamels
9 of 14
As mentioned previously, the Phillies are "trying to blow up" their roster, per Jim Salisbury of CSN Philly, and GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said, "We’re open to talk about anybody.”
Despite a subpar win-loss record over the past two years (17-23), Cole Hamels is coming off one of his best seasons, with a career-best 2.46 ERA, and as such, the price to acquire him is reportedly very high. CSN Philly's Jim Salisbury has the latest:
"Industry sources say the Phils are looking for at least three top prospects, two that can play right now and another that isn’t far away. The Cubs and Red Sox are two known suitors and both have the farm systems to get a deal done — if they are willing to meet the Phillies’ rightfully high asking price.
[...]
Hamels has a limited no-trade clause, but that shouldn’t be an impediment to a deal. Though he has said all the right things, Hamels is eager to pitch for a winner again. He is owed $96 million over the next four seasons and he’d be smart to have the Cubs, Red Sox and Dodgers on his no-trade clause.
"
Amaro spoke with Bob Nightengale of USA Today about what Hamels is thinking and how he expects the market to develop:
"He was neutral when I talked to him. Happy to go. I think he wants to win, but he signed his contract, and he plans on honoring the contract obviously.
"
5. Boston Red Sox of Yoenis Cespedes
10 of 14
The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo reported in October that "word [was] spreading" that the Red Sox were making Yoenis Cespedes available.
Bill Maddon of the New York Daily News later reported that Cespedes’ decision to switch agents to Roc Nation increased the likelihood the Red Sox would trade the Cuban slugger this winter. He also reported the outfielder “marches to his own drum and the coaches all hate him,” per a Red Sox insider.
Like any manager would, John Farrell denied the "unfounded" report:
"Totally surprised and completely off guard. It’s unfortunate that a comment like that is made from elsewhere because we had two full months with Yoenis, and I think you get a pretty good feel for a player or a person when you’re around them every day for the length of time in a given day that we are with him.
We know him to be one thing, and that is a guy that works well. He became a very good and strong performer in the middle of our lineup. We’re happy he’s here and certainly looking forward to building a lineup with him in the middle of it next year.
Completely unfounded, and kind of a shame that someone would write something like that because we see him and have come to know of him completely 180 degrees from what was written.
"
Red Sox GM Ben Cherington acknowledged the trade rumors and downplayed them to MLB.com's Ian Browne:
"We're happy to have him. We felt like as we were building a lineup for next year, adding that power element in the middle of the lineup was critically important to us. So now that we have it, we're not really anxious to give it away. We believe he's very important in 2015, and 2015 is very important to us.
"
All that being said, Cespedes is drawing interest on the trade market, per Cafardo. With just one year left on his deal and Cespedes saying it's "too soon" to know if he wants to sign a long-term deal or reach free agency, the Red Sox are doing their due diligence on what they'd be able to get in a trade for the Cuban star, and rightly so.
Potential Landing Spots: Philadelphia Phillies, Seattle Mariners, Chicago White Sox, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals
4. Colorado Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki
11 of 14
Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal reported earlier this offseason that the Rockies were listening to offers for both Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez.
New Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich commented on the possibility of moving the franchise's stars:
"They're marquee guys. It's the best shortstop in the game when healthy, and it's arguably the best left fielder in the game when healthy. The recognition of that type of talent makes it tough to swallow the pill of wanting to trade these guys.
For us to even start to wrap our heads around moving these guys is a tough one. It's not just a casual type of process. We have to internally feel like this is something we want to entertain.
"
Back in August, Tulo added fuel to the trade rumor fire, telling The Denver Post, "something needs to change" before 2015:
"I think that's why I came out numerous times and said I want to win. It doesn't mean I want out of here. It means I'm sick and tired of losing.
Something needs to change. Hopefully that comes fairly quickly. You can't force it. But at the same time, we're all frustrated with this year — especially me.
"
The problem for the Rockies is that Tulo can't stay healthy. He underwent hip surgery in August, which prematurely ended his 2014 season, and it remains a long-term concern. He's missed 222 games over the past three seasons with other injuries to his groin and his ribs.
In addition, he's guaranteed $114 million through 2020, with a $15 million team option and $4 million buyout for the 2021 season. That's an incredible amount of risk for a 30-year-old.
At the same time, his talent is undeniable, and when he's on the field, he's the best shortstop in baseball. He had career highs in batting average (.340) and slugging percentage (.603) this past season, finishing tied for second among all shortstops in home runs (21), despite playing in 60 less games than fellow leaders Ian Desmond (154) and Jhonny Peralta (157).
The Mets were rumored to have inquired about him, but the Rockies GM quickly denied the rumor, and Adam Rubin of ESPN followed up by adding that the trade was "not happening".
As the offseason heats up, the Tulo market will definitely stay hot. If the price to get him remains top prospects and taking on his entire salary, I don't think the deal gets done, but if the Rockies drop the price a little bit, we'll have ourselves an interesting winter.
Potential Landing Spots: New York Mets, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels
3. Washington Nationals RHP Jordan Zimmermann
12 of 14
A 28-year-old right-handed pitcher who's 53-33 with a 3.00 ERA in 777 innings over the past four years. You're telling me he's on the block?
Yup. Well, maybe.
Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote that the Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals were in talks to acquire Zimmermann, but Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune later denied the report, saying the teams haven't exchanged names.
Zimmermann had Tommy John surgery in 2009, but he hasn't looked back since, ranking 12th among all pitchers in WAR since 2011, according to FanGraphs. He's due $16.5 million in 2015 in the final season of his two-year deal, but the Nationals haven't begun discussing an extension with him yet, per James Wegner of The Washington Post—and that is cause for concern to the folks in Washington.
The problem with a potential trade is this: What do the Nationals need? They have a hole at second base, but other than that, their roster is loaded. Would Nationals GM Mike Rizzo trade an ace-caliber pitcher for future resources while his team is in prime position to contend for the 2015 World Series?
I find it hard to believe.
However, there's a reason this is rumors season. We get to fantasize about a potential trade, and if the Nationals don't plan on re-signing him, we may see something come to fruition.
Potential Landing Spot: Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Atlanta Braves OFs Justin Upton, Jason Heyward, Evan Gattis
13 of 14
Monday Nov. 17 Update:
Braves traded Jason Heyward to the Cardinals for RHP Shelby Miller in a four-player deal.
Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak continues to shine as he finds a replacement for Oscar Taveras, trading an overrated pitcher in Shelby Miller to do it while new Braves executive John Hart looks like he panicked.
-----
New Atlanta Braves general manager John Hart suggested that the Braves may be headed for a brief rebuild with an eye on the 2017 campaign, when their new stadium opens. What better way to start than to deal away two All-Star outfielders, Justin Upton and Jason Heyward, who are going to be free agents after the 2015 season?
In that report, David O'Brien of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution mentions that Upton, Heyward and catcher/outfielder Evan Gattis are all "drawing considerable trade interest."
CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reported similar interest:
"The Braves aren't said to be shopping the two outfield stars or young catcher but they are certainly open to listening to inquiries.
[...]
Heyward and Upton would be two of the very best position players on the market if the Braves are serious about possibly moving them. Atlanta is an unusual spot as a team that's fallen behind NL East champion Washington, doesn't have an especially deep farm system and is planning for a new stadium and much bigger revenues in a few years.
While Heyward and Upton only have a year to go before free agency, the asking prices would be high on them. Upton hit 29 home runs, drove in 102 runs and won the Silver Slugger. Heyward was a Platinum Glove finalist.
"
Bleacher Report Lead Writer Zachary D. Rymer had an interesting take on whether the Braves should look into dealing their outfielders, including Gattis, and what their values are. Whether the Braves pull the trigger or not, Upton and Heyward would require significant returns, even though they are free agents after the 2015 season. It's always hard to trade a superstar, especially a homegrown one such as Heyward, but as Rymer notes, in this case, it could make sense for the Braves, and there certainly will be tons of teams calling.
Potential Landing Spots: Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles
1. Chicago Cubs SS Starlin Castro
14 of 14
The Mets and Cubs seem like a match made in trade heaven.
The Mets, who are looking for a shortstop, have oodles of prized young pitchers, both already in the MLB (Zack Wheeler, Jacob deGrom) and top prospects (Noah Syndergaard, Rafael Montero) on the cusp who are ready to contribute in a big way in 2015.
The Cubs, meanwhile, have three high-quality shortstops in Starlin Castro, Javier Baez and top prospect Addison Russell, who will be MLB-ready at some point in 2015, if not Opening Day.
So, what's the problem?
According to multiple Mets reporters, like Andy Martino of the New York Daily News and Marc Carig of Newsday, if has been "difficult, if not impossible" for the teams to agree on Castro's value, with the Cubs not giving any indication they'd even be willing to trade a shortstop.
However, back in July, John Harper of the New York Daily News reported that a member of the Cubs organization called the Mets a "perfect match"
Clearly, there is some negotiating going on here, as the two sides do fit. Wheeler is a 24-year-old top-of-the-rotation arm who's coming off an 11-win season, during which he had 187 strikeouts in 185.1 innings. DeGrom just won the NL Rookie of the Year award thanks to his 2.69 ERA and 144 strikeouts in 140 innings.
Castro is 24 years old but already has three All-Star games under his belt. He is a career .284 hitter coming off a .292 season with 14 homers and slightly below-average defense, according to Baseball-Reference.com. He's signed for $43 million through the 2019 season with a $16 million team option for 2020, which makes his contract one of the best in baseball.
The Cubs are going to spend big on one starting pitcher this offseason, per CBS Sports' Jon Heyman. There's room for only so many shortstops, so it's only a matter of time before the Cubs trade one of them. Castro led the league in hits as a 21-year-old, has three All-Star appearances under his belt and, after struggling in 2013, bounced back with another All-Star season this past year.
These types of players don't come around very often, and when they're signed to a team-friendly deal (he's owed $43 million over the next five years with a $16 million team option for 2020), they earn the top spot on my list.
Potential Landing Spots: New York Mets

.png)







