The Best Candidates for a Change-of-Scenery Trade
So-called "change of scenery" trades often turn out to be a win for both teams involved. Here are 12 candidates for such a trade this summer.
The trade deadline is always a buzzing topic due to all the dream scenarios. Your team is in contention and fills its remaining holes with the exact big-name players you had in mind. Happens each year, right?
Or, your team is well out of the race, and you now have the luxury of learning about 19 to 23-year-old minor leaguers who are going to save the future of your franchise and fandom. Likely.
The reality usually lands somewhere in the middle. Your favorite contender lands someone who you might not have thought of, or your rebuilding team gets a rookie ball player whose name you’ve never heard before. Although, sometimes, a familiar name excites both the buyer and the seller.
The ever-elusive change-of-scenery candidate.
These a former top prospects or one-hit wonders whose prospect shine has worn off. These players usually have their team’s fans wanting them demoted or off the roster, and the acquiring team always finds intrigue in the opportunity to unlock their potential.
Change-of-scenery candidates can allow a buyer to clear a 40-man spot, or even an active roster spot, without trading a top prospect, while a rebuilder gets a young talent with control and pedigree who can slide right into the big league lineup. These can be a win-win and, for the player, usually a welcome change.
Today, I want to highlight some of the names we could see moved in this type of deal at the upcoming deadline. With the number of pitcher injuries this season, there’s a lower chance of pitchers being “blocked,” and their value as depth typically outweighs their value in a trade. Because of that, this list has few arms.
Jhonkensy Noel – OF – Cleveland Guardians (AAA)
2025 MiLB Stats: .280/.344/.561, 5 HR, 136 wRC+
Who doesn’t love Big Christmas?! Noel is a massive human with massive power and a massive swing-and-miss issue. He struggled to a 4, yes 4, wRC+ in 107 plate appearances with the Guardians this season, which led to him going back to Triple-A.
To me, Noel is not the type of profile the Guardians typically prefer, which makes him land on this list.
Cleveland might not be in a position to be a true buyer. If they are on the fringes, they could elect to move Noel in order to upgrade the team while keeping their prospects and ridding themselves of a player that doesn’t fit the mold of what they typically like. Plenty of teams would love to get his power in their building and see what they can do.
Jordan Walker – OF – St. Louis Cardinals (IL)
2025 MLB Stats: .210/.267/.295, 3 HR, 59 wRC+
You cannot convince me that Walker is just not talented enough to hit in the majors. Everything about his development path has been mishandled, or at least untraditional. Making him learn a new position and calling him up at 21 years old, only to send him back down when he was actually hitting? Bouncing back and forth, swing changes, confusing messaging. A change is needed.
It’s obvious that the Cardinals and Walker will not work out. St. Louis is good enough to compete, but really already has a foot in the future. Some team needs to bring him in and allow him to get back to his basics and focus on a fresh start. Walker will not be part of the Cardinals’ plans, but he could help them recoup a player and finally end this awful marriage.
Jace Jung – 3B/2B – Detroit Tigers (AAA)
2025 MiLB Stats: .211/.365/.392, 8 HR, 111 wRC+
Jung was great last year in Triple-A but did not do much when he was called up. While he walked at a 16% clip, he was too passive, struck out a lot, and did not impact the baseball at all. In many ways, he looked like he was pressing, knowing his leash was not long.
This season, he showed improved defense at third, but ultimately, the Tigers were too good to let him get much run. He’s closer to a three-true-outcome player, but a lefty bat who will be 25 years old all of next year with first-round pedigree should have some teams interested in acquiring him for a relief pitcher or something of that nature.
Bobby Miller – SP – Los Angeles Dodgers (AAA)
2025 MiLB Stats: 56.2 IP, 5.08 ERA, 6.57 FIP, 7.31 K/9
The hoopla surrounding Miller over the past few years has been…a lot. He’s another former first-round pick who’s flashed potential at times and struggled mightily as well.
The Dodgers are on a different level than any other team, and they used their resources to bring in starters instead of giving him more of an opportunity. Even with injuries, he’s been passed on the depth chart.
Miller still has the name/post-prospect hype that makes so many in his shoes worth a shot for other teams. It is clear that the Dodgers do not want to rely on him in any manner, so instead, they could use him to help protect their prospects in a trade package. Perhaps they deal Miller and a tier-two prospect instead of trading one of their big names.
Vaughn Grissom – INF – Boston Red Sox (AAA)
2025 MiLB Stats: .275/.352/.425, 7 HR, 107 wRC+
Grissom came over in the deal that sent Chris Sale to Atlanta ahead of the 2024 campaign. Yes, the Red Sox traded the eventual Cy Young winner, and now we are talking about Grissom as a player to be moved. Boston has higher-end infield options such as Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell, making Grissom’s path to the roster unclear.
The reason this deal is less likely is that Grissom hasn’t been great, and the Red Sox might be closer to sellers than buyers. However, Grissom only has one option left, and the Red Sox’s 40-man roster is going to be in a crunch soon. They could look to move him now before they are even more in a corner to do so later.
Luis Campusano – C – San Diego Padres (AAA)
2025 MiLB Stats: .319/.436/.611, 13 HR, 148 wRC+
When the Padres paired end-of-career veterans Martín Maldonado and Elias Díaz behind the plate, I thought it was over for Campusano in a Padres uniform. Instead, the team let him return to Triple-A for a fifth season.
Campusano has done nothing but hit in the minors, and considering how thin the catcher position is, teams could be lining up to roll the dice on him.
He is in a similar boat to Jordan Walker, as the Padres’ handling of his development has been bizarre. Sure, he’s a liability behind the plate, but I’m sure knowing one mistake means a trip back to the minors didn’t help. He needs an opportunity to play several times a week to see if his bat can click.
Ke’Bryan Hayes – 3B – Pittsburgh Pirates
2025 MLB Stats: .247/.297/.304, 2 HR, 68 wRC+
I’ll be honest with you. I’m in no way “a believer” in Hayes’ ability to hit. The glove is top-notch, don’t get me wrong, but he’s currently in his second straight season of no power and a sub-70 wRC+. As he ages, the glove’s value could slow, making him a difficult player to roster.
He’s signed through 2029 with additional options, and although $7 and $8 million a year is not much, what if it fails next season and his new team moves on? That’s over $16 million to pay out.
The money is less of an issue, though, with his (lack of) offensive ability leading the charge in the problem category. He’s too slippery for my liking, which means there’s definitely a GM who still remembers his 2023 Savant page enough to risk it.
Tyler Black – 1B/OF – Milwaukee Brewers (AAA)
2025 MiLB Stats: .222/.357/.346, 1 HR, 95 wRC+
I’ll keep this one short. Black is more or less a positionless player with a good bat. The problem is he hasn’t been hitting at all.
Still, I think his production from years past gives him value for a team that’s willing to give him the second half to prove himself. He’s in a similar boat to Jace Jung, although Jung has a bit more defensive value.
Matt Manning – SP/RP – Detroit Tigers (AAA)
2025 MiLB Stats: 45.1 IP, 6.15 ERA, 5.49 FIP, 9.33 K/9
Manning has clearly been passed over in Detroit. The Tigers have elected to go with just about anyone, including 34-year-old Dietrich Enns, over Manning. Yet, I still think there’s enough here to mold into a depth starter or at least a bullpen piece.
He has worked out of the bullpen some in Triple-A, showing a bump in velo, which is to be expected. Detroit needs rotation and bullpen help, but Manning is not the answer. A team could look to Manning, who still has an option, as a reclamation project.
Oswald Peraza – INF – New York Yankees
2025 MLB Stats: .153/.228/.266, 3 HR, 40 wRC+
The Yankees’ former top prospect has been a disappointment in pinstripes. Sure, he has not had a huge opportunity, but that’s mostly because he has not shown he deserves one. A good but not great hitter the last couple of years in the minors, Peraza’s time is running thin.
We know the Yankees will be looking to add at the deadline. Peraza is out of options and has not been good enough to stick. Instead of losing him for nothing, they could see if a team with some playing time available is looking to buy low and to try to fix his issues.
Everson Pereira – OF – New York Yankees (AAA)
2025 MiLB Stats: .245/.335/.455, 12 HR, 109 wRC+
Pereira is 24 but has not been able to crack the roster. He only has 103 underwhelming MLB plate appearances to his name. He does have some pop and could turn into at least a platoon option, so he carries some intrigue.
With only one option left, I’m sure the Yankees would be willing to flip him to help the team now.
Any team that receives Pereira will have to deal with some growing pains. He’s going to strike out a good amount and is still rather raw for a player who’s 24. Although, we’ve seen less talented players make it work in the past, so there’s still some hope.
James Outman – OF – Los Angeles Dodgers (AAA)
2025 MLB Stats: .125/.222/.375, 2 HR, 65 wRC+
Outman is a sneaky 28-year-old but does have a 20-plus home run season under his belt (2023). However, the expected numbers from that season tell a lesser story, while his 30%-plus strikeout rate each year might leave some teams wary of just how good he can be.
A lefty bat with some power that can play center is going to be worth a shot to a lot of GMs. The Dodgers are constantly dealing with a 40-man roster crunch, and clearing Outman for anything that can help in return would be worth it. I’m less confident in his abilities, but for a bullpen arm or expiring bench piece, I’d take the chance.
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