Andrew's Most Compelling MLB Trade Candidates Pt. 1
Hot Stove Season is here, and I'm ranking the high-profile stars who could be dealt over the coming weeks...
We’re just a couple of days away from the start of the MLB Winter Meetings, which means that Hot Stove season is about to crank up a gear or two.
While all eyes will be on Shohei Ohtani and Free Agency in general, the Winter Meetings usually deliver a handful of blockbuster trades. And, let’s be honest, that’s what really gets the blood flowing.
And the next week or so could be littered with monster trades. It seems almost certain that San Diego Padres star Juan Soto will be dealt. Chicago White Sox ace Dylan Cease could be traded at any moment now. There are also a slew of high-end pitchers who could be moved over the coming weeks.
Of course, there is always the possibility that a jaw-dropping trade comes out of left field at the Winter Meeting to leave us all stunned. There were reports earlier this offseason that the Angels could do the unthinkable and move face of the franchise Mike Trout. The Mets were believed to be shopping star slugger Pete Alonso at the Trade Deadline. Alex Bregman of the Astros and Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette both have been mentioned as players that are being shopped. That’s what is so damn great about the Winter Meetings. You never know what could go down.
However, let me be crystal clear that this list is made up of players who are most likely to be moved over the next few weeks or so, according to multiple reports. I’m going to look to do a fun piece on the wacky blockbuster trades I’d love to see at some point over the weekend.
Also, this is only Part 1 of my list and I’ll bring you Part 2 at some point on Saturday. Given that there’s a slew of really interesting players that could be traded this offseason, I wanted to break this feature down into two parts so I could include as much detail as possible.
For now, let’s dive right into Part 1 of the MLB Trade Candidates that I find to be the most compelling as we edge closer and closer to the start of the Winter Meetings…
1. Juan Soto, OF, San Diego Padres
2023 Stats (Hitting): 162 G, 708 PA, .275/.410/.519/.930, 35 HR, 109 RBI, 32 2B, 12 SB, 132 BB, 156 H, 158 OPS+, 5.5 WAR
It seems a foregone conclusion that Juan Soto will be traded in the coming days by the San Diego Padres. The only question that remains is where the young star will land.
All signs point to the Yankees, and the Bronx does make sense for Soto for a multitude of different reasons. The Cubs, Giants, Mets, Red Sox and even the Phillies are other teams who have the money and the talent needed to pull the trigger on a deal of this magnitude.
Now, you might be wondering why the Padres would even want to trade an absolute stud who hasn’t even hit the peak of his career yet. Well, according to multiple reports, San Diego is looking to cut payroll and losing starting pitcher Blake Snell and closer Josh Hader to free agency won’t be enough. They need to move Soto’s contract too.
Soto is due to make $30 million in 2024 before becoming a free agent next offseason. That certainly adds an extra layer of complexity to any potential trade given that the buying team will essentially be giving up a boatload of prospects for a one-year rental. Unless, of course, that team can quickly come to an agreement on a new long-term deal for Soto.
Another complication is the $30 million Soto will make next year. Only a few teams in MLB can take on that kind of salary, so the Padres aren’t exactly dealing from a position of strength when trying to get back the best possible package for a player that is one of the best young talents in the game.
And there’s no doubt about that latter statement. Soto is elite and his stock in the game may have been even higher were it not for the fact that he was stuck on a Padres team that was a hot mess for most of 2023. The lefty bat hit .275/.410/.519/.930 with 35 home runs, 109 RBIs, 32 doubles and 12 stolen bases in 2023. Oh, and Soto also walked a whopping 132 times, the fourth time in his career that he has drawn 100 or more walks. To put that into some context, no player has more 100-walk seasons before turning 25 than Soto. Incredible.
He is also off to one of the most impressive starts to a career we have ever seen.
Soto offers elite plate discipline and also the ability to strike fear into pretty much every single pitcher in the game. He is just that special at the plate. He also does one of the most important things as a hitter to a very, very high level - get on base. To be more precise, Soto is an absolute get on-base machine. He owns a stellar career .421 on-base percentage and is the epitome of a tough-out. Soto will give you tough at-bats every single plate appearance. He really is the modern day Ted Williams.
Arguably the best thing about Soto is his age. Still only 25, which is hard to believe given that he’s already a three-time All-Star, a Home Run Derby Champ, a four-time Silver Slugger, a Batting Title winner and, oh, a World Series Champion, he’s only going to get better. Which is a scary proposition.
Young stars like Soto don’t come around all that often, so the fact he is now available in a trade is a huge deal. He will massively help a contender in 2024, and any win-now team should be pitching their best offer to the Padres.
Who I Want To See Trade For Soto: The Yankees, Giants, Phillies, Cubs, Orioles, Rangers, basically any team that is a legit contender should be going all out to try and acquire Soto. If a long-term deal was a possibility, then I’d put the Mets in here too given that they could then build around Soto long-term. However, there is no doubt that Soto makes perfect sense for the Yankees who need a massive bounce-back year, and Soto would be a game-changer in that lineup. The Giants have whiffed on seemingly every big star over the past couple of years, so they are due a break. The Cubs are going for it this year and need a bona fide star they can build around. The Phillies have shown time and time again that they aren’t afraid to be aggressive, and I really want to see the Orioles change course and go all in on a big-time star to help their young core.
2. Dylan Cease, RHP, Chicago White Sox
2023 Stats (Pitching): 33 G, 7-9, 4.58 ERA, 1.418 WHIP, 177 IP, 214 SO, 27.3 K%, 79 BB, 97 ERA+, 2.4 bWAR
There is a good chance that, by the time you read this, Dylan Cease may already have a new home. Such is the intense speculation engulfing the starting pitcher right now.
While the free agent market is headlined by some elite starters, teams will be able to significantly bolster their rotation via the trade route too. Cease is arguably the headline act of a crop of high-end pitchers who could be obtained in a trade over the coming weeks.
Cease is so attractive because he’s still just 27-years-old, and he’s also under team control through 2025. Plus, projected to earn $9 million in 2024 and anywhere in the $14 to $16 million range in 2025, the starter will be a controllable asset at an affordable price for the next two years. That blows the market for Cease wide open, while guaranteeing that the White Sox will get back a monster package in return.
As for the skills on the mound, Cease endured a down year in 2023 with a 4.58 ERA in 177 innings pitched. Although he did still rack up a whopping 214 strikeouts. The righty also finished runner-up in American League Cy Young Award voting in 2022 after posting a stellar 2.20 ERA with 227 strikeouts, so the elite talent is clearly there.
Plus, Cease’s insane power and his ability to strike out batters for fun is the kind of magical elixir that all Major League Baseball teams crave. Only Gerrit Cole, Corbin Burnes and Kevin Gausman have more strikeouts over the past three seasons than Cease’s 667. He is a top-end frontline starter and, when he’s on, he is simply unhittable.
Who I Want To See Trade For Cease: The Baltimore Orioles. Despite winning 101 games during the regular season, the O’s had a few glaring weaknesses exposed on their way to being swept in the ALDS by the Rangers. Chief among them was the lack of a clear elite ace at the front of the rotation. Dylan Cease would solve that problem, and he would give Baltimore the kind of pitching star it needs at an affordable price for the next two years. Plus, boasting a stacked farm system, the Orioles have the deluge of assets needed to give the White Sox what they crave in any potential trade.