The Winter Meetings have officially come to an end, and the National League East was as involved as any division in the league during the three-day event. Not only did the Philadelphia Phillies re-sign Kyle Schwarber, but the New York Mets lost both Edwin Diaz and Pete Alonso in free agency.
The Winter Meetings might be over, but the offseason is far from finished. Given that, here's a look at one dream yet realistic player each National League East team should pursue, particularly in the trade market.
Washington Nationals
Trade target: Bryce Eldridge
The Washington Nationals have made it very apparent that both MacKenzie Gore and CJ Abrams, two young and controllable stars, are available via trade. With that being said, the Nationals should not move them without getting a huge return. One team that could have an interest in both players, and has a player Washington should covet, is the San Francisco Giants. That player is Bryce Eldridge, their No. 1 prospect and MLB Pipeline's No. 12 prospect overall.
There's always risk in trading a proven player for a prospect, especially one with as much swing and miss as Eldridge, but the Nationals' window is clearly several years away and Eldridge has as much potential as any prospect that they can realistically acquire.
He's MLB-ready right now, and can be their first baseman in 2026 and beyond. Having him mash home runs alongside James Wood for the next decade could be frightening for the entire National League. The Giants could use a starter and an infielder, and with Rafael Devers locked in long-term, Eldridge is movable for the right return.
Atlanta Braves
Trade target: Corey Seager
The Atlanta Braves entered the offseason with two glaring holes on their roster. They patched one of them, the bullpen, by re-signing Raisel Iglesias and landing Robert Suarez. Their shortstop hole still remains, though: Sure, Mauricio Dubon is an upgrade over Nick Allen, but is he really a guy you want starting 140+ games at shortstop? Not really, but Corey Seager certainly is.
The odds of this happening are admittedly slim. The Texas Rangers aren't going to trade Seager without a ridiculous return, and his contract is hefty for a team like Atlanta. Still, the Braves have reportedly asked the Rangers about Seager, and the fit is just perfect.
The Braves could use an offensive upgrade, and surrounding the likes of Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson and Austin Riley with a bat as potent as Seager's, particularly in October, is as good as it gets. Sure, durability is a concern and he's getting up there in age, but at the end of the day, if this guy is available, you do what it takes to get him.
Miami Marlins
Trade target: Coby Mayo
The Miami Marlins are a team in dire need of power in their lineup, and might trade from a strength, their starting rotation, to get it. One player listed in a bevy of rumors is righty Edward Cabrera, and one team he's been linked to is the Baltimore Orioles. After signing Pete Alonso, the Orioles have a corner infield logjam and likely won't spend the money necessary to sign a proven ace. Why not trade from that logjam to acquire a cost-controlled arm in Cabrera? Coby Mayo is a player the Marlins should covet as part of that hypothetical deal.
Sure, Mayo hasn't gotten off to the best of starts, as evidenced by his .637 OPS through his first 102 big-league games. But he started showing flashes of greatness in September, when he slashed .301/.393/.548 with five home runs as the Orioles' everyday first baseman.
Not too long ago, Mayo was one of MLB's top position player prospects. He's just 24 years old, comes with a ton of cheap club control and has immense power. Again, it's risky to trade a proven player for a prospect, but Mayo has such high upside and can be exactly what the Marlins have been looking for, either at third base or first base. If the Marlins trade Cabrera, Mayo might be the best player they can acquire.
New York Mets
Trade target: Willson Contreras
It goes without saying that the New York Mets have several holes to address, particularly after losing both Edwin Diaz and Pete Alonso in free agency. Given the surplus of relievers available in free agency, though, it makes more sense for the Mets to go the trade route to address first base. And nobody makes more sense on that front than Willson Contreras.
Contreras is not as good a hitter as Alonso, but he's hit 20+ home runs in five of the last six full seasons (excluding 2020), makes more contact than the Poalr Bear and was one of the league's best defensive first basemen in 2025. David Stearns has prioritized run prevention, so adding a high-end defender who can hit like Contreras makes too much sense.
Given his age (33), contract ($41.5 million through 2027 with a $17.5 million club option) and the fact that he's on the rebuilding St. Louis Cardinals, he should be available and relatively easy to acquire. His contract is short enough that the Mets could have a prospect, whether that be Ryan Clifford or Jacob Reimer, ready to replace him, and his production is strong enough that New York can still be somewhat competitive in the short-term depending on their other moves.
Philadelphia Phillies
Trade target: Byron Buxton
The Philadelphia Phillies did what they had to do by re-signing Kyle Schwarber, but re-signing him and then coasting the rest of the offseason just can't be an option. Upgrades must be made to finally get over the October hump, and there isn't an area of the team in need of bolstering more than the outfield. With that, why not go after the best option available in Byron Buxton?
To be clear, I have no idea if Buxton would approve a trade to the Phillies (he has a full no-trade clause), and I have no idea if the Phillies will offer what it'd take to get him, given his lengthy injury history (he's played over 100 games three times in 11 seasons). But they should!
When healthy, Buxton is a true five-tool talent who can steal 30+ bases, hit 30+ home runs and play Gold Glove-caliber defense in center field. His contract is also very affordable. The Phillies are a team that can afford to take this risk, given the likelihood that they'd make it to the playoffs without him. They need him for October though, and adding him to the top of a lineup that includes the likes of Schwarber, Trea Turner and Bryce Harper makes the Phillies extremely dangerous.
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