MLB Trade Deadline 2026 Landing Spots For Every Available Infielder

The 2026 MLB trade deadline is just a few days away, and while Tarik Skubal is the most talked about player on the market, it's the collection of controllable middle infielders who might command the biggest return package if they are moved.

CJ Abrams (Nationals), Zach Neto (Angels) and Otto Lopez (Marlins) have all surfaced in trade rumors, and with their remaining club control and standout production at a premium position, the asking price will be huge.

That trio headlines the infield market, but they are not the only players who call the dirt home that might be changing uniforms in the coming days.

Ahead we've taken an all-encompassing look at the infield market, breaking all the notable names into six different tiers while offering up some potential landing spots for each trade candidate.

Tier 1: The Cream of the Crop

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Otto Lopez

SS CJ Abrams, Washington Nationals

Stats: 150 OPS+, .289/.362/.555, 50 XBH (27 HR), 19 SB, 4.2 WAR
Team Control: Arbitration-eligible through 2028

With a career-high 27 home runs and an NL-leading 82 RBI, Abrams has gone from a speedy table-setter with gap power to a legitimate middle-of-the-order thumper this year. Still only 25 years old, he will take multiple Top 100 prospects to pry loose, but could be a game-changing lineup addition.

Landing Spots: Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Milwaukee Brewers

SS Otto Lopez, Miami Marlins

Stats: 137 OPS+, .325/.359/.486, 43 XBH (9 HR), 22 SB, 5.3 WAR
Team Control: Arbitration-eligible through 2029

After an under-the-radar 3.6-WAR season in 2025, Lopez has broken through as an All-Star and NL batting title threat this year. He is the best defender of the trio of shortstops listed here, and his batted-ball metrics don't speak to any significant impending regression at the plate.

Landing Spots: Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, New York Yankees

SS Zach Neto, Los Angeles Angels

Stats: 114 OPS+, .232/.324/.433, 43 XBH (19 HR), 14 SB, 2.7 WAR
Team Control: Arbitration-eligible through 2029

Neto turned in consecutive 20-homer, 20-steal, 5-WAR seasons in 2024 and 2025. He leads the AL with 149 strikeouts, but his power, speed and defense still give him well-rounded value, and he is the most valuable trade chip on the Angels roster if they decide to strip it to the studs.

Landing Spots: Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees

Tier 2: Impact Rentals

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Luis Arraez

2B Luis Arraez, San Francisco Giants

Stats: 129 OPS+, .328/.364/.447, 34 XBH (4 HR), 10 SB, 3.3 WAR
Salary: $12 million

Arraez has given his stock a nice boost this year by playing a solid second base defensively for the Giants, and offensively he remains one of the game's elite bat-to-ball players. He might be the safest bet of any player in baseball to be playing elsewhere on Aug. 4.

Landing Spots: Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox

1B Ty France, San Diego Padres

Stats: 138 OPS+, .282/.337/.533, 31 XBH (16 HR), 1 SB, 2.5 WAR
Salary: $1.35 million

An All-Star in 2022 and Gold Glove winner in 2025, France has been one of the most productive bargain bin pickups of the offseason. His career-best batted-ball metrics back up his surprisingly strong surface-level numbers, and his glove makes him a multi-dimensional contributor.

Landing Spots: Cleveland Guardians, Arizona Diamondbacks, Seattle Mariners

2B Gleyber Torres, Detroit Tigers

Stats: 116 OPS+, .270/.383/.392, 13 XBH (5 HR), 0 SB, 1.7 WAR
Salary: $22.025 million

After a 3.0-WAR season in 2025, Torres accepted a qualifying offer to stick around in Detroit for another year, and that hefty salary means the Tigers might have to chip in some cash to facilitate a trade. The 29-year-old has played just 52 games this season, missing time with an oblique injury.

Landing Spots: Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays

Tier 3: Controllable Everyday Options

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Jackson Holliday

2B Xavier Edwards, Miami Marlins

Stats: 120 OPS+, .292/.373/.401, 26 XBH (6 HR), 18 SB, 2.8 WAR
Team Control: Arbitration-eligible through 2029

The Marlins are reportedly listening on both of their standout middle infielders, and while Otto Lopez would net the bigger return, Edwards should have a robust market as well. He has game-changing speed, elite contact skills and has been a much better defender at second base than he was at shortstop.

Landing Spots: Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers

1B Luis García Jr., Washington Nationals

Stats: 139 OPS+, .286/.316/.566, 47 XBH (23 HR), 4 SB, 2.4 WAR
Team Control: Arbitration-eligible through 2027

After posting ugly defensive metrics (-17 DRS, -7 OAA) at second base last year, García has been used exclusively at first base and designated hitter this season. The 26-year-old has a career-high 23 home runs and an NL-leading .566 slugging percentage, and he comes with an additional year of club control.

Landing Spots: Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Guardians, Minnesota Twins

2B Jackson Holliday, Baltimore Orioles

Stats: 118 OPS+, .260/.364/.403, 11 XBH (5 HR), 5 SB, 0.8 WAR
Team Control: Arbitration-eligible through 2030

The No. 1 pick in the 2022 draft and the No. 1 prospect in baseball to begin the 2024 season, Holliday has yet to live up to superstar expectations. That said, he is still only 22 years old, and his 118 OPS+ this year represents a career-high as he has swung it well since recovering from a broken right hamate bone.

Landing Spots: Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds

1B/3B Isaac Paredes, Houston Astros

Stats: 115 OPS+, .254/.347/.418, 33 XBH (14 HR), 0 SB, 2.3 WAR
Team Control: $13.5 million club option for 2027

Strong recent play and a wide-open AL West has the Astros looking like buyers at the deadline, but they could consider flipping Paredes if that's what it takes to get a controllable rotation piece. With Carlos Correa out for the season following ankle surgery, the infield logjam that drove offseason trade rumors is no longer a motivating factor.

Landing Spots: Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees

Tier 4: Low-Cost Veterans

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Nathaniel Lowe

UT Willi Castro, Colorado Rockies

Stats: 92 OPS+, .259/.330/.405, 26 XBH (11 HR), 7 SB, 0.5 WAR
Salary: $6.4 million in 2026 and 2027

The numbers don't jump off the page, but the list of players capable of double-digit home runs, double-digit steals and double-digit starts at four or more positions is a pretty short one. The Rockies inked Castro to a two-year, $12.8 million deal during the offseason, so he will be on the books for 2027.

Landing Spots: Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers

1B Nathaniel Lowe, Cincinnati Reds

Stats: 118 OPS+, .255/.332/.472, 27 XBH (12 HR), 0 SB, 0.5 WAR
Salary: $1.75 million

In the five seasons prior to the 2026 campaign, Lowe had a 117 OPS+ and averaged 19 home runs, 77 RBI and 2.3 WAR while winning a Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove. The Reds have already squeezed more value out of him than most minor league free agent signings, and he should be an easy flip to anyone in need of a left-handed bat or some depth at first base.

Landing Spots: Arizona Diamondbacks, Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Guardians

2B Jeff McNeil, Athletics

Stats: 76 OPS+, .248/.308/.332, 17 XBH (4 HR), 3 SB, 0.3 WAR
Salary: $10 million plus $2 million buyout on 2027 club option

McNeil is not having a good season, but he is quietly batting .400/.423/.600 over his last seven games with four multi-hit performances. If the Athletics are willing to pay down the bulk of his remaining salary, they might be able to unload a couple million and scoop up a flier prospect.

Landing Spots: Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox

3B Eugenio Suárez, Cincinnati Reds

Stats: 80 OPS+, .202/.276/.390, 25 XBH (14 HR), 0 SB, -0.8 WAR
Contract: $15 million

One of the prizes of last year's trade deadline when he slugged 36 home runs in 106 games with the Diamondbacks before joining the Mariners, Suárez has come nowhere near matching last year's production. He is a buy-low target for a team that needs some power trying to catch lightning in a bottle, and the Reds will almost certainly have to eat the bulk of his remaining salary.

Landing Spots: Milwaukee Brewers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Pittsburgh Pirates

Tier 5: Change-of-Scenery Candidates

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Anthony Volpe

2B/3B Brett Baty, New York Mets

Stats: 73 OPS+, .222/.294/.326, 20 XBH (6 HR), 5 SB, 0.0 WAR
Team Control: Arbitration-eligible through 2029

It looked like Baty finally turned a corner last year when he posted a 110 OPS+ and 3.0 WAR in 130 games, but he has regressed across the board this season. His batted-ball metrics are down, but not terrible, and at 26 years old there is still some post-hype breakout potential.

Landing Spots: Los Angeles Angels, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals

3B Nolan Gorman, St. Louis Cardinals

Stats: 70 OPS+, .194/.279/.318, 11 XBH (7 HR), 0 SB, -0.2 WAR
Team Control: Arbitration-eligible through 2028

With a 111 OPS+ and 41 home runs in 208 games during his first two seasons in the majors, Gorman looked poised to transition from top prospect to middle-of-the-order run producer in St. Louis. Strikeouts and the lack of a clean defensive home have derailed his rise, and he is batting .153 with a 36.1 percent strikeout rate in 28 games since he was demoted to Triple-A.

Landing Spots: Athletics, Washington Nationals, Detroit Tigers

SS Anthony Volpe, New York Yankees

Stats: 89 OPS+, .248/.335/.333, 11 XBH (1 HR), 7 SB, 1.0 WAR
Team Control: Arbitration-eligible through 2028

The Yankees trading Volpe would come in conjunction with another move to acquire a new starting shortstop. Once viewed as a future franchise cornerstone when he debuted 21-homer, 24-steal, 3.3-WAR season and AL Gold Glove honors in 2023, he has seen his development plateau in the Bronx.

Landing Spots: Atlanta Braves, TBD based on other SS trades

Tier 6: High-Priced Stars Likely Staying Put

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Francisco Lindor and Bo Bichette

SS Willy Adames, San Francisco Giants
Five years, $155.7 million remaining after 2026

3B Matt Chapman, San Francisco Giants
Four years, $100.7 million remaining after 2026

1B Rafael Devers, San Francisco Giants
Seven years, $199.5 million remaining after 2026

The Giants have two of baseball's most obvious trade chips in Luis Arraez and Robbie Ray, but the front office is also open to moving off one of their nine-figure commitments if they can find a taker.

Chapman has the best chance of being this deadline's version of Carlos Correa, but the odds are high all three will be staying put.

3B Bo Bichette, New York Mets
Two years, $84 million remaining after 2026, can opt-out this winter

SS Francisco Lindor, New York Mets
Five years, $170.5 million remaining after 2026

Bichette (471 PA, 87 OPS+, 0.2 WAR) and Lindor (229 PA, 100 OPS+, 1.0 WAR) have both massively underperformed relative to expectations this year, but they are also both not far removed from being legitimate superstars at the plate.

The uncertainty of Bichette's contract makes him a tough piece to flip, while it will be difficult to find someone willing to take on the back-end of Lindor's contract given the fact that he turns 33 years old later this year.