7 Change of Scenery MLB Trade Candidates for the 2026 Season
Sometimes, all it takes is a change of scenery for an MLB player to turn stalled potential into impact production.
Slugger Andrew Vaughn was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 draft, but he logged a lackluster 97 OPS+ with negative WAR over five seasons with the team. The club finally threw in the towel last summer, flipping him to the Brewers at the deadline, and he made an immediate splash in Milwaukee with a 141 OPS+ and 46 RBI in 64 games following the trade.
Who could be this year's change of scenery breakthrough?
Ahead, we've highlighted seven candidates who, based on stalled production or lack of role clarity, fit the mold of players who could benefit from a fresh start.
1B Triston Casas, Boston Red Sox
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Age: 26
Stats: 29 G, 62 OPS+, .182/.277/.303, 6 XBH (3 HR), -0.9 WAR
Contract: Arbitration-eligible, controllable through 2029
Pedigree: Third in 2023 AL Rookie of the Year voting
Triston Casas went from top prospect to star on the rise when he hit .317/.417/.617 with 15 home runs in 54 games during the second half of the 2023 season, but his stock has faded in recent years.
A fractured rib limited him to 63 games in 2024, but he still flashed significant upside with a 124 OPS+ and 13 home runs. Last season, he hit just .182 with a 67 OPS+ in 112 plate appearances, and the Red Sox acquired Willson Contreras during the offseason to supplant him at first base.
Still only 26 years old and with a 118 OPS+ over 952 plate appearances in the majors, Casas is a terrific buy-low target for teams without a long-term answer at first base, as he is without a clear role on the 2026 Red Sox.
OF Jasson Domínguez, New York Yankees
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Age: 23
Stats: 123 G, 101 OPS+, .257/.331/.388, 29 XBH (10 HR), 0.5 WAR
Contract: Pre-arbitration, controllable through 2030
Pedigree: Largest signing bonus in 2020 international class
With Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham both re-signing this offseason alongside Aaron Judge, the Yankees do not have a clear path to playing time for Jasson Domínguez entering the 2026 season.
The 23-year-old entered last season as the No. 28 prospect in baseball, and he held his own with a .266/.343/.417 line and 24 extra-base hits during the first half of the season.
However, that was followed by a .618 OPS and only five extra-base hits in 120 plate appearances after the All-Star break. He was relegated to the bench over the final month of the season and into October.
RHP Ryan Feltner, Colorado Rockies
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Age: 29
Stats: 6 GS, 4.75 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 25 K, 30.1 IP, 0.6 WAR
Contract: Arbitration-eligible, controllable through 2028
Pedigree: 105 ERA+ over 162.1 IP in 2024
Ryan Feltner was the best starter on the Rockies staff in 2024, posting a 105 ERA+ in 162.1 innings while making a career-high 30 starts, but injuries derailed his follow-up campaign.
The 29-year-old made six starts before landing on the injured list with back spasms in May, and after missing a month, he made six more starts at Triple-A before shoulder inflammation at the end of July ultimately ended his season.
Healthy once again, he has returned to a crowded rotation, with Kyle Freeland and Chase Dollander joined by free-agent signings Michael Lorenzen, Jose Quintana, and Tomoyuki Sugano. With a minor league option remaining, he has appeal as a trade candidate to teams searching for proven depth.
OF Heston Kjerstad, Baltimore Orioles
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Age: 27
Stats: 54 G, 58 OPS+, .192/.240/.327, 11 XBH (4 HR), -1.6 WAR
Contract: Pre-arbitration, controllable through 2030
Pedigree: No. 2 overall pick in 2020 MLB Draft
Huge raw power potential made Heston Kjerstad the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 draft, but he developed myocarditis after signing and didn't end up making his pro debut until midway through the 2022 season.
Despite that unexpected hurdle, he quickly regained his top prospect status upon returning, and across 1,214 plate appearances in the minors, he has an .869 OPS while showcasing impact potential.
In parts of three seasons in the big leagues, he has hit .218/.284/.365 for an 84 OPS+ in 314 plate appearances, and there does not appear to be a clear path for him to win a spot on Baltimore's Opening Day roster.
RHP Bobby Miller, Los Angeles Dodgers
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Age: 26
Stats: 2 G, 12.60 ERA, 2.60 WHIP, 7 K, 5.0 IP, -0.3 WAR
Contract: Pre-arbitration, controllable through 2030
Pedigree: 3.51 FIP over 124.1 IP in 2023 rookie season
Armed with a fastball that averaged 99.1 mph and three different swing-and-miss offspeed pitches, Bobby Miller looked like a long-term rotation piece for the Dodgers when he logged a 3.76 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 119 strikeouts in 124.1 innings in 2023.
His velocity dipped the following year and he was shelled to the tune of an 8.52 ERA in 56 innings. He was optioned to the minors three different times over the course of the year.
He was crushed in one April spot start last season, allowing eight hits and six runs in three innings, and spent the bulk of the season back at Triple-A, shifting to a bullpen role in July. Now he's looking to resurrect his career, entering his age-27 season with two minor league options remaining.
RHP Luis Severino, Athletics
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Age: 32
Stats: 29 GS, 4.54 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 124 K, 162.2 IP, 1.0 WAR
Contract: $25 million in 2026, $22 million player option in 2027
Pedigree: 2x All-Star
The three-year, $67 million deal that Luis Severino signed with the Athletics last offseason came with significant pressure, as it was the largest free agent deal in franchise history.
The former Yankees ace pitched well on the road last year, but he struggled to settle into the club's temporary home at Sutter Health Park:
His $25 million salary this year is a hurdle in any potential trade talks, and he is still the de facto ace of an Athletics team on the rise, but a change of scenery could prove beneficial for both player and team this summer.
OF Jordan Walker, St. Louis Cardinals
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Age: 23
Stats: 111 G, 66 OPS+, .215/.278/.306, 20 XBH (6 HR), -1.7 WAR
Contract: Pre-arbitration, controllable through 2029
Pedigree: Top 5 MLB prospect in 2023
Jordan Walker hit .306/.388/.510 with 53 extra-base hits in 119 games at Double-A as a 20-year-old in 2022, seemingly realizing the potential that made him the No. 21 overall pick in the 2020 draft.
"Few players flash upside as immense as Walker's... Equipped with plus power and average or better plate skills, Walker could develop into a perennial all-star," wrote Baseball America while ranking him as the No. 4 prospect in baseball to begin the 2023 season.
He broke camp as the Cardinals' starting right fielder that year, and while he logged a 113 OPS+ over 465 plate appearances as a rookie, he has hit just .211/.270/.324 in 574 plate appearances the last two years. The rebuilding Cardinals will give him a long runway, but it might take a change of scenery to jump-start his career.
