The offseason trade market has been wild already, as several deals have been made before the month of November ended. However, many top targets are still out there and a number of high-profile names have popped up in the rumor mill. Given that it is the silly season, we’ve compiled our rankings list of the top MLB trade targets this offseason.
Related: Who were the AL & NL Comeback Players of the Year in 2023?
A Look at the Most Notable Trade Targets
There are a number of ways to rank the top trade targets in MLB at this moment. So, we’ve decided to list the 15 best players that have had their names thrown around this offseason but weighted it upon the likelihood of a deal.
With that said, here’s a look at how we rank the top trade targets in Major League Baseball:
| Rank | Name | Position | 2023 Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Juan Soto | OF | Padres |
| 2 | Corbin Burnes | SP | Brewers |
| 3 | Dylan Cease | SP | White Sox |
| 4 | Tyler Glasnow | SP | Rays |
| 5 | Shane Bieber | SP | Guardians |
| 6 | Willy Adames | SS | Brewers |
| 7 | Jorge Polanco | INF | Twins |
| 8 | Eloy Jimenez | OF/DH | White Sox |
| 9 | Jonathan India | 2B | Reds |
| 10 | Anthony Santander | OF | Orioles |
| 11 | Pete Alonso | 1B | Mets |
| 12 | Alex Verdugo | OF | Red Sox |
| 13 | Max Kepler | OF | Twins |
| 14 | Alex Bregman | 3B | Astros |
| 15 | Bo Bichette | SS | Blue Jays |
Many of the names on our rankings list are eligible to become free agents after the 2024 campaign, including Juan Soto, Corbin Burnes, and Shane Bieber.
Arguably the loudest player rumored to be dealt is Soto, a superstar outfielder with plus pop and one of the best, if not the best, eyes at the plate. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic wrote in November that Soto is almost certainly to be traded, given the Padres’ high payroll.
It would be quite the pivot from where San Diego was in the summer of 2022 when the Padres acquired him and Josh Bell for MacKenzie Gore, CJ Abrams, James Wood, and Robert Hassell. However, fortunes change in a hurry.
Aside from Soto, the trade market is filled with premier pitchers. Burnes, Bieber, as well as Dylan Cease and Tyler Glasnow, are all thought to be available. And, the rumor mill has already swirled around those three.
There are teams like the Braves and Reds in the market for starting pitching. However, this part of the trade market might not heat up until after Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto come off the free agent market.
What about the bats?
Willy Adames is an obvious trade target. Adames is a free agent after next season and Milwaukee’s reportedly listening on practically the whole team. The 28-year-old’s bat and glove make him an intriguing option.
Other players like Anthony Santander, Jorge Polanco, Max Kepler, and Jonathan India could get moved either because of salary crunches or enough depth to move out a piece.
That latter sentiment describes where Santander and India sit at the moment. Santander is a terrific switch-hitter who’s belted 61 home runs over the last two seasons. However, the 29-year-old has just one year before he can test the market and the O’s have two potential replacements in Colton Cowser and Heston Kjerstad.
India, meanwhile, may be squeezed given the presence of Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain, among others. Reds management thus far has downplayed the idea of an India trade.
Pete Alonso’s name has been thrown around for months, dating back to August when the Brewers apparently made a strong run at the “Polar Bear.”
Depending on what direction the Mets go, Alonso might not be in play. Or, he, along with another 2024 free agent in Jose Quintana may be players to watch this winter.
The possibility of a Bregman or Bichette trade
Alex Bregman and Bo Bichette make the bottom of our top trade target list. However, these two are at the bottom for a reason, as the two infielders are in different situations as compared to the rest of the pack.
Rosenthal wrote that it’s “tough to imagine a Bregman trade” and noted it makes little sense to deal away Bichette given the Jays’ championship aspirations.
Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins threw cold water on the trade rumors himself, as he said that Bo Bichette — who’s signed through 2025 — is their starting shortstop moving forward.
Bregman is an interesting one, though. The All-Star third baseman can hit the market next winter and is in a good position to get a raise from the $20MM AAV he’ll come into next season with.
Houston does have tough decisions to make, as Jose Altuve and Kyle Tucker both need extensions, as well. Altuve can become a free agent after 2024 as well, while Kyle Tucker has two more years before he’s up. Can the Astros afford to keep all three?