MLB trade rumors: Top 25 trade assets for deadline

16. Jose Abreu

With Jose Quintana struggling and losing a large amount of his value as a trade chip, the White Sox may want to consider opening up trade talks on their franchise first baseman. Jose Abreu is having another of his quietly great seasons, and his power has returned after a down year in 2016. He is on track for 30 doubles, 30 home runs, and 100 RBI yet again and is batting close to .300.

Abreu is very valuable on the trade market because he is under club control through the 2019 season. He will have two more years of arbitration before free agency after this year, and will make far less than the open-market value. He opted-out of the contract he signed after coming over from Cuba in an attempt to make more money, but he will still come in under $20 million, which is a steal for the numbers he puts up.

The White Sox do not have to rush a trade of Abreu, and they might be better off waiting until the offseason to move him when all 30 teams are more likely to get involved in trade talks. The majority of the White Sox rebuild so far has been focused on young starters. Their system still lacks depth when it comes to hitters. Abreu could be the cornerstone slugger they need to keep around to help protect and mentor Yoan Moncada. He would rank much higher on this list if there was more certainty that the White Sox are looking to trade him.