2015 MLB Trade Deadline Target Tool-by-Tool Power Rankings

As the 2015 MLB trade deadline rapidly approaches, there promises to be plenty of buzz surrounding the likes of Johnny Cueto and Carlos Gomez.

It's easy enough to understand why. Cueto has a nasty arsenal of pitches, and Gomez has the ability to impact the game on the bases, in the field and at the plate. In other words, the Cincinatti Reds' ace and the Milwaukee Brewers' center fielder are two of the toolsiest players who could hit the trade block.

What follows are power rankings of trade-deadline targets on a tool-by-tool basis. Here are the six tools that have been ranked:

• Best power
• Best average
• Most speed
• Best defense
• Nastiest stuff
• Best command

The players under consideration for these power rankings fall into two groups. The first are big leaguers like Cueto who are set to become free agents at the end of the season. The second are guys like Gomez who are great players on not so great teams.

Lots of All-Stars and Gold Glovers dominate the rankings, but there's also room for a few unheralded vets to rise right to the top.

Best Power

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

The Key Criteria: Home runs, slugging percentage and isolated power

The Honorable Mentions

• Carlos Gonzalez, RF, Colorado Rockies
• Carlos Gomez, CF, Milwaukee Brewers
• Marlon Byrd, LF, Cincinnati Reds
• Mark Trumbo, 1B/DH/OF, Seattle Mariners
• Adam LaRoche, 1B/DH, Chicago White Sox

The Top Five

5. Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Colorado Rockies

With just 10 jacks, Troy Tulowitzki is last in that department of the five players who cracked this list. However, the five-time All-Star has been racking up extra-base hits, as he's connected on 19 doubles. Plus, Tulo has an impressive track record, as the owner of .514 slugging percentage in 10 years in the majors.

4. Jay Bruce, RF, Cincinnati Reds

Having reached the 30-home run plateau on three occasions, there's no question that Jay Bruce can do some serious damage at the plate. After a lackluster 2014, the Cincinnati Reds right fielder has rediscovered that stroke in the first half of the season. His 13 homers are fifth-most among players in the top five, and his ISO (.214) is third-best, per FanGraphs.

3. Ryan Howard, 1B, Philadelphia Phillies

Playing in the fourth season of a five-year, $125 million deal, it's going to be difficult for the Phillies to find any takers for Ryan Howard. But in terms of pure power, he actually is one of the top trade options. His 15 bombs are tied for the most of any player on this list.

2. Justin Upton, LF, San Diego Padres

Just Upton has major pop. Just look at the numbers. Even though he's playing in the hitter's graveyard that is Petco Park, the San Diego Padres All-Star left fielder has 14 home runs and 48 RBI.

According to Jayson Stark of ESPN.com, the clock is ticking in San Diego for the pending free agent. One American League exec told Stark, "He ain't signing there. They know that." If that's the case, it's time for the disappointing Pads to cash in on this bat.

1. Adam Lind, 1B, Milwaukee Brewers

Adam Lind might not have seemed like the obvious pick here, but it's difficult to disagree with the numbers. Of all the mashers taken into consideration, the Milwaukee Brewers first baseman is tied for first in home runs (15) and is at the top of the charts in slugging percentage (.512) and ISO (.220), per FanGraphs.

Best Average

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

The Key Criteria: Batting average and batting average on balls in play

The Honorable Mentions

• Gomez
• Charlie Blackmon, CF, Colorado Rockies
• Jean Segura, SS, Milwaukee Brewers

The Top Five

5. Lind

Lind's .292 average in 2015 is slightly deceptive. While the figure looks impressive, it has to be noted that he is significantly more productive when facing right-handed pitching. Against righties, the 31-year-old checks in at .305, but against southpaws his average drops to .231.

4. Gerardo Parra, OF, Milwaukee Brewers

With a .309 average, Gerardo Parra simply couldn't be left out of the top five. However, it is worth wondering if his strong first half is sustainable. The outfielder, who has a career .277 average, has benefited from an unusually high batting average on balls in play. Parra's .345 BABIP was the second highest of all players on this list, according to FanGraphs.

3. Ben Revere, OF, Philadelphia

Ben Revere takes a ton of heat for his poor on-base skills (.326 OBP in 2015), but he sure can hit for average. The Philadelphia Phillies table-setter has hit .294 or higher in each of the past four seasons.

2. Gonzalez

CarGo's .259 average might not look like much, but it's important to remember just how slowly he started the season. Gonzalez hit .200 in April and .235 in May, but he's since taken off. In June, he swung at a clip of .280, and in July he's batting .366.

1. Tulowitzki

Tulo is the king of this list. On the season, the 30-year-old is seventh in the National League with a .313 average. Hitting at a high clip is nothing new for the shortstop either. Since arriving at Coors Field in 2006, he has posted a .300 average.

Most Speed

Michael Perez/Associated Press

The Key Criteria: Steals and triples

The Honorable Mentions

• Parra
• Will Venable, OF, San Diego Padres

The Top Five

5. Segura

Segura can definitely cause a disruption on the bases. Back in 2013, the Brewers shortstop logged 44 steals. But it has to be noted that he has a nasty habit of getting thrown out. That season, Segura was caught stealing 13 times. In 2015, the 25-year-old is 12-for-15 in steal attempts.

4. Gomez

Gomez has only tallied seven steals in the opening half of 2015, but his resume suggests that he's capable of much more than that. The center fielder has run past the 30-steal plateau in four different seasons.

3. Upton

Even if he's best known for his pop, Upton has always been a player with excellent speed. San Diego's left fielder has totaled 18 steals or more on four occasions, and he's well on his way to surpassing that milestone in 2015. The most impressive aspect of the 28-year-old's 17 steals is that he's done so while only getting thrown out once.

2. Blackmon

With 23 steals, Blackmon isn't just the leader in that category among all players considered for this list—he ranks third among all players in the bigs. The Rockies' table-setter has also been using his wheels to rack up triples, as he's tallied five three-base hits in 2015.

1. Revere

Revere hasn't stopped running since he broke into the majors back in 2010.

The Phillies' spark plug has ripped off 40 steals or more on two occasions and has a chance of making it three in 2015, as he's swiped 21 bags. Plus, he leads MLB with six triples.

Best Defense

The Key Criteria: Defensive runs saved, outfield assists and Gold Gloves

The Honorable Mentions

• Lind
• Segura
• Tulowitzki
• Bruce

The Top Five

5. Juan Uribe, 3B, Atlanta Braves

Juan Uribe has already been traded once this season, but it's not out of the question to think he could be on the move again before the end of the month. As Bill Shanks of the Macon Telegraph argues, the third baseman might be the most valuable chip of all the Atlanta Braves' "rental veterans."

Uribe is hitting .291 since joining the Braves and has a history of playing stellar defense at third. In 2014, he saved 17 runs in the field even though he only played in 102 games, per FanGraphs.

4. Blackmon

Blackmon's greatest defensive weapon is his arm. The 29-year-old, who has experience patrolling all three outfield spots, has recorded seven assists to lead all NL outfielders.

3. Upton

Upton doesn't have much of a reputation as a standout defender, but he's been impressing with his glove and his arm in 2015. Upton leads all of the players who were considered for this list with seven runs saved, per FanGraphs. The left fielder has also already tied a career high with six assists for the Padres.

2. Parra

A two-time Gold Glover, Parra, who can handle all three outfield spots, provides plenty of defensive value. In 2015, he's been making excellent use of his limited opportunities with the Brewers. In 29 games in center, Parra has already recorded four assists.

1. Gomez

Gomez is one of the premier center fielders in the game.

His best season in the field came back in 2013, when he won a Gold Glove and saved a staggering 38 runs, according to FanGraphs. Gomez has only saved three runs in 2015, but as you can see in the MLB.com video above, he's still capable of covering all sorts of ground.

Nastiest Stuff

John Minchillo/Associated Press

The Key Criteria: Strikeout rate, pitch velocity and effectiveness with individual pitches and entire arsenals

The Honorable Mentions

• Andrew Cashner, SP, San Diego Padres
• Tyler Clippard, RP, Oakland Athletics
• Jonathan Papelbon, RP, Philadelphia Phillies
• Jeff Samardzija, SP, Chicago White Sox

The Top Five

5. Francisco Rodriguez, RP, Milwaukee Brewers

According to Brooks Baseball, Francisco Rodriguez has been throwing his changeup more than 43 percent of the time in 2015. It's easy enough to understand why. Simply put, it can't be hit. This season, the opposition is batting .057 against the pitch.

"It's about making adjustment every day and trying to make it difficult for [the hitters] as far as interrupting their timing, throwing pitchers their not expecting," Rodriguez said, via Adam McCalvy and Brandon Curry of MLB.com. "Pretty much playing a mental game with them."

The mental game is definitely working. Rodriguez, now the master of the changeup, has come a long way from his days as a reliever who relied on an electric fastball and a filthy slider.

4. Scott Kazmir, SP, Oakland Athletics

For Scott Kazmir, it's all about speeding things up and slowing things down. The Oakland Athletics' lefty, who posted a 2.49 ERA in the first half, has held opposing hitters to a .165 average when throwing his four-seam fastball and a .161 average when chucking his changeup, per Brooks Baseball.

3. Cole Hamels, SP, Philadelphia Phillies

The changeup has been a game-changer for Cole Hamels.

The lefty ace uses that off-speed pitch to devastating effect, as opponents hit just .186 against his changeup while slugging at a dismal rate of .266, according to Brooks Baseball.

2. Johnny Cueto, SP, Cincinnati Reds

Johnny Cueto is just no fun to face.

The righty, who is set to hit the free-agent market this winter, has dominated with four different pitches in 2015. So far, Cueto has held opponents to a .198 average or lower when utilizing his four-seamer, sinker, changeup and curveball, per Brooks Baseball.

With so many weapons at his disposal, it's no wonder that Cueto has reeled off a 2.73 ERA and become one of the most sought-after arms on the market in the process.

1. Aroldis Chapman, RP, Cincinnati Reds

Aroldis Chapman is the definition of nasty.

The Cuban has racked up a ratio of 15.7 strikeouts per nine innings thanks to a four-seam fastball that averages 100.7 mph, according to Brooks Baseball. He backs that gas up with a changeup that clocks in at around 89 mph and a slider that averages better than 88 mph. That slider is all but untouchable, as the opposition owns a .105 average against that pitch.

Best Command

Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

The Key Criteria: Walk rate

The Honorable Mentions

• Mike Leake, SP, Cincinnati Reds
• Brad Ziegler, RP, Arizona Diamondbacks
• Aaron Harang, SP, Philadelphia Phillies

The Top Five

5. Papelbon

There's no faster way for a relief pitcher to get into trouble than to dish out free passes. When it comes to relievers who stay in the zone, no one is better than Papelbon. The veteran closer has a ratio of 1.9 walks per nine innings, which is tops among all the bullpen arms considered for this list.

4. Kyle Lohse, SP, Milwaukee Brewers

With a 5-10 record and a 6.17 ERA, just about nothing has gone right for Kyle Lohse. One positive sign for the right-hander is that his command hasn't abandoned him during his train wreck of a first half. He has posted a 1.9 BB/9 ratio, which is significantly lower than his career average (2.4).

3. Samardzija

Samardzija's 1.7 BB/9 ratio is tied for the lowest mark of any pitcher on this list. However, the track record indicates that The Shark likely won't be able to keep that figure so low all season. During his major league career, Samardzija has averaged three walks for every nine innings.

2. Cueto

There are all sorts of reasons to explain why Cueto is one of the premier starters in the game. His knack for throwing strikes is definitely near the top of the list. The Dominican has put up a 1.7 BB/9 ratio, which is the lowest mark in his eight years in the majors.

1. Dan Haren, SP, Miami Marlins

It's not the velocity of his four-seam fastball, which Brooks Baseball clocks at around 87 mph, that has allowed Dan Haren to post a 3.24 ERA in 2015. It's his uncanny ability to locate it. He is the owner of a 1.8 BB/9 ratio, which is right in line with his 1.9 average in 13 big league seasons.

Note: All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com, MLB.com, FanGraphs and Brooks Baseball. All videos courtesy of MLB.com.

If you want to talk baseball, find me on Twitter @KarlBuscheck.