Five players most likely to be moved at the MLB trade deadline

We’re currently about a month into the 2018 Major League Baseball season, and while there is obviously a long way to go, it is not terribly difficult to imagine which teams might be contenders into the summer and which ones won’t. For struggling clubs, the easiest and quickest way to change their long-term outlook is to trade their marketable pieces for young prospects who can become contributors to them sometime in the near future. Let’s take a look at five such players who will be hot trade commodities in July, and in my opinion are locks to be wearing new uniforms come August 1st.

1. J.T. Realmuto, Catcher, Miami Marlins

Realmuto’s name has already been mentioned in potential trade rumors, and it’s no secret why. The Marlins held a complete fire sale this past winter, unloading basically every player they had making substantial money, but it is the one they haven’t traded yet that is currently the apple of several GM’s eyes. Realmuto is somewhat of a white whale in MLB, as star catchers in their prime are rarely readily available to acquire via trade or free agency. The former third-round pick missed the early part of this season with a back contusion but since returning from the DL on April 17th, he’s done nothing but enhance his value. Plenty of teams make sense as fits for the 27 year old, particularly two of Miami’s NL East rivals, the Nationals and Mets. The Marlins dream scenario would be igniting a divisional bidding war between those two clubs. The thing is, to acquire Realmuto will take an absolute haul, as he’s making under $3 million in 2018 and is under contract for a very reasonable price tag through 2020. A creative idea for teams interested in securing his services would involve taking Wei-Yin Chen’s bad contract back with Realmuto, a move that could potentially mitigate the cost in prospects, as Chen is due $58 million over three years after this one, and Miami would desperately like to get that contract off their books.

2. Mike Moustakas, Third Baseman, Kansas City Royals

Mike Moustakas’ employment situation is a saga that just doesn’t want to end. Last season the veteran third baseman enjoyed a breakout campaign, setting new career highs in homers (38), RBI’s (85), Total bases (289), SLG% (.521), and OPS (.835), all en route to earning his second career all-star selection and winning AL Comeback Player of the Year. Following the season, Moustakas rejected the Royals’ qualifying offer with his eyes set on securing a long-term contract worth upwards of $80 million. The problem was, in the strangest free-agency winter in league history, a market for the long time Royal never really developed, and he was forced to come back to Kansas City with his tail between his legs well into spring training, signing for only one year and $6.5 million.

That undoubtedly put a chip on Moustakas’ shoulder, and he’s played like a man on a mission in the season’s first month, hitting .311 with eight long balls and 19 RBI’s in Kansas City’s first 24 games. The Royals' poor performance and his cheap contract will inevitably make him an incredibly desirably trade target for clubs in July however, as he’ll only be owed a little over $2 million during the season’s final two months. Virtually every AL contender could have interest in the 29-year-old because they’d have the luxury of using his bat at DH even if they didn’t have a clear opening at the hot corner, while in the National League teams like the Braves and Phillies could be fits if they can keep up their surprising starts.

3. Alex Colome, Closer, Tampa Bay Rays

Contenders are always looking for relievers in July, particularly ones that 95 MPH+ with closing experience. Using that criteria, coupled with the fact that he’s club controlled through 2020 at a reasonable rate, there likely will not be a more desirable relief pitcher available in July than Rays’ closer Alex Colome. The 29-year-old got off to a tough start in 2018 which is the reason his peripheral statistics are not very good at the moment, but he’s been dominant of late in his four most recent outings. The only potential snag to a Colome deal is Tampa Bay’s position in the standings, as after a dreadful start they’ve rallied to close to within two games of .500. On paper, though, the Rays are simply not a contender, particularly in a very difficult American League, which is why I fully expect Colome to be wearing a new uniform come August.

4. Brad Brach, Reliever, Baltimore Orioles

While the aforementioned Colome will likely be the most desirable bullpen arm available at the deadline, Baltimore’s Brad Brach may be a close second. The veteran has been one of baseball’s best set-up men since arriving in Charm City in 2014, tossing over 62.1 innings with a WHIP of 1.20 or lower for four consecutive years, and with the Orioles currently buried in last place, the phone will undoubtedly be ringing. Brach owns a lifetime ERA of 3.04 and a career batting average against of just .217, and he even earned his first closing experience while Zach Britton was hurt last season. The 32 year old right-hander is a free-agent at year’s end, so theoretically the cost to acquire him shouldn’t be astronomical, although we’ll have to wait to see how the market develops in the summer and whether or not the O’s are able to drum up a bidding war.

5. Starlin Castro, Second Baseman, Miami Marlins

As previously discussed, the Marlins willingness to sell is no secret, and while Realmuto is undoubtedly their most sought over trade commodity, Castro isn’t all that far behind. The veteran infielder came to South Beach in the big trade that sent Giancarlo Stanton to the Bronx, but for his sake let’s hope he didn’t put down too many roots. Castro is a professional hitter with a reasonable contract that runs through next season with an option for 2020, and he could draw the attention of several teams in need of a versatile infielder that owns a lifetime .282 batting average. The Brewers haven’t gotten a ton out of second base early in 2018 and they’re the first team that comes to mind as a potential fit, but suitors for Castro could pop up over the next few months as injuries could force other contenders hands.