Top 20 MLB Stars with the Best Trade Value at the Deadline

2024’s MLB trade deadline is growing nearer and nearer as the days tick on. We’re officially far enough into the season to be able to determine which teams are obvious sellers, which are buyers and which will wait until the very last second to decide.

Few teams have more assets to flip than the White Sox, Athletics and Marlins, and they all seem to be ready to deal. Then there are clubs like the Cardinals, Blue Jays, Red Sox and Astros, who remain undecided on their deadline direction as they remain within striking distance of a Wild Card spot in the 2024 postseason.

This means that most of the latter four teams will only be included in the following list with players they could move and conceivably remain in the thick of things. So, spoiler alert: you’re not going to see Paul Goldschmidt, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette or Justin Verlander receiving a spot.

We assembled this list based off of players teams will target with “who can immediately help me win a World Series?” in mind. This eliminates the likes of Lane Thomas, Randy Arozarena, Josh Bell and Brandon Drury, whose trade values have taken hits as they’re underperforming this year.

In most cases, this also puts an emphasis on rentals, both positively and negatively. If someone on an expiring contract is performing well, he’s considered to be a lock to be on the move. If he’s struggling, it’s harder to envision his trade value being all that high.

Let’s not waste any more time and dive right in to the list.

Ranking the Top 20 Stars with the Best Trade Value at the Deadline

Honorable mentions:

Multiple low-cost, high-value players currently reside on teams headed for a sell-off, but they’re going to just miss the cut. This includes Jesse Winker, Tommy Pham and J.D. Martinez.

All three of these established veterans are playing well and have done more than enough to “earn” a trade away from their cellar-dwelling clubs. Yet, they fall short. This speaks volumes to the sheer amount of depth we’re going to be dealing with at this year’s deadline. Three of the most moveable assets don’t even crack the list.

20. LHP Tanner Scott, MIA

Control: FA after 2024

Scott has gone from oft-used middle reliever on the Orioles to premier closer on the Marlins in just a few seasons. The left-hander is on an expiring contract and is sporting a 1.93 ERA through his first 27 outings this year. There aren’t many saves opportunities to be had in Miami right now, but he’s a high-strikeout arm that virtually any team in need of a lefty reliever should be in on.

Potential fits: Orioles, Royals, Rangers

19. RHP Yimi Garcia, TOR

Control: FA after 2024

Garcia has the distinction of being the only non-closer to make this list. He’s been quietly dominating the opposition for a Blue Jays team that has disappointed this year. Garcia, 33, ranks in the top-15 amongst AL relievers in K/9, ERA and FIP and is as durable as they come. He can fill multiple different roles for a contending club in need of a shutdown arm and won’t cost too much since he’s also a rental.

Potential fits: Dodgers, Rangers, Phillies

18. C Danny Jansen, TOR

Control: FA after 2024

Jansen and Alejandro Kirk have formed a dangerous tandem for the past few years, but Jansen has seriously taken his game to the next level in 2024. The 29-year-old does it all at the dish, as he is near the top of the leaderboards amongst qualified catchers in BB%, K%, SLG, OBP and wRC+ through 41 games this year. He’d be able to help out any team looking for some pop behind the plate or at designated hitter, but his shaky health history is likely going to hurt his value a bit.

Potential fits: Cubs, Phillies, Guardians

17. RHP Nick Pivetta, BOS

Control: FA after 2024

Gone are the days of Pivetta being viewed as a back-of-the-rotation arm who can barely function as a league-average pitcher. The right-hander has really come into his own over the course of his five-year tenure in Boston and should net a nice return if the Red Sox move him. In nine starts so far, he’s got a 3.88 ERA, 3.86 FIP and 108 ERA+ across 46.1 innings. Since coming over to the Red Sox, he’s shown impressive durability, a deep pitch mix and the versatility to perform well as both a starter and reliever.

Potential fits: Brewers, Astros, Cardinals

16. LHP Yusei Kikuchi, TOR

Control: FA after 2024

Sticking with yet another member of the Blue Jays, Kikuchi is as durable as they come and has dramatically improved across the board in each of his last two seasons. The southpaw has been up and down in 2024, but his 3.26 ERA and 3.10 FIP are nothing to scoff at, and he’s only allowed one run over his last 11 innings spanning two starts. With so many teams looking for middle-of-the-rotation arms, Kikuchi is about as dependable as they come.

Potential fits: Guardians, Brewers, Braves

15. RHP Trevor Williams, WSH

Control: FA after 2024

Williams is in the midst of his best season as a big leaguer and is sure to get moved at the deadline. The nine-year veteran has been utterly dominant for the Nationals, seemingly out of nowhere. He’s the type of pitcher who you expect to regress, but he keeps going out there and putting up zeroes, so maybe it’s time to buy in. Most of his value can be accredited to a sweeper that he’s using much more than he ever has before, and batters have hit just .107 against it.

Despite the fact that he’s on the injured list right now, Williams has immense rental value. He currently ranks third in all of baseball in HR/9 from a starting pitcher (min. 50 IP), ninth in ERA and 15th in FIP.

Potential fits: Cardinals, Brewers, Orioles

14. RHP Erick Fedde, CWS

Control: FA after 2025

Our first non-rental, Fedde has been enjoying quite the resurgence after spending last year in South Korea. The 31-year-old has a revamped repertoire and has seen his new sweeper and split-change carry him to the promised land.

Fedde’s got 15 starts under his belt this year and, like Williams, has shown no real signs of slowing down. Fedde has a 3.10 ERA, good for 14th in the AL, and has flashed impressive durability, going seven or more innings three times already. The White Sox are going to sell anything with a pulse, and he’s going to be one of the first to go.

Potential fits: Astros, Padres, Orioles

13. RHP Luis Severino, NYM

Control: FA after 2024

Coming off of his worst professional season, Severino has turned his one-year contract with the Mets into more of an audition for interested parties in the upcoming offseason than anything else. He has gone a long way to boosting his overall value, as he currently sports a 3.12 ERA and 123 ERA+ across 13 starts and 78 innings of work.

A lot of this success is thanks to an increased usage of his sinker. The pitch has caused his groundball rate to shoot up and the amount of soft contact he’s inducing is higher than its ever been before. Based off of his past successes, he was able to beat out the likes of Williams and Fedde, even if they’re outperforming him this year.

Potential fits: Brewers, Orioles, Braves

12. RHP Jack Flaherty, DET

Control: FA after 2024

Surprisingly, Flaherty has not had an above-average season on the mound since all the way back in 2021. He, like Severino, is in the middle of one hell of a bounce-back and is one of the most obvious trade chips in all of baseball. The 28-year-old is currently second in the AL in K/9 and third in both BB/9 and FIP. Again like Severino, Flaherty is not only turning himself into an attractive trade chip, but a multi-year free agent contract in the coming months.

Potential fits: Padres, Astros, Yankees

11. 3B Alex Bregman, HOU

Control: FA after 2024

Even when he’s having a down year, Bregman remains an uber-talented option at the hot corner. He’s on an expiring contract and doesn’t appear to be on the cusp of signing an extension, so could the Astros actually trade him at the deadline? We’re saying yes. In 68 games this year, the two-time All-Star has nine home runs and 33 RBI and with a 100 OPS+. He’s a proven winner who would immediately be an upgrade at third base for a number of playoff hopefuls.

Potential fits: Yankees, Blue Jays, Cubs

10. OF Tyler O’Neill, BOS

Control: FA after 2024

Turns out, all O’Neill needed was to get out of St. Louis for him to (re)discover his potential. The outfielder has 12 home runs but only 23 driven in, so the run-producing opportunities have not exactly been rich in Boston.

With the Red Sox just two games above .500, they’ve still got a chance of at least securing a Wild Card spot, but moving O’Neill at the deadline while his value is sky-high would be wise. His .865 OPS ranks eighth amongst all outfielders (min. 100 PA) and he’s also ninth in SLG and 11th in OBP.

Potential fits: Phillies, Mariners, Royals

9. OF Jazz Chisholm Jr., MIA

Control: FA after 2026

Forget all the talk of Chisholm being overrated, because the guy brings the vibes in a clubhouse and has been an above-average ballplayer all year long. Finally fully healthy, Chisholm has 10 home runs and 34 RBI with a .762 OPS and 112 OPS+ in 70 games so far.

While most of his Statcast metrics don’t jump out, he’s in the 85th percentile in Barrel % and also is in the 81st percentile in Batting Run Value. Sure, he’s not performing like a superstar, but he’s got pop, speed and a ton of team control. If the Marlins are going to wave the white flag for real, they need to be open to moving anyone at this year’s deadline, including Jazz.

Potential fits: Mariners, Giants, Dodgers

8. 1B Pete Alonso, NYM

Control: FA after 2024

One of the most fearsome home run hitters in baseball, Alonso is a pending free agent and is on a Mets team that should be heading for a sell-off by the deadline. Alonso’s got 15 home runs, tied for second amongst all qualified first basemen, and is currently sporting a smooth 124 OPS+.

A popular theory that’s been thrown around is that the Mets will flip Alonso for as big a haul as they can get at the deadline and then re-sign him during the offseason. David Stearns has historically been a mastermind when putting together trade packages, so look for Alonso to be on the move to one of the many contending teams desperate for some offense at first base.

Potential fits: Cubs, Mariners, Astros

7. RHP Ryan Helsley, STL

Control: FA after 2025

Helsley and his lethal slider could be one of the best chips on the Cardinals if they look to sell assets. On the season, hitters have registered a .197 average and have whiffed over 48% of the time at the pitch. The 29-year-old currently leads the majors in saves (24) and has another year of control beyond the current one.

There’s no doubt his value is at its highest right now, and the amount of teams looking for back-end relief pitching at the deadline is through the roof. The Cardinals would be foolish not to entertain the thought of moving him.

Potential fits: Dodgers, Rangers, Mariners

6. LHP Jesus Luzardo, MIA

Control: FA after 2026

Another arm with considerable control, Luzardo is in the midst of a down year (5.00 ERA, 86 ERA+ through 12 starts), but his slightly better 4.25 FIP provides a sliver of hope, as does his lengthy track record. He has 200-strikeout stuff and is a legitimate top-of-the-rotation arm when he’s on his A-game, which we saw as recently as last year.

The left-hander has also been walking less batters than he has in years past and will still be worth “a top 100 prospect, at least”, according to a recent piece on his value penned by The Athletic.

Potential fits: Padres, Astros, Red Sox

5. OF Brent Rooker, OAK

Control: FA after 2027

Clearly Oakland’s top (offensive) trade chip, Rooker is likely on his way to a second consecutive All-Star Game selection and continues to be one of the club’s top hitters. In 59 games, he’s got 13 home runs and 41 RBI along with a career-high .843 OPS and 145 OPS+. He looked great last year but has looked excellent in the current one.

Mired in a deep, deep rebuild, the A’s need to move Rooker while his value is high. He’s under control for multiple years still and is right in the middle of his peak with the bat. As is the case with relief pitching, there are a ton of teams in need of a corner outfield bat with some pop at the deadline.

Potential fits: Twins, Guardians, Dodgers

4. OF Luis Robert Jr., CWS

Control: FA after 2025 (2026 & 2027 team option)

Currently playing out a team-friendly contract, Robert could be under control for as many as three-and-a-half years still, and is lethal when healthy. That’s the problem, though, is that the 26-year-old has five years of experience but has played in over 100 games one time.

Jeff Passan and Bob Nightengale have both confirmed that the White Sox are willing to move Robert, but the latter says that it’d be for a “Juan Soto-type package”, which many teams may be unwilling to meet, despite the fact that he’s a top-shelf talent.

Even in the current year, Robert has displayed durability concerns, but he’s got a 113 OPS+ through 19 games and continues to be every bit as strong on defense, playing a mean center field.

Potential fits: Blue Jays, Dodgers, Phillies

3. LHP Garrett Crochet, CWS

Control: FA after 2026

Seeing Crochet blossom into an ace after previously functioning as a relief pitcher has been a delight. The flamethrowing southpaw is near the top of most pitching percentiles and is pitching his way right off the White Sox.

In a league-leading 15 starts, the 25-year-old is 6-5 with a 3.16 ERA, 2.72 FIP and 129 ERA+. He leads the AL in strikeouts (116) and has the major league lead in K/9 (12.6) while reaching double digit punchouts in five outings. The primary concern is his injury history and how he is still a candidate to go down again with an unorthodox delivery on the mound. Teams could be deterred by this, but anyone in need of an ace-caliber hurler needs to be looking into him.

The White Sox are, understandably, going to ask for a gigantic return for Crochet come the deadline, but based off the value he’ll provide as long as he’s healthy, it may just be worth it.

Potential fits: Padres, Yankees, Brewers

2. RHP Mason Miller, OAK

Control: FA after 2029

Easily the most pleasant surprise in all of baseball this year, Miller’s ascent to dominance has been, in a word, awesome. The right-hander has 25 appearances under his belt so far with 12 saves. He’s also striking out just under 16 batters per nine innings while lowering his walk rate from last year’s 33-inning cameo.

Miller and his otherworldly fastball-slider combo has been unmatched thus far. Neither pitch has allowed a batting average higher than .151 and that heater is averaging 100.9 mph. What’s most impressive is the fact that he’s able to control it pretty well.

A few weeks back, we put together some trade packages to land Miller at the deadline and all of them involved multiple high-end prospects coming back to Oakland. Even though he no longer has a negative FIP, the fact is that there are almost no players in baseball with higher trade values than this kid.

Potential fits: Orioles, Phillies, Yankees

1. 3B Isaac Paredes, TBR

Control: FA after 2027

Speaking to Talkin’ Baseball, ESPN’s Jeff Passan pointed out that the 2025 Rays will have Junior Caminero, Carson Williams and three top-shelf starting pitchers joining the fold at the big league level. With this in mind, why shouldn’t the Rays, who are currently four games under .500, consider moving someone like Paredes for a gigantic return?

The corner infielder has a boatload of control and could be deemed expendable once Williams (SS) and Caminero (3B) get up to the bigs for good. Paredes, 25, has built off of his strong 2023 showing with an even more impressive 2024.

In 67 games so far, he’s got a .281 average, .822 OPS and 137 OPS+ with 10 home runs and 38 RBI. Most of his top statistics are already outperforming the strong year he had last year and if the Rays look to move him at the deadline, the value he’ll have in discussions will be immense. With the control, raw power and the fact that the Rays almost never lose trades, they’ll hit it big if they chose to flip him at the deadline.

Potential fits: Cubs, Astros, Mariners