MLB Teams That Need to Aggressively Sell at the 2015 Trade Deadline

Every year, the players who figure to be traded before the MLB trade deadline steal the headlines. Fans across baseball wait on pins and needles, hoping their favorite teams can acquire that impact player who pushes them over the hump. 

But over the next few slides, we're going to shift that focus to the teams that hold all the cards—the ones with the impact players who can be turned into top-tier prospects. 

Organizations like the Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers and Oakland A's may reside at the bottom of the standings, but each club has multiple assets that will pique the interest of any contender. By fully committing to a rebuild, the teams on this list can significantly expedite the process. 

We'll take a closer look at the players who could be on the trade block over the next few weeks. Make sure to let your voices be heard in the comment section below. Which assets should these teams keep? Who can bring back the best return? You get the idea. 

Here we go!

San Diego Padres

Gregory Bull/Associated Press/Associated Press

Admitting defeat won't be easy, but the A.J. Preller needs to recoup value from his free-agents-to-be.

Potential Trade Chips

Justin Upton, Craig Kimbrel, Andrew Cashner, Tyson Ross, Ian Kennedy, Will Venable, Joaquin Benoit, Shawn Kelley 

The Skinny

Look, sometimes in life things just don't work out the way they're supposed to. That pretty much sums up the 2015 San Diego Padres. 

After winning the winter World Series over the offseason, the Padres have significantly underachieved. San Diego has already fired Bud Black and seems unlikely to ascend back into the playoff race. 

The Padres and general manager A.J. Preller are in a precarious situation. Despite an ugly record, baseball matters again in San Diego, and the organization doesn't want to undo the goodwill its built since last winter. 

Be that as it may, San Diego has a handful of assets that contenders will be interested in. With the club's playoff hopes dwindling, Preller needs to seriously consider any proposed deal. 

Justin Upton's chances of being dealt improve with every loss. The powerful outfielder has hit 14 homers and driven in 46 runs in 2015. With his contract set to expire after the season, San Diego would be foolish not to flip him for prospects.

The Padres have plenty of other assets to offer outside of Upton. Ian Kennedy, Will Venable and Shawn Kelley will also be free agents in 2016 and could aid a contender down the stretch. 

Nobody would be surprised to see the aforementioned players shipped out of San Diego, but it'll be interesting to see where Preller draws the line. What about Craig Kimbrel, Tyson Ross and Andrew Cashner? 

Regardless, Preller and the rest of the Padres brass need to swallow their pride and make the best of a bad situation. 

Predicted Players Traded

Upton, Cashner, Kennedy, Venable, Kelley 

Philadelphia Phillies

Matt Slocum/Associated Press

Will Cole Hamels be the only Phillies player traded before July 31?

Potential Trade Chips

Cole Hamels, Jonathan Papelbon, Chase Utley, Aaron Harang, Ryan Howard, Ben Revere 

The Skinny

Will the Philadelphia Phillies finally be able to rid themselves of the big-money contracts that have crippled the franchise over the past few years? 

They need to be. The Phillies have improved their farm system over the last few seasons and could really expedite their rebuild by constructing deals for their seasoned veterans. 

The eyes of the baseball world will be locked on the Cole Hamels saga over the coming weeks. Hamels has been on the trade block for what seems like an eternity, but he figures to be wearing a different uniform in the second half. The southpaw has been fantastic in 2015, making the $70-94 million (depending on what happens with his 2018 option year) he's owed a much more manageable tab. 

Outside of Hamels, closer Jonathan Papelbon will also drawn interest. The right-hander has a sub-2.00 ERA and is perfect in 14 save opportunities. Money is also an issue when talking about Papelbon—he's owed $13 million in 2016—but he's still the best reliever on the market.

Chase Utley and Ryan Howard find themselves in similar situations. Both are pegged to make ludicrous amounts of cash despite being well past their best days. There's likely no situation where a team decides to take on that much salary for an unproductive player. 

Aaron Harang, a free agent-to-be, and Ben Revere are two other names to keep an eye on leading up to the July 31 deadline. 

The Phillies have plenty of ammunition to make a move (or two). They may have to be creative to do so, but acquiring impact prospects over the coming weeks will pay dividends down the road.

Predicted Players Traded

Hamels, Papelbon, Harang, Revere

Oakland A's

Reinhold Matay/Associated Press

Rebuilding a team is nothing new for Billy Beane.

Potential Trade Chips

Scott Kazmir, Ben Zobrist, Tyler Clippard, Josh Reddick, Jesse Chavez, Stephen Vogt, Edward Mujica, Ike Davis

The Skinny

What a difference a year makes. 

This time last season, general manager Billy Beane and the Oakland A's were considered a favorite to win the American League and aggressively pursued the likes of Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel for the stretch run.

Fast-forward to 2015, and the A's are clear-cut sellers. Fortunately for Oakland, the organization has multiple assets it can turn into premium young talent. 

The most attractive trade candidate is free agent-to-be Scott Kazmir. Kazmir recently left a game with a minor triceps injury, but he's proven to be one of the top left-handed pitchers in baseball this season. In 17 starts, Kazmir has posted a 2.49 ERA. 

Ben Zobrist and Tyler Clippard will also be searching for new teams at the end of the season, making them likely trade bait. Zobrist is a dependable hitter with more versatility than virtually every other player in baseball. Clippard has a 2.52 ERA in 34 games out of the Oakland bullpen this season. 

If Beane decides to fully commit to selling, Josh Reddick and Stephen Vogt could also be on the block. Reddick is under contract through next season, while Vogt won't hit free agency until the winter of 2020. Both are unlikely to go, but Beane will surely listen if an interested team comes calling. 

Edward Mujica and Ike Davis are solid bargain pieces, while Jesse Chavez is an under-the-radar hurler who could be plugged into the back end of a rotation. 

Oakland could look drastically different over the next few weeks. But Beane has been here before, so A's fans should feel confident that their club is in good hands with the deadline looming. 

Predicted Players Traded

Kazmir, Zobrist, Clippard, Mujica, Davis

Milwaukee Brewers

Morry Gash/Associated Press

Carlos Gomez is one of many Brewers with trade value.

Potential Trade Chips

Carlos Gomez, Adam Lind, Gerardo Parra, Francisco Rodriguez, Kyle Lohse, Aramis Ramirez, Jean Segura, Will Smith 

The Skinny

The Milwaukee Brewers lack any semblance of depth on the farm, so acquiring quality young talent must be a priority before the deadline. 

For a team that's in last place in the National League Central, the Brewers actually have some attractive trade chips to offer contenders. 

That group is headlined by Carlos Gomez. The talented outfielder has hit over 70 homers and swiped over 100 bases since 2012. He'll be a free agent after the 2016 season, and Milwaukee won't be able to pay the 29-year-old what he's going to command on the free-agent market. Finding a suitor for Gomez should be Milwaukee's primary focus over the next few weeks. 

The Brewers can also offer two of the most underrated hitters on the trade market. Adam Lind is killing the baseball this season, hitting 15 homers with a wRC+ of 146. Gerardo Parra is a versatile outfielder who's in the midst of a career year.

Teams may also be interested in Jean Segura, a talented shortstop who's struggled with consistency throughout his career. Veteran slugger Aramis Ramirez could also be on the move, but the third baseman is likely content finishing out his career in Milwaukee. 

Of the likeliest Milwaukee relievers to swap teams, left-hander Will Smith makes the most sense. Teams in need of starting pitching could be willing to take a flier on Kyle Lohse as well. He's been horrible this season, but his track record suggests value remains. 

The Brewers won't be happy with their situation, but it could be much worse. With a few shrewd moves, Milwaukee will be back sooner than expected. 

Predicted Players Traded

Gomez, Lind, Parra, Lohse, Smith

Cincinnati Reds

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

The Reds will trade Johnny Cueto, but they shouldn't stop there.

Potential Trade Chips

Johnny Cueto, Aroldis Chapman, Todd Frazier, Jay Bruce, Mike Leake, Marlon Byrd, Manny Parra

The Skinny

If the Cincinnati Reds play it right over the next few weeks, the organization won't have to sit through a long, drawn-out rebuilding process. 

Cincinnati has impact trade chips throughout the roster. Some will certainly be dealt, while others will take some convincing. 

Johnny Cueto is arguably the top starting pitcher on the trade market. The right-hander has posted a sub-3.00 ERA in every season since 2011. Cueto's headed for the next massive contract for a starting pitcher, which will likely push him out of Cincinnati's price range. By trading Cueto, the Reds are already going to add multiple quality prospects to the farm system. 

There's little doubt Mike Leake, Manny Parra and Marlon Byrd will join Cueto in exiting Cincinnati, but that's where the certainty ends. However, Cincinnati has two difference-making trade chips who just might be available as the deadline draws nearer.

Strikeout machine Aroldis Chapman is one of the top relievers in the game and will be a free agent after next season. The market for Chapman would be second to none, and after seeing the return the Atlanta Braves received for Craig Kimbrel, it's something Cincinnati should definitely consider. 

The other game-changer is slugger Todd Frazier. The 29-year-old has been one of the premier right-handed hitters in the NL in 2015, mashing 25 homers with a wRC+ of 152. Frazier won't hit the free-agent market until 2018, but he's already 29, and his value is at an all-time high. 

The Reds have a solid mix of impact players and serviceable pieces to significantly improve the organization's future. No team wants to trade its best players, but Cincinnati's path back to relevance is dependent upon how its front office handles the market over the coming weeks. 

Predicted Players Traded

Cueto, Chapman, Leake, Byrd, Parra

Advanced stats courtesy of FanGraphs and accurate as of July 9.