After their blistering start to the season, the Tampa Bay Rays have fallen off a bit and now trail the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East. With the MLB trade deadline approaching, the Rays will be looking for upgrades to help guide a potential postseason push. If Tampa Bay trades from their deep farm system, one prospect has already emerged as a player of interest.

Jonathan Aranda has been deemed as a trade candidate, “we're not talking about enough,” per Jon Morosi of the MLB Network. While Morosi didn't report that Rays are shopping Aranda, he is surely on team's wish lists in any Tampa Bay trade.

Aranda has appeared in 36 games at the major league level with the Rays. However, he has hit just .194 with two home runs and eight RBI.

His numbers in the minors tell an entirely different story however. Over 490 minor league appearances, Aranda has hit .305 with 54 home runs, 306 RBI and 30 stolen bases. Aranda has been off to a hot start at Triple-A this year, hitting .343 with 17 home runs and 60 RBI. He holds scorching 1.048 OPS.

The problem for Aranda is Tampa Bay's major league talent. While Aranda can play all over the infield, the Rays already have established starters at each position. While he could function in a bench role, there is no room in Tampa for Aranda to truly shine.

With the MLB trade deadline approaching, the Rays could look to trade from their wealth and move Jonathan Aranda. Tampa Bay would look to receive a MLB talent ready to make a difference in a package involving Aranda. The infielder would then look for a fresh start on his new team, hoping to earn some more playing time.