The MLB trade deadline is approaching quickly and one name towers above the rest. Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto is the crown jewel of the deadline, and teams should be lining up with offers of multiple top-level prospects to secure his services.
Soto is easily the best player available, but he’s not the only difference maker on the market. If your favorite team misses out on Soto, here are five other players on the market who could make an impact in the second half.
Andrew Benintendi, Kansas City Royals OF
Other than Soto, Andrew Benintendi appears to be the best outfielder on the market. He’s hitting .317/.387/.398 over 377 plate appearances and is in the final year of his contract. With the Royals out of the playoff race, Benintendi, 28, is a prime candidate to be dealt to a contender.
Benintendi should not be viewed as a consolation prize for the team that misses out on Soto. Benintendi is a solid player, but he’s not in the same stratosphere as Soto. Benintendi’s strength is his high-contact, all-fields approach at the plate. He can get the bat on the ball and spray it around the field, which results in a high batting average.
That approach comes with a significant drawback, though. Benintendi has struggled to hit for power in 2022. He has just three home runs and a career-low home run per fly ball rate. While you would normally expect positive regression there, this appears to be a deliberate tradeoff from Benintendi. After pulling the ball 40 percent of the time last season, he’s pulling the ball 27.3 percent of the time in 2022. He’s prioritized average over power, at least this season.
Kauffman Stadium is notoriously hard on power, so it’s possible Benintendi tailored his swing for the park, and can make adjustments if he finds a more homer-friendly home field after his trade. Benintendi was unable to play in Toronto due to being unvaccinated for COVID-19, which could scare some teams — especially those in the AL East — from trading for him.
Luis Castillo, Cincinnati Reds SP
Luis Castillo bounced all the way back after posting an ERA near 4.00 last season. In 78 innings, Castillo has a career-low 2.77 ERA despite playing on a Cincinnati Reds team with a below-average defense.
Castillo, 29, is a known quantity at this point in his career. He will strike out at least a batter per inning, occasionally struggle with his control and dominate hitters with his devastating changeup. When he’s on, Castillo is one of the best pitchers in baseball and is capable of posting top-10 numbers over a full season.
Castillo is under contract through the 2023 MLB season, upping his value on the market. That extra year of control could make Castillo the most expensive piece on the market (non-Soto division). He’s, at worst, a No. 2 starter on most playoff teams. Castillo was eligible to play when the Reds traveled to Toronto in May.
Willson Contreras, Chicago Cubs C
A catcher who can hit is a rare commodity these days, which should give Willson Contreras plenty of value on the trade market. Contreras is hitting .258/.372/.471 with 14 home runs over 349 plate appearances. His 139 wRC+ suggests he’s been 39 percent better than league average at the plate this season.
That’s a significant upgrade over most catchers. As a position, catchers are hitting .226/.296/.368 on the year, good for a below-average 88 wRC+. Contreras, 30, would make virtually every lineup better.
At the plate, Contreras offers a solid understanding of the strike zone. He’s a patient hitter who has averaged a 10 percent walk rate over his career. There’s some swing and miss in his game, though Contreras has made strides in that area this season. He’ll never hit .300, but that’s not necessary when the rest of his skills are so strong.
Contreras will be a free agent at the end of the 2022 season, which should lower his going rate. Any team getting Contreras knows they are getting a rental. Despite his age, Contreras’ numbers at a weak position should result in him receiving a major deal on the market. The Chicago Cubs have yet to play in Toronto this season, but Contreras has said he’s vaccinated for COVID-19, which should boost his trade value.
Frankie Montas, Oakland Athletics SP
Oakland Athletics pitcher Frankie Montas has a lot in common with Castillo. The two produce despite playing on bad teams, are under contract through the 2023 season and are both 29.
Montas is the less-accomplished pitcher with a shorter track record of success in the majors. After some rough performances early in his career, Montas broke out in 2019. His year was cut short due to a suspension for PEDs. Montas came back and struggled in 2020, posting a 5.60 ERA, but has bounced back the past two seasons, posting a 3.30 ERA over that period.
That’s a better ERA than Castillo (3.62) posted over the past two seasons. Montas brings many of the same skills on the mound. He’s capable of striking out over a batter per inning, but has better control compared to Castillo. Because of that, he and Castillo probably command a similar amount of value on the market. Montas was not placed on the restricted list when the A’s visited Toronto in April, a sign he is vaccinated against COVID-19.
Josh Bell, Washington Nationals 1B
It was speculated Nelson Cruz would be the Washington Nationals’ biggest trade chip at the deadline, but that honor belongs to Josh Bell after his torrid first half. Bell is hitting .305/.388/.496, with 13 home runs, over 407 plate appearances.
Bell, 29, has battled inconsistency throughout his career, but heads into the trade deadline on pace for his finest season in MLB. Bell’s value will be limited by his position and contract situation. Teams generally don’t have as much of a need at first base and Bell will be a free agent following the season. With that said, Bell is hitting better than most first basemen this season and his ability to hit from both sides of the plate should increase his value. Bell is a rare power hitter who doesn’t strike out a lot, so his high average isn’t necessarily something that will regress.
The Nationals are one of the few teams that have not played in Toronto this season. It’s unclear whether Bell is vaccinated against COVID-19 and whether that will impact his trade market. Nationals manager Dave Martinez said last April most players on the team were vaccinated against COVID-19.
