While pitchers become the hottest commodities during the winter months for all MLB franchises, position players become just as important during the off months. And while pitchers can become harder to acquire due to their higher price tags and beefier trade packages, position players seem to be the easier grouping of players to deal with, in terms of acquiring.
As this winter’s free agency has proven, money talks, and it seems to have to talk louder to the class of pitchers than for position players. With Gerrit Cole securing over $300 million and Stephen Strasburg getting paid with top-market value, the other eight players in the field lost a little bit of importance this offseason.
However, Nolan Arenado, Anthony Rendon, and Mike Trout all received extensions or signed new contracts recently, and these have all been monster deals of $200+ million; while these amounts pale in comparison to what Cole got, it at least showed that different areas of the sport of baseball are beginning to pay equally.
This offseason thankfully got back to normal in terms of how eager teams were to pay players, and players that missed out on their big-money contracts, like Yasmani Grandal and Mike Moustakas, were able to get paid what they deserved.
But there are still a ton of players that can push the needle from on the cusp of contending to being a full-fledged contender, as certain teams are looking to either cash in on a player’s 2019 season and trade them for the highest return, or they are simply looking to recoup some value before heading into a season that is sure to be filled with underwhelming and tanking.
Among the troves of players rumored to be on the trading block this offseason, there were three chosen for this article, due to the validity of the reports and teams interested in them. While speculation helps fuel these moves as the offseason progresses, there is at least some sort of a foundation laid for each of these five players to justify their inclusion in this trade-focused article.
With that in mind, here are three MLB position players that are currently on the trade block, have been mentioned in the rumor mill to be available or would be good additions for teams looking to compete in 2020.
Starling Marte
Outfielder, Pittsburgh Pirates
Potential Landing Spots: New York (NL), San Diego, Arizona, Texas, Miami
The Pittsburgh Pirates have become a very interesting case to follow over the past few seasons, as they have gone from fringe contenders to bottom feeders in the course of just a few seasons. Starling Marte has been a part of their highs and their lows, but their time together may be on the clock.
Rumors of a potential trade have been circling for the vast majority of the offseason, as the Pirates look to get themselves out of no man’s land, regardless of if that means they become contenders or rebuilders.
Marte projects to be one of the team’s best players on the roster going into 2020, thus placing him at the top of the list for trade chips. With two years left on his six-year, $31 million deal he signed back in 2014, Marte’s deal also includes a club option for his final season, and if it is not exercised then a $2 million buyout is owed to Marte.
The New York Mets have been tied to Marte the most this offseason, and they have the intangible pieces that could interest the Bucs to trade the 31-year-old outfielder to the Big Apple. While the Pirates need help at pretty much every area of their team besides first base (Josh Bell) and second base (Adam Frazier), they will take any sort of lottery tickets in addition to proven prospects in return for Marte.
A solid starter that has put up 20+ long balls, 70+ RBI’s, and a .277 average or above the past two seasons, Marte would become an instant starter in any team’s outfield, providing them with a solid defensive outfielder that hits for above average and produces solid power numbers.
Joc Pederson
OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
Potential Landing Spots: Chicago (AL), Seattle, Cleveland, Miami, Oakland
Someone who has seemingly fallen victim to the success of the Los Angeles Dodgers, outfielder Joc Pederson has been forced to transition from an everyday player to someone that fills more of a bench role that gets occasion. His platoon status makes it a bit difficult to fully grasp what kind of impact he could have on a MLB new team, but he would benefit from a change in scenery nonetheless.
With center fielder A.J. Pollock having signed with the Dodgers before the 2019 season, Pederson’s role was diminished right out of the gate, even with Pollock’s season mired with injuries. Pederson has a lot of value, more so on the offensive end, but he is a serviceable player on both sides.
The Dodgers and the Chicago White Sox talked last offseason about a potential trade involving Pederson, and while a deal never came together, they met up again this offseason to discuss a deal for Pederson again. While no deal has been made and it seems as though talks have died down a bit, the White Sox seem to be the most involved and interested in trading for Pederson.
The talks most likely soured a bit due to the White Sox acquiring corner outfielder Nomar Mazara from the Texas Rangers in the middle of December, something that would easily cut into any playing time that could have been tagged for Pederson, putting him in a very similar position that he is currently in with the Dodgers.
Outside of the White Sox, the Seattle Mariners would be an interesting spot for him, even though they are not close to contending for a postseason berth. From left field to right, Kyle Lewis, Mallex Smith, and Mitch Haniger currently fill out the three starting outfield spots for the Mariners, but Pederson could slot right in for Lewis in left field if he were to be acquired.
Pederson is a good talent, and while his offensive outburst of 36 home runs is being tagged with the ‘juiced ball’ label, he has the ability to hit the ball out of the park in a consistent manner.
Wil Myers
OF, San Diego Padres
Potential Landing Spots: Cleveland, New York (NL), Los Angeles (AL), Arizona, Detroit
The curious case of Wil Myers continues to make its way throughout the MLB, currently making its stop in San Diego with the Padres. While the power is there, the old-school, no batting gloves mantra that Myers embodies has had a hard time sticking in one spot.
At this point in his career, he has transitioned into a corner outfielder and first baseman, showing that while his defense can be there if needed, his bat is what is keeping him mostly in the lineup. The main problem with Myers is his contract, as he is due $22.5 million for the next three seasons, with a club option for $20 million in 2023.
The 29-year-old’s power numbers have been declining a bit in consistency too, and his number of games played per season has been all over the map due to injuries.
Myers was originally drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the third round of the 2009 MLB draft, and was sent to his second team three years later. Traded in a package to the Tampa Bay Rays for starter James Shields and reliever Wade Davis, Myers bid his time in the Trop for the rest of the 2012 season, as well as the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
In the winter of 2014, Myers was a bigger piece in a three-team deal that included the Padres, Rays, and the Washington Nationals, which ultimately sent him from Tampa Bay to where he is now, in San Diego. This deal involved the Padres sending toolsy shortstop prospect Trea Turner to the Nationals, which we all know how that played out.
At this point in his career and how he is projecting, a role as a designated hitter would almost be the best spot suited for him. The Cleveland Indians and the Detroit Tigers could use him as their main DH with spot starts in their outfield, which would suit him the best.
An outside possibility could include the Padres, Cincinnati Reds, and Indians coming together for a three-team deal that finally moves superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor to one of the more interested teams, the Reds. In this deal, Myers could be a part of the return that the Indians receive, which would give them a MLB-level piece in return for Lindor, in case they do want to continue to contend for the American League Central divisional title and a postseason berth.
Myers looks to be the most out-of-place player on this list, which is very unfortunate because he has a ton of value left as an MLB player. While all three of these players are at different points of their career, they all still carry enough value that teams should be calling up for a potential trade, something that could help make this offseason interesting yet again.
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