This article is part of our The Long Game series.
With Manny Machado now a Dodger and Cleveland having added a helping Brad Hand to its bullpen, MLB's trading season is upon us. With plenty of teams in the playoff hunt and in need of reinforcements, there could be more splashy deals on the way before the end of the month as contending clubs look to acquire the missing pieces for a World Series run.
Splashy deals require young talent to make them happen, though. Already we've seen two very prominent prospects switch uniforms in Yusniel Diaz and Francisco Mejia. Of the two, Diaz's fantasy stock gets boosted the most, as he'll have a lot less competition for playing time in Baltimore (and a front office with a lot of incentive to show the fans what they got back for Machado). A 2019 major-league debut is entirely reasonable, even if his fantasy upside might be more Orioles-era Nick Markakis than as a true replacement for Manny's bat. As for Mejia, the defensive questions remain. He says he wants to catch, but Cleveland wasn't convinced he could stick there long term, and Austin Hedges' skills make him at least as big an obstacle to Mejia becoming the starting backstop as the Yan Gomes/Roberto Perez duo was. He also won't have the DH available on a regular basis in the National League, cutting off one way for the Padres to get Mejia's bat in the lineup without worrying about his glove. All that said, the 22-year-old's recent form
With Manny Machado now a Dodger and Cleveland having added a helping Brad Hand to its bullpen, MLB's trading season is upon us. With plenty of teams in the playoff hunt and in need of reinforcements, there could be more splashy deals on the way before the end of the month as contending clubs look to acquire the missing pieces for a World Series run.
Splashy deals require young talent to make them happen, though. Already we've seen two very prominent prospects switch uniforms in Yusniel Diaz and Francisco Mejia. Of the two, Diaz's fantasy stock gets boosted the most, as he'll have a lot less competition for playing time in Baltimore (and a front office with a lot of incentive to show the fans what they got back for Machado). A 2019 major-league debut is entirely reasonable, even if his fantasy upside might be more Orioles-era Nick Markakis than as a true replacement for Manny's bat. As for Mejia, the defensive questions remain. He says he wants to catch, but Cleveland wasn't convinced he could stick there long term, and Austin Hedges' skills make him at least as big an obstacle to Mejia becoming the starting backstop as the Yan Gomes/Roberto Perez duo was. He also won't have the DH available on a regular basis in the National League, cutting off one way for the Padres to get Mejia's bat in the lineup without worrying about his glove. All that said, the 22-year-old's recent form at Triple-A (.383/.413/.582 since the beginning of June) certainly indicates he's more than ready for his next challenge as a hitter, and San Diego doesn't exactly have a lot to lose by bringing him up and letting him prove himself somewhere or other around the diamond.
There are other prospects whose fantasy fortunes could change overnight if they get included in a deal over the next couple of weeks, though. Here's a look at 10 young players who could be worth stashing in redraft leagues in case they find themselves in the majors over the last two months, and who are worth targeting even in shallow keeper and dynasty leagues in the hopes that they land in more favorable situations before the end of July.
Corbin Burnes, Brewers: At the moment, the Brewers are trying to duplicate Josh Hader's successful bullpen conversion with Burnes, and why not, given how dazzling Hader has been on the mound (as opposed to on Twitter). Burnes' poor numbers at Triple-A Colorado Springs also might make it look as though he has little future as a starter, but pitching numbers in one of the PCL's more extreme hitter's parks can be deceiving. If Milwaukee instead decides to flip the 23-year-old to a second-division club for more established bullpen help, his solid four-pitch arsenal should be able to step right into a hurting rotation such as that of the Marlins or Orioles.
Derek Fisher, Astros: Fisher's flopped twice in the majors now, and with Kyle Tucker having finally passed him on the Astros' depth chart, he's not likely to get a third chance in Houston. Fisher's still a 24-year-old with absolutely incredible career production over 151 games at Triple-A, though – a .298/.377/.545 slash line with 34 homers, 109 RBI, 110 runs and 26 steals. He won't put up Mike Trout Junior numbers in the majors, but if he gets dealt to a team that can give him eight weeks to finally get comfortable in the majors, Fisher could be one of 2019's top sleepers in the outfield and perhaps next year's Mitch Haniger. If there's a serious obstacle to that scenario coming to fruition, it's that Houston really doesn't have any glaring needs that would compel the front office to make a big deadline trade.
Clint Frazier, Yankees: Frazier's name has been arguably the most common one being tossed around the hot stove over the last couple of weeks, and he's expected to be a big part of any trade the Yankees make to bolster their rotation. His numbers this season at Triple-A (.311/.389/.574 in 48 games with 10 homers) also suggest he's ready to immediately step into some rebuilding team's starting outfield, even if the Yankees are too deep at the position to afford him a real opportunity. He's got the potential to be a significant four-category contributor, and in the modern game, if he can maintain a batting average around .250 or so he won't be a liability in that category, either. Note that he did leave Thursday's game with a possible concussion, an issue he dealt with earlier in the year. Health concerns could keep him from being moved at the deadline... or force the Yankees to pony up better complementary pieces along with Frazier.
Jon Gray, Rockies: Of all the names on this list, Gray's the longest shot to be moved. His surprise demotion before the All-Star break could be a sign that the Rockies are losing faith in him, though, and with the team sitting firmly in the chase for both the NL West crown and a wild-card spot, the front office could elect to dangle the talented right-hander in an effort to add a more reliable contributor. Gray's had some fantasy viability over the last couple of seasons even calling Coors Field home. Imagine what he could do in, say, Tropicana Field?
Oscar Mercado / Tyler O'Neill, Cardinals: The Cards may not be plausible buyers at the deadline – they're 8.5 games back of the Cubs in the NL Central, and have a number of teams between them as a wild-card spot – but they do have a surplus of young outfielders they could use to try and add some help without giving up anyone indispensable. Mercado's been scuffling after a hot start at Triple-A, slashing only .242/.337/.346 since the beginning of June, but he's still stolen 12 bases in 15 attempts over 40 games during that stretch. The 23-year-old would be a step up, both offensively and defensively, on the parade of fourth outfielders like Adam Engel and Charlie Tilson the White Sox keep trotting out, to pick one possible landing spot. O'Neill, on the other hand, doesn't have Mercado's speed or glove, but the thunder in his bat is very real – he's slammed 20 homers in 53 Triple-A games this year, and three more in 19 games for St. Louis. Either player could make a tidy fantasy impact down the stretch if they find themselves in an organization with a clearer path to a big-league starting job.
Cionel Perez, Astros: As with Fisher, Perez's odds of getting moved might be lower than you'd expect simply because the Astros have no real roster needs. The 22-year-old southpaw was dominating Double-A prior to getting promoted straight to the majors before the break, though, and his current role in the Houston bullpen seems like a showcase for potential trade partners. Despite the impressive numbers at Corpus Christi (1.98 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 83:22 K:BB in 68.1 innings) he might struggle if thrust into a big-league rotation for the remainder of 2018, but then again he might not, and a new address would give him a much better path to real value in 2019.
Justus Sheffield, Yankees: Scuttlebutt is that the Yankees consider Sheffield untouchable in trade talks, but if the Mets are really dangling Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard, "untouchable" could become downright huggable very quickly. Plus, if Boston makes a big move, you just know there's going to be a response from the Bronx. Sheffield's been sharp since a promotion to Triple-A, posting a 2.53 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 56:24 K:BB in 57 innings, and the southpaw's plus fastball and solid secondary offerings give him plenty of upside if he spends the rest of the year in a big-league rotation. Of all the players on this list, Sheffield has the highest ceiling in terms of dynasty-league value, but he has the potential to swing a few 2018 races as well.
Touki Toussaint / Bryse Wilson, Braves: The Braves' rebuild is well ahead of schedule, putting them in an interesting position at the trade deadline. The front office would be entirely justified in standing pat and counting any 2018 playoff appearance as found money, but making a deal to improve their immediate chances also has some appeal, particularly given their incredible depth in pitching prospects. Mike Soroka isn't going anywhere, but two other arms who have been lighting up the upper minors could be available in Toussaint and Wilson. Toussaint has completely turned his career around after being effectively given up on by the Diamondbacks, racking up a 2.93 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 107:36 K:BB in 86 Double-A innings before a solid Triple-A debut just before the break. His control still isn't ideal, but he's still got two plus pitches in his fastball and curve, and he's got the athleticism to continue making improvements in his delivery that will allow him to unlock his full potential, not unlike the development Sean Newcomb has shown this season. As for Wilson, he struggled in his initial introduction to Double-A but is on fire right now, blanking the opposition in three of his last four Southern League starts with a downright unfair 34:4 K:BB in 27 innings. Still only 20, he might be a long shot to get bumped straight to the majors if he gets dealt, but there are more than a few teams in MLB where he's probably an upgrade on the slop currently rounding out their big-league rotation. Keep in mind too that Atlanta has plenty of other options they could dangle. I could just as easily have talked about Luiz Gohara and Kyle Wright instead. If an organization is looking to replenish their pitching staff for 2019 and beyond and has some pieces to offer, the Braves should be their first call.
