MLB Trade Speculation: 20 Top Prospects Who Could Be Moved This Winter

The talk of winter is generally where the superstar free agents will land and the often-rumored trade targets will wind up, as the established veteran difference-makers grab the headlines.

However, it is often the prospects that are acquired in return for those established players that wind up defining a team's offseason and how successful a given trade is.

So here is a look at 20 top prospects who could be on the move this offseason, whether it is because of the fact that they are blocked at the big-league level or because of the return they would bring to a team in a position to win now.

1B Clint Robinson, Kansas City Royals

Taken in the 25th round of the 2007 draft, Robinson is a big 6'5" slugger who has done nothing but launch home runs during his five seasons in the Royals minor league system. Last season, his first year at Triple-A, he hit .326 BA, 23 HR, 100 RBI.

He will be 27 years old this coming season, and he is firmly blocked at first base by Eric Hosmer, and with Billy Butler serving as the everyday designated hitter, there is really no place for Robinson in Kansas City.

With the team in need of starting pitching, he could be a good starting point in trades this winter.

2B Eric Farris, Milwaukee Brewers

With Rickie Weeks signed through 2014 and still only 28 years old, he will likely be the Brewers' second baseman for the foreseeable future. Throw in the presence of Scooter Gennett who hit .300 BA, 9 HR, 51 RBI at High Single-A last season, and Farris is not even the top second-base prospect on his own team.

Still he hit .271 BA, 6 HR, 55 RBI, 21 SB last season at Triple-A and earned a late-season call-up, he is as big-league ready as any second-base prospect in baseball, which could mean including him in any deal the Brewers make, considering how thin their farm system is.

SP Trey McNutt, Chicago Cubs

Following the trade of Chris Archer and coming off of a season in which he went 10-1 with a 2.48 ERA, McNutt was the Cubs' top pitching prospect entering the 2011 season.

However, he was less than dominant in his first Double-A action and will need a bounce-back season in 2012 to get back on the prospect map.

Long rumored to be the compensation heading to the Red Sox for Theo Epstein, McNutt could very well be heading to Boston before the winter is over. In the long run, the Cubs could be getting the better side of that deal if McNutt does not return to his 2010 form.

3B James Darnell, San Diego Padres

Taken in the second round of the 2008 MLB Draft, Darnell has progressed through the Padres system as their third baseman of the future. He displayed good contact skills and power offensively while playing solid defense at the hot corner.

However, with the emergence of Jedd Gyorko, who hit .333 BA, 25 HR, 114 RBI last season while reaching Double-A at the age of 22, Darnell has become expendable. Considering there is always a need for quality third-base talent, the Padres could look to move him.

RF Ryan Kalish, Boston Red Sox

A five-tool outfielder who was taken in the fifth round of the 2006 MLB Draft out of high school, Kalish has moved slowly through the Red Sox system and played fairly well each step of the way.

Last season, he was limited to just 24 games with shoulder and neck injuries, and that paved the way for Josh Reddick to see significant playing time in right field after J.D. Drew struggled.

Now, the Red Sox are expected to go after Carlos Beltran in free agency and if nothing else will turn the job over to Reddick, leaving Kalish expendable and a likely trade chip.

C Derek Norris, Washington Nationals

Young catching talent is always in demand and is one of the most highly traded pieces in all of baseball.

The Nationals themselves made a deal to acquire top catching prospect Wilson Ramos from the Twins for closer Matt Capps at the deadline in 2010.

Following a stellar rookie season, Ramos is the catcher of the future and of the present, which means Norris could be on his way out in Washington.

With 65 home runs over the past four seasons, including 20 in his first season at Double-A last year, Norris provides hard-to find pop at the catcher position, and there would no doubt be a number of teams interested in acquiring him.

SP Andy Oliver, Detroit Tigers

The Tigers were aggressive on the trade market last season as they made a pair of big deals in acquiring Delmon Young and Doug Fister, and with holes at second base and third base among other places, the Tigers could once again be active on the trade market.

While starter Jacob Turner and third baseman Nick Castellanos are likely off limits, the Tigers would likely be willing to deal anyone else in their system for the right price, and any big deal would center around the 24-year-old left-hander Oliver.

1B Lars Anderson, Boston Red Sox

An 18th-round pick in the 2006 draft, Anderson put himself on the prospect map with a solid first pro season and has moved steadily through the Red Sox system since as their first baseman of the future.

That was until the team traded for Adrian Gonzalez last season and after a less than spectacular .265 BA, 14 HR, 78 RBI season last year at Triple-A, the now 24-year-old's future in Boston is hazy at best.

He could be one of the first players included in any package the Red Sox put together this winter.

SP Tyler Matzek, Colorado Rockies

Hyped as the top high school arm in the 2009 draft, the Rockies pulled off a bit of a shocker when they drafted Matzek 11th overall and signed him away from his commitment to the University of Oregon.

However, since that time he has struggled with mechanics and control and not yet advanced beyond Single-A.

The Rockies acquired Alex White and Drew Pomeranz from the Indians for Ubaldo Jimenez, and with those two set to anchor the staff moving forward, the Rockies may try to move Matzek while they can still net a solid return on his potential alone.

1B Matt Adams, St. Louis Cardinals

A 23rd-round selection in the 2009 MLB Draft, Adams opened eyes in his first pro season, as he hit .355 BA, 10 HR, 52 RBI in just 63 games. He has done nothing to diminish his stock since that season, and in three years in the minors, the 23-year-old has compiled a career line of .316 BA, 64 HR, 241 RBI over 299 games.

Should Albert Pujols sign elsewhere, Adams could be in line to be the team's first baseman of the future, but if he is brought back, it would mean either a move to the outfield or a trade.

Another dominant minor league season could place him among the top power prospects in baseball and make him an in-demand trade piece.

SP Randall Delgado, Atlanta Braves

While he is ranked a bit lower than Arodys Vizcaino as far as ceiling, Delgado was impressive as a 21-year-old rookie last season, as he made seven starts and posted a 2.83 ERA over 35 innings.

It seems more likely that the Braves would move Vizcaino or perhaps Mike Minor before they would move Delgado, and he could play a big role for the team in 2012.

However, the fact remains that the Braves have an abundance of pitching and if it takes moving Delgado to bolster left field, they may well do it.

C Travis D'Arnaud, Toronto Blue Jays

Acquired as part of the Roy Halladay trade, d'Arnaud spent the entire season in Double-A last year and hit .311 BA, 21 HR, 78 RBI in his first action at that level.

However, he also watched as 25-year-old J.P Arencibia assumed the starting catching job and hit 23 HR with 78 RBI.

It has been reported that the Phillies are interested in re-acquiring him, as they have Carlos Ruiz signed through this coming season with an option for 2013. They could be looking to d'Arnaud as their catcher of the future if they can get him back.

SP Alex Colome, Tampa Bay Rays

Signed out of the Dominican Republic prior to the 2007 season, Colome officially put himself on the top prospect map with a dominant season at Low Single-A in 2009, when he posted a 1.66 ERA and 11.1 K/9 mark in 76 innings of work.

He has been brought along slowly since that season, reaching Double-A for nine starts in the second half of last season. He is now part of a terrific crop of young starting pitchers that the Rays have to look forward to.

That said, he is near the bottom of the pecking order among the prospects, though, and could be moved to help bolster the offense this winter.

SP Mike Minor, Atlanta Braves

Taken seventh overall in the 2009 MLB Draft, Minor was fast-tracked to the majors and made his debut with nine appearances (eight starts) down the stretch in 2010.

However, injuries and ineffectiveness limited Minor to just three big-league starts prior to the month of June. He rallied to make 15 total starts and post a 5-3 record with a 4.14 ERA.

He seems to have fallen behind Brandon Beachy in the pecking order, and with Julio Teheran on the way, Minor could be dangled as trade bait this winter.

C Yasmani Grandal, Cincinnati Reds

The Reds had a bumper crop of catching talent last season like few teams in the league, with perhaps only the Yankees boasting more depth at the position.

Now with Ramon Hernandez departed in free agency, the starting job looks to belong to Devin Mesoraco, with Ryan Hanigan once again serving as the backup.

That leaves 2010 first-round pick Grandal as the odd man out for now, as he reached Triple-A in just his second pro season last year and hit a combined .305 BA, 14 HR, 68 RBI over three levels.

He falls behind Mesoraco on the depth chart, but still profiles as a future starter behind the plate in the big leagues. Catchers are always in demand, so he could fetch a solid return on the trade market.

SP Alex Torres, Tampa Bay Rays

The main piece of the Rays trade of Scott Kazmir to the Angels, Torres has been among the top pitching prospects in all of baseball over the past three seasons and made his big-league debut last year with four relief appearances and eight innings of work.

He is one of eight young starting pitchers that the Rays have who are all under 25 and capable of starting for most big league teams.

With David Price, James Shields, Jeremy Hellickson and Matt Moore all more or less locks for the rotation, Torres could be moved to help bolster a less-than-impressive lineup.

SP Dellin Betances, New York Yankees

The Yankees have a pair of top-flight starting pitching prospects in Betances and Manny Banuelos.

While they have balked at moving either of them to this point, if they look to acquire a veteran starter, it would likely be with a package built around catcher Jesus Montero or Betances.

Coming off of a season in which he posted a 3.70 ERA and 10.1 K/9 mark, the 24-year-old is as big-league ready as any starting pitching prospect in baseball.

If he is not moved, he will likely step into a back-of-the-rotation spot this coming season.

SP Arodys Vizcaino, Atlanta Braves

Still just 21 years old, Vizcaino already has four years of minor league experience under his belt and reached Triple-A last season after starting the year out at High Single-A.

Acquired from the Yankees in the trade that sent Javier Vazquez out of town, Vizcaino has moved quickly through the Braves system and wound up making 17 appearances out of the Atlanta bullpen last season.

The Braves have a wealth of young pitching, and Vizcaino could be the best arm that they make available as they look to upgrade in left field and perhaps at shortstop.

1B/OF Yonder Alonso, Cincinnati Reds

Blocked by Joey Votto at first base in Cincinnati, Alonso has spent most of the past two seasons in Triple-A despite being one of the game's top prospects.

He has begun a transition to left field and is the front runner to start there to open the season, but the team could opt to deal him to bolster their starting rotation and sign someone like Josh Willingham to take over in left field.

DH/C Jesus Montero, New York Yankees

The Yankees are in the market for starting pitching, and in a weak free agent class, they are likely to be major players on the trade market.

Any package to acquire a top talent would likely include slugging prospect Montero.

After an impressive .328 BA, 4 HR, 12 RBI line in 18 September games last season earned him a spot on the postseason roster, he is penciled in as the starting DH to open the 2012 season now that Jorge Posada is on his way out.

It will take a top-tier talent to pry him away from the Yankees, but it still remains a possibility and one of the more talked-about rumors.