The All-Star Break is just about over and that means there are only a few weeks until the lone, hard, trade deadline in MLB this year. For those that are unknowing, the non-waiver and waiver trade deadlines have been combined into one deadline this year, meaning that July 31st is the last day to trade players instead of still having into August to make moves. Prospects are always the talked about guys this time of year as they are referred to as trade chips and typically the team that can put together the best package of prospects is the one that gets the biggest names on the market. So, with that in mind, let's look at some guys that can be traded in the next few weeks as the contenders gear up for the playoff run in the second half.
Kyle Tucker , OF HOU – At this point, it’s got to be clear that Tucker is trade bait for Houston. I mean what else could possibly be keeping him down in the minors at this point? If he was going to have come up, why did they sign Michael Brantley in the offseason after Tucker’s 100-game run at Triple-A last year? He’s now played 182 games at Triple-A between Fresno and Round Rock as they changed location, and in those games, he’s put up a .307/.378/.590 slash line with 48 homers, 149 R, 157 RBI, and 39 steals. That’s a 40-100-100-30 stat line in 162 games as he continues to remain in the top-10 of prospects in the game. Tucker isn’t missing anything in his game as his defense is also above-average and his arm is solid enough to stick in right field. Houston wants another top tier starting pitcher to pair with Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole , who is a free agent after the season, so expect Tucker to be involved in a package to land a controllable young arm.
Kyle Wright , RHP ATL – The Braves have brought Wright up a few times as he’s started seven games at the majors to this point, but he still has enough cache to bring back an arm that the Braves want in the bullpen or potentially someone like Madison Bumgarner . Wright has pitched 64 innings at Triple-A Gwinnett this year with an 8.72 K/9, 2.53 BB/9, a 4.04 xFIP, 1.22 WHIP, 23.1-percent K-rate, and a .243 average against. He’s had a bit of a tough time adjusting to the different ball at Triple-A as his previous stint there was better across the board, but his stuff still plays well from his 6’4” 200-pound frame. He has a four-pitch mix including a fastball that sits 95-96, two above-average breaking pitches and a plus changeup that has nice fade and deception to it. At 23 years old, he still has plenty of upside and would be a big piece in a package to get an arm the Braves need.
Bryse Wilson , RHP ATL – Speaking of Braves starters that can be packaged, Wilson could be one of the guys the Braves send out to get some needed pitching help. While Wilson, hasn’t been great in his brief taste of the majors, his Triple-A Gwinnett numbers are solid with a 3.79 ERA, 9.08 K/9, 1.84 BB/9, 1.24 WHIP, 23.9-percent K-rate, and .259 BAA in 78.1 innings. He does have velocity with the ability to hit 97-98 with a good sinking fastball that induces ground balls at a good rate, a slurvy breaking ball that’s still effective but does lose the slider shape from time-to-time, and an above-average changeup that plays well off the fastball. Wilson is another one of the Braves’ top-100 prospects and is in their top-five as a team while still just 21 years old. He and Kyle Wright should be able to get back some help for their major league pitching staff without giving up a ton of depth to their overall farm system, especially arm depth.
Estevan Florial, OF NYY – Florial is the top prospect in the Yankees system which typically means he’s immediately trade bait when they are in contention to win a Series like they are this year. He did have an injury that kept him out a bit to start the year, he broke his wrist in spring training, and now has just 28 games played under his belt this year at High-A Tampa. His .220/.283/.367 slash line with four homers, 16 runs, 16 RBI, and five steals is Florial’s stat line right now but those slash numbers belie how good he actually can be as his BABIP and wOBA marks in 2018 and 2019, both at High-A, are .353 and .308 and .336 and .302 respectively. The only tool the 21-year-old is currently lacking is anything better than an average hit tool while the others are all above-average or plus. As a young guy with a ton of projection left and already in the top-50 of prospects, the Yankees could offer him along with Clint Frazier as the centerpieces of a package to get a starter with team control which they desperately need, especially since the Yankees outfield appears to be set for a while going forward.
Jesús Sánchez, OF TB – Sanchez is one of the top prospects in the loaded Rays system and one of the top-30 prospects in all of baseball. In 78 games at Double-A Montgomery, the 21-year-old is hitting .275/.332/.404 with eight home runs, 49 RBI, 32 runs, and five steals. That follows him putting together a .301/.331/.462 slash line in 90 games at High-A in 2018 with 10 home runs, 64 RBI, 56 runs, and six steals before finishing last year at Double-A for 27 games. The Rays aren’t typically a team that deals top-end prospects to get huge name guys at the trade deadline, and in fact typically goes the other way, however this year they are very competitive and need to really sure up their pitching rotation for the stretch run and the playoff run they intend to make this year. Sanchez is a big-ticket prospect, as a guy that has five plus-tools and is one of the best outfield prospects in the game, that can help bring a big arm in return to help the Rays deepen their pitching staff.
Luís Garcia , SS/2B WAS – With the recent run the Nationals have gone on and getting back into the playoff picture, they will likely be buyers at the deadline. Being buyers means they have to give up something in the farm system to get a piece worth trading for. Garcia is one of the top prospects in their system and one of the top-65 in the game of baseball. The infielder is still just 19 years old, but he’s already made Double-A Harrisburg and in 82 games there he’s slashing .267/.295/.312 with 41 runs, 17 RBI, and four steals. In 2018, split between A-ball and High-A, Garcia he hit .297/.336/.405 with seven home runs, 82 runs, 53 RBI, and 12 steals in 127 games. Washington is also in need of a few bullpen pieces, like so many other teams, and with Carter Kieboom already ahead of him in the system, Garcia could be part of a package, possibly to San Francisco who has several bullpen arms.
Colton Welker, 3B COL – The one thing that hasn’t been talked about with the extension signed by Nolan Arenado is what it’s done to the farm system depth. Welker is a former fourth-round pick of the Rockies but now ranks in the top-60 of prospects in baseball with four plus-tools, the only below-average one is his run tool. He can play either first or third, naturally his at the hot corner, and his slash line of .256/.310/.411 with eight homers, 45 RBI, 29 runs, and two steals in 81 games at Double-A Hartford gives him a very good offensive fit at either spot. The Rockies have Arenado locked in the hot corner long-term with options at first still available in Daniel Murphy , Ryan McMahon , and Ian Desmond on the major league roster, making Welker a guy that can be moved. The Rockies are in the hunt for an NL Wild Card spot and need another starter in that rotation to really make a push with Welker possibly serving as the centerpiece of the package.
Will Smith , C/3B LAD – Smith has been a multi-use guy for the Dodgers the last few years playing behind the dish as well as third and second base as he moves through the system and up to the majors this year. While he’s been having a great year at Triple-A Oklahoma City with a .291/.397/.604 slash line and 14 home runs, 40 RBI, 38 runs, and a steal in 51 games, he’s still the second-best catching prospect in their system. The versatility he provides on defense is quite attractive for a guy that also plays a great defensive backstop and receives well. If there is a hole for the Dodgers this year it’s their bullpen at times and Smith is the kind of guy they can deal away for some relief help as they sail through the NL West for the rest of the year. Don’t be shocked to see the 24-year-old as a piece in a deal heading out of L.A.
Gavin Lux , SS/2B LAD – Another Dodger who could be on the move is one of the better young middle infield prospects in baseball in Lux. The Dodgers simply don’t have a place to put him up the middle over the next few years and the chance to end their 21-year World Series drought will be too hard to pass up this year. In 2019, split between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City, Lux is hitting .332/.392/.554 with 14 home runs, 57 runs, 41 RBI, and seven steals with another 17 XBH in 12 double and five triples. The one knock on Lux is his defense which has led to amassing 71 errors at shortstop in 270 games at the position since being drafted in the first round of the 2016 draft. He’s had another nine in 67 games at second base. If you can look past the defense, you see a four-tool player with defense that can be worked on and that is too attractive not to want in return for a pitcher the Dodgers may be looking to acquire at the deadline.