The Best Prospects Moved at the 2025 Trade Deadline

Expectations around the 2025 trade deadline were high, as this was positioned to be one of the most seller-friendly markets we’ve seen in years. With so many stars on the move in big deals, there were just as many top prospects on the move as well.

Indeed, we saw plenty of big-name prospects on the move, including arguably the highest-ranked prospect to ever be dealt on the actual deadline day.

Now that it is all over, Just Baseball has compiled a list of the top 15 prospects to be dealt at this year’s deadline, and the list is star-studded from the top down. Four of these prospects ranked on our top 100 list, making for a really exciting list overall.

Let’s dig a little deeper into these top prospects.

Stats updated as of July 31, 2025.

The Top 5 Prospects Traded

SS Leodalis De Vries (JB #7): Padres to Athletics

The highest-ranking prospect to be moved during this year’s trade deadline was Leo De Vries, a youngster many consider the most talented prospect in the minor leagues. Despite the shortstop’s high pedigree and reputation, the Padres decided that star closer Mason Miller was worth the risk, as they made De Vries the headliner in the package that landed the right-hander.

The Padres have been known to promote incredibly young prospects within the minors early, and De Vries was one of those players. After starting at Single-A last year at just 17 years old, he earned a promotion to High-A this season.

A switch-hitter, he is one of the most gifted hitters in all of the minor leagues, with his offensive game being very well-rounded. His hit and game power tools both project to be 55-grade, according to Aram Leighton’s writeup on the top 100, with his discipline projecting to one day reach a 60 grade. He’s a solid runner and athlete overall, but the tools at the plate are what people are most excited about.

So far this season, De Vries is doing very well in High-A. Across 83 games, he has slashed .245/.358/.408 with eight homers and a 116 wRC+, metrics that put him far ahead of his peers at just 18 years old.

De Vries has ranked as high as number three overall on some boards, but he currently slots in at number seven on our top 100. At this rate, he’s on track to reach the upper minors in his teenage years, which should get Athletics fans excited.

With De Vries still being so young, the ceiling is unreal when it comes to his game. There’s still plenty of room for him to grow as a prospect, and if he reaches his true potential, there’s no doubt that he’ll become one of the best players in baseball.

C Eduardo Tait (JB #63): Phillies to Twins

One of the main stories from this year’s deadline ended up being the Minnesota Twins’ fire sale, and in this sale, they did well for themselves in the prospect packages they received back. The best player they got back during this year’s deadline was catcher Eduardo Tait, the headliner in the Jhoan Duran deal.

Tait has become one of the brightest stars from the 2023 international signing period, when the Phillies inked him for just $90,000. With his move to the Twins unfolding on Wednesday night, Tait became the first top-100 prospect moved at this year’s deadline, and also the first to be moved since 2023.

Although they have very different skill sets, there is one comparison to be drawn between Leo De Vries and Eduardo Tait: They’re both incredibly talented for their age. Tait is also just 18 years old and playing in High-A, putting him well above his peers at the same age.

Tait spent most of the season in Single-A, and he’s done decently between both levels so far this year. Across 82 games, Tait has slashed .255/.319/.434 with 11 homers and a 106 wRC+, flashing valuable tools in all aspects of his game.

Tait’s power will always stand far above the rest of his tools, as he still has some work to do on the hit-tool side of things. Regardless, he’s quite the interesting piece for the Twins to get back for Duran, as he fits into their future core nicely.

At his peak, Tait could become one of the best catchers in the sport. Time will tell as to how all of his tools continue to develop, but if they do, watch out, he could be a lethal asset.

RHP Khal Stephen (JB #89): Blue Jays to Guardians

The Blue Jays found themselves a pretty active team this deadline, as they looked to keep up with the rest of the AL East’s moves. Currently holding the top spot in the division, the Blue Jays had to make some big deals.

In this flurry, the Blue Jays ended up trading two members of our top 100, the first of which was right-hander Khal Stephen, who they moved in exchange for Shane Bieber. Currently ranked as the 89th-best prospect on our board, Stephen is in the middle of a true breakout season.

Stephen, a former second-round pick in last season’s MLB Draft, has begun to blossom into a nice prospect this year. He’s pitched 91.2 innings of 2.06 ERA baseball across three levels, striking out 99 batters along the way.

Before the trade took place, Stephen had just arrived in Double-A, meaning this season has been quite the whirlwind for him. This type of workload across a player’s first full season (in which he has already jumped three levels) isn’t common, and it’s impressive to see him handle it with such grace.

His success has been widely attributed to his five-pitch mix, one of the more balanced arsenals in the Blue Jays organization. He’s thrown a four-seamer, slider, curveball, cutter, and splitter, attacking hitters with some solid offerings overall.

For the Guardians, a player like Stephen fits perfectly into their pitching development system. Developing pitchers is the area in which they’ve succeeded the most over the past few seasons, and if this trend continues, Stephen could be their next success story.

LHP Kendry Rojas (JB #91): Blue Jays to Twins

A little over a week ago, on an episode of The Call Up, Aram Leighton talked about one of the best pitching prospects you may have never heard of. This pitcher, Kendry Rojas, ended up being one of the most talented prospects dealt on deadline day.

I mentioned earlier that the Blue Jays ended up dealing two top-100 prospects during this year’s deadline, and the second one of those prospects was Rojas. He ended up being part of a package that netted the Blue Jays Louis Varland and Ty France, a solid deal to bolster their roster.

Despite this being a solid move for the team, Rojas wasn’t a light return. He has touched the upper-90s this season, dominating hitters in the time he’s spent on the mound. He’s battled injuries this year, but he’s been dominant lately.

Rojas has pitched to a 3.46 ERA this season across 41.2 innings, striking out 62 batters along the way. He had made his Triple-A debut right before he was dealt to the Twins, one of the biggest challenges of his career thus far.

Although he has just three pitches in his mix, it’s a lethal combination. Rojas comes with elite command in addition to a fantastic fastball, slider, and changeup. It’s hard to find a left-handed arm that’s been this electric in the minor leagues.

For the Twins, getting a pitcher of Rojas’ caliber back in addition to some other nice pieces made this fire sale a huge success.

RHP Mick Abel (Phillies #5): Phillies to Twins

The Minnesota Twins didn’t just acquire Eduardo Tait and Kendry Rojas; they also added former first-round pick Mick Abel in the Duran deal as well. Abel has had quite the interesting year, but there’s no denying his reputation as a top prospect.

Abel has bounced between Triple-A and the major league club, and he’s been a solid asset in both places. There’s a very good chance he doesn’t remain a prospect for much longer, as he could immediately stand in and be a rotation piece for the Twins.

In 74 Triple-A innings this year, Abel has pitched to an ERA of 2.31 alongside 81 strikeouts, showcasing his full arsenal in nearly every start. While he’s shown a little cause for concern with his control at times, it could still improve.

Aside from his MLB debut, in which he outpitched Paul Skenes to earn his first big league win, Abel’s big league tenure hasn’t gone to plan. He’s allowed a hit an inning while posting an ERA over 5.00, leading many to question his prospect status.

However, Abel’s resilience in Triple-A shows he’s still a coveted asset. The Twins have produced plenty of good arms over the last few years, and perhaps Abel could become an even better arm once in their system.

Read more

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Next Tier of Prospects Traded

RHP Braden Nett (Padres #5): Padres to Athletics

The main approach for the Padres this deadline was to go all-in, worrying about their farm system later down the line. De Vries was far from the only victim of this aggressiveness, as they also dealt Braden Nett to the Athletics in the Mason Miller deal.

Nett was one of the more intriguing arms in the Padres’ system, as he’s a true example of finding a diamond in the rough. He was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2022, and he’s dominated since. Nett posted an ERA of 3.39 before the trade this season, showcasing solid stuff along the way.

Nett was putting together a nice season at Double-A, and in the right situation, he could find his way to the big leagues sooner rather than later.

SS Sammy Stafura: Reds to Pirates

Although the Pirates didn’t end up being the complete sellers many fans had anticipated them to be, they did sell off some more notable pieces from the roster. One such player, Ke’Bryan Hayes, was dealt to the Cincinnati Reds for former second-rounder Sammy Stafura.

Stafura was one of the more promising prep shortstops back in 2023, as he ended up earning a signing bonus of nearly $2.5 million from the Reds. He’s spent the last two seasons in Low-A, where he’s posted a wRC+ above 120 in both seasons while flashing some solid tools.

Stafura is one of the best prospects the Pirates acquired at the deadline, as he still looks like an interesting piece at 20 years old. It may not be long before High-A comes calling for the shortstop, either.

SS Cobb Hightower: Padres to Orioles

The Padres’ all-in deadline day continued when they called the Orioles about Ramon Laureano and Ryan O’Hearn, a package that cost their minor league system another six players. One of the best players who joined the O’s in this deal was shortstop Cobb Hightower.

Hightower was one of the best prep prospects selected in the third round of last year’s MLB draft, as his tools alone were very intriguing. Since entering professional baseball, though, Hightower has gone through some ups and downs, leading the Padres to offload him in this deal.

However, Hightower is still incredibly gifted and just 20 years old. He’s posted a 100 wRC+ in his first 40 Single-A games, which is a fine place to be for his age. With a change of scenery, he could blossom further.

LHP Boston Bateman: Padres to Orioles

The final player we’ll talk about from the Padres’ deadline deals this season is another advanced pitcher in Boston Bateman. He also headed to the Orioles in the O’Hearn deal, adding some much-needed pitching depth to Baltimore’s system.

Bateman moves incredibly well given his large frame, which has allowed him to pitch quite well in Single-A this year. At just 19 years old, Bateman has struck out 75 batters across his first 68.1 innings of professional baseball, boasting a 4.08 ERA along the way.

There’s plenty of room for Bateman to grow as a player, and with the Orioles needing some serious pitching help, he’s the perfect candidate to help them out.

1B Tyler Locklear: Mariners to D-Backs

The Diamondbacks were looking to get a decent haul when it came to dealing third baseman Eugenio Suárez, and they found a prospect they liked a lot in first baseman Tyler Locklear.

Unlike most players in this piece, Locklear has already made his major league debut. Although he struggled during this small sample, he’s destroyed Triple-A pitching. Locklear has slugged 19 homers at Triple-A while posting a 136 wRC+ in the process.

Locklear is making the jump straight back to the big leagues after joining the D-backs, and if he hits like he did in Triple-A, he’s going to make a big impact for the club.

OF James Tibbs III: Red Sox to Dodgers

This season has been the definition of a whirlwind for Dodgers prospect James Tibbs III, as this marks the second time he’s been traded this year. The first time was from the Giants to the Red Sox in the Rafael Devers trade, and this time, he’s heading to the Dodgers in exchange for Dustin May.

Despite how many times Tibbs has been traded in such a short time, he’s still a very good baseball player. He was a first-round pick in last year’s draft, with many calling him one of the more well-rounded, underrated college hitters in the entire class.

Tibbs now finds himself in one of the best organizations in the sport in terms of player development, making this a dangerous pairing. Look for him to shoot up prospect boards with some more development in the Dodgers’ system.

RHP Mitch Bratt: Rangers to D-Backs

Suárez wasn’t the only significant piece the Diamondbacks sold off during this year’s deadline, as they also dealt right-hander Merrill Kelly to the Rangers. They added a nice arm in exchange, in righty Mitch Bratt.

Bratt has spent the entirety of this season at Double-A, where he’s thrown 90.2 very solid innings. He’s notched 106 strikeouts while recording an ERA of 3.18. He also limits walks, as he’s walked just 16 batters this year.

There’s a very good chance Bratt could soon move up to Triple-A with the D-backs, and if he does, we could see him in the big leagues not long after that.

OF Drew Gilbert: Mets to Giants

During this year’s deadline, the Giants entered surprising territory, as they fully committed to selling. One of the players they sold off, Tyler Rogers, netted them a solid prospect package in return that was headlined by outfielder Drew Gilbert.

Gilbert, a former first-round pick out of Tennessee, has now been traded twice in his professional career. He was in the midst of a decent season in Triple-A with the Mets, where he had slashed .243/.347/.430 with 12 homers and a 103 wRC+.

Gilbert still has some adjustments to make before he’s big league ready, but it shouldn’t take long for him to make his debut. This is even more true when you consider the open spot in the Giants’ outfield from the Mike Yastrzemski trade.

RHP Juaron Watts-Brown: Blue Jays to Orioles

One of the more fun moments of this year’s deadline came when Seranthony Domínguez was traded from the Orioles to the Blue Jays ahead of their matchup later that night. In this deal, the Orioles netted a nice pitching prospect in right-hander Juaron Watts-Brown.

Watts-Brown has spent this season between High-A and Double-A, where he’s showcased some good stuff at both levels. He’s logged nearly 90 innings of 3.54 ERA baseball, posting a strikeout rate of over 30% in the process as well.

While Watts-Brown’s control will be the main question when it comes to his future, he’s a very solid get for a rental reliever in Domínguez.

C Rafael Flores: Yankees to Pirates

One of the other highlights of the Pirates’ trade deadline was the David Bednar trade, which sent the two-time All-Star closer to the Bronx in exchange for a three-player prospect package. The best of these three players was catcher Rafael Flores, who had put together a nice season overall with the Yankees.

Flores has spent the season between Double-A and Triple-A, although he’s logged the majority of his at-bats at Double-A. Between the two levels, Flores has hit 16 homers while posting a wRC+ above 140, proving that he’s a solid hitter overall.

While he may not have been the headline piece Pirates fans were anticipating for their All-Star closer, he’s certainly not a bad prospect to add to the farm system.