Top MLB Prospect Chips to Watch During Trade Deadline Madness

Troy Tulowitzki. Johnny Cueto. Scott Kazmir. Tyler Clippard. Don't look away, baseball fans, game-changing trades are coming in at a fast and furious pace. 

The major league assets involved in deadline deals always receive the majority of the attention, and rightfully so. But over the next few slides, we'll identify some intriguing prospects who figure to be dealt before the end of the week. 

What makes these youngsters ones to watch? For one, their names are likely to be included in any sort of worthwhile deal.

Jake Thompson, Javier Baez and Brandon Nimmo's phones haven't rung yet, but it will difficult for the Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs or New York Mets to improve without making them available. 

Another reason? The following players are all highly regarded talents with bright futures. We've already seen what Baez and Houston's Domingo Santana are capable of, but Thompson, Nimmo and Jose De Leon will have places on every top-prospect list by season's end. 

Would you be OK with your favorite team parting with the guys on this list? Are you excited about the few players listed who have already been dealt? Let your voices be heard in the comments section below!

Javier Baez

2015 Stats (AAA): .317/.387/.572, 10 HR, 31 RBI, 21 R, 7 SB, 41 K, 11 BB

The Chicago Cubs have numerous prospect trade chips, allowing them to approach the deadline a number of different ways. 

But a familiar name continues to pop up in rumors and speculation involving the Cubbies—infielder Javier Baez. 

Baez made his major league debut last season, hitting nine homers in 52 games. Unfortunately, he was only able to manage a .169 average and struck out an alarming 41.5 percent of the time. Sure, Baez is young, but those swing-and-miss statistics definitely cooled his momentum. 

But his stock has risen with a fine display in 38 Triple-A games. Baez is hitting over .300 with a .387 on-base percentage and 10 homers. More importantly, the 22-year-old has limited his strikeouts. Yes, he's still fanning over 25 percent of the time, but that improvement is a fantastic sign for a player who still has his whole career in front of him. 

As mentioned above, there's no guarantee that Theo Epstein and the rest of the Cubs brain trust want to make a significant splash before the deadline.

But if the right deal comes along, Baez is the high-upside talent who could land that big fish. In fact, ESPN's Jayson Stark has reported that "the Cubs are dangling Javier Baez and Starlin Castro as the centerpieces of a potential deal" involving Phillies ace Cole Hamels. 

Although his prospect status is gone, Baez's return to Triple-A in 2015 allows us to cheat a bit here. Keep an eye on how the Cubs decide to handle the next few days, because it will give the baseball world a clear indication of Baez's availability. 

Jose De Leon

2015 Stats (A+/AA): 6-5, 3.16 ERA, 94 IP, 132 K, 33 BB, .197 average against

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been linked to virtually every starting pitcher on the market, but they have been reluctant to part with top prospects Corey Seager and Julio Urias. 

Los Angeles' stance is understandable. Baseball America has both Seager (No. 1) and Urias (No. 4) in the top five of its midseason rankings. But the Dodgers still have a fantastic fallback option in right-hander Jose De Leon. 

De Leon has skyrocketed into the top 20 of those same rankings, thanks to his stellar production since the beginning of 2014. Take a look at what he's done over four different levels of minor league ball:

• 2014 (R): 5-0, 2.65 ERA, 54.1 IP, 12.75 K/9, 3.15 BB/9

• 2014 (A): 2-0, 1.19 ERA, 22.2 IP, 16.98 K/9, 1.91 BB/9

• 2015 (A+): 4-1, 1.67 ERA, 37.2 IP, 13.86 K/9, 1.91 BB/9 

• 2015 (AA): 2-4, 4.15 ERA, 56.1 IP, 11.82 K/9, 3.99 BB/9  

There are two things to take away from those numbers. Obviously De Leon hasn't been as dominant in Double-A, but he's hardly the first hurler to face issues at that level. More importantly, De Leon has continued to post jaw-dropping strikeout totals even with a surge in ERA. 

The moral of the story: The 22-year-old has elite stuff that's only going to improve before he ascends to the big leagues. 

With the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants suddenly in their rear-view, L.A. will certainly deal for an impact starter before Friday. But if the Dodgers are unwilling to include Seager or Urias, they will likely have to part with their fastest-rising prospect. 

Brandon Nimmo

2015 Stats (A+/AA): .272/.355/.359, 2 HR, 19 RBI, 30 R, 58 K, 32 BB

The New York Mets could be done dealing after acquiring Juan Uribe, Kelly Johnson and Tyler Clippard, but if the club wants to make a legitimate impact move, it may have to listen to offers for outfielder Brandon Nimmo. 

Nimmo was drafted in the first round of the 2011 draft and has maneuvered his way to Double-A in 2015. He moved into Baseball America's top 50 prospects at the midway point of the season, which indicates he's a prospect with ever-improving value. 

The 22-year-old won't blow you away with his power or speed, but he's one of the most polished hitters in the minor leagues. Take a look at his career minor league walk and on-base percentages when he's played at least 60 games:

• 2012 (A-): 14.3 percent, .372 OBP

• 2013 (A): 14.8 percent, .397 OBP 

• 2014 (A+): 17.9 percent, .448 OBP

• 2014 (AA): 12.9 percent, .339 OBP

• 2015 (AA): 8.6 percent, .354 OBP 

People fall in love with the power, but Nimmo's skill set is actually better suited for today's MLB. He doesn't have to hit for a high average to affect the game. If Nimmo develops into a 10-to-15-homer guy, we could be talking about one of the game's top future table-setters. 

Nimmo was recently promoted to Triple-A, so he's nearly ready for major league action. The Mets aren't exactly flush with talented hitters, but Nimmo might have to be involved if they are to land the impact bat they still need.  

Domingo Santana

2015 Stats (AAA): .321/.429/.583, 16 HR, 57 RBI, 61 R, 91 K, 48 BB

Power is dying across major league baseball, which makes Houston Astros farmhand Domingo Santana an intriguing trade chip. 

When analyzing what he does well, it's pretty simple: Santana smashes the baseball.

He's hit 80 homers since 2012 and has put together his best-ever season at Triple-A in 2015. Santana is hitting well over .300 with a remarkable .429 on-base percentage in 74 games. He ranks first among all Triple-A hitters in OPS, second in wRC+, third in slugging percentage and sixth in isolated power. 

But, we've got to touch on the strikeouts.

Santana has fanned over 28 percent of the time this season and has consistently struck out close to 30 percent during extended stays at various levels in the minors. Improving walk rates are encouraging, but major league pitchers ate him alive during a 14-game stint in Houston earlier this season. 

With the Astros poised to win now, the question must be asked: Will Santana's value ever be higher than it is now?

His cup of coffee isn't indicative of the player he'll be one day, but it may not be far off. Santana will hit lots of homers, while striking out in bunches. Can he walk enough to offset the whiffs? Houston may not be willing to gamble on that happening. 

But again, Santana's pop can't be taught. Even with potentially troubling swing-and-miss totals, the 22-year-old will always have value because of his ability to hit the ball out of the park. 

With a stacked outfield pipeline in the minors, Houston can risk watching Santana turn into the next Giancarlo Stanton in another jersey. It's because of that potential that a deal centered around Santana could satisfy a contender. 

Jake Thompson

2015 Stats (AA): 6-6, 4.72 ERA, 87.2 IP, 78 K, 30 BB, .269 average against 

Young hurlers with elite strikeout stuff are usually pretty popular commodities around the trade deadline. 

Texas Rangers right-hander Jake Thompson fits that mold, and he could be available even after a subpar season thus far in Double-A. 

Thompson has posted a 4.72 ERA in 17 starts this year. The former second-round pick and Detroit Tigers farmhand has also seen a sharp decline in strikeouts per nine innings.

While his 2015 stats can't be ignored, the same can be said for his track record over the rest of his minor league career. Thompson had a 3.28 ERA in six Double-A starts to end 2014 and dominated hitters at the lower levels before that.

Thompson only increased the hype around him while pitching for Team USA during a recent start at the Pan American Games in Toronto. Facing Nicaragua, the 21-year-old stuck 10 hitters in seven innings. 

As usual, Thompson's command of his secondary pitches was a determining factor in his success. 

“I was just trying to throw strikes and ended up getting a lot of strikeouts,” Thompson told Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “I was able to throw everything for strikes. My slider and curveball were both really effective today.”

At 6'4", 235 pounds, Thompson has the frame to support 200-plus inning seasons. The velocity is there, and his off-speed pitches are improving. Don't be fooled by the down year—Thompson remains a big-time talent with tremendous upside.  

With Joey Gallo and Nomar Mazara off the table, Thompson's name will be uttered quite often in discussions involving the Rangers. In fact, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported this week that top Phillies scout Charlie Kerfeld was in attendance for Thompson's latest start for Frisco. 

Thompson's standout stuff and ideal build will interest plenty of teams. Because of that, Texas will probably have to send him packing in order to make any type of splash before the deadline.

Stats courtesy of FanGraphs and accurate as of July 28.