MLB trade rumors: 5 prospects the Tigers should target

2. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

The Toronto Blue Jays were quick to pounce back in 2015 when the Tigers went into a sell-off at the deadline. The Jays swapped their top pitching prospect, Daniel Norris, and two other pitchers, including Matt Boyd who spent time in the Detroit rotation earlier this season. Guerrero, 18, is putting up massive numbers for Single-A Lansing in the Midwest League.

The son of a future Hall of Famer, Guerrero should be all but untouchable when it comes to the Blue Jays farm system. He was signed for $3.9 million and is definitely living up to the hype so far. In parts of two seasons in the minor leagues, where he has been over three years younger than the competition, Guerrero has hit .296/.384/.459 with more walks than strikeouts. It is a gross understatement to say that he has more plate discipline than his famous father.

It’s very easy to see why the Blue Jays would be extremely reluctant to part with their top prospect. To realistically have any chance at prying the 18-year-old third baseman away from Toronto, the Tigers may have to offer multiple pieces in a blockbuster trade. If Detroit is ready to go into a deeper rebuilding mode, they should offer J.D. Martinez and reliever Justin Wilson to the Jays in exchange for a package that centers around Guerrero.

Vlad Guerrero Jr. is the type of prospect that comes along once in a generation, but the Blue Jays may not feel compelled to wait another three years while he matures in the minor leagues. This is an aging team that is built to win now. If they are not aggressive, Josh Donaldson’s prime may be wasted.