Much of the attention during the MLB offseason is on free agency, and rightfully so, but from Tarik Skubal to Byron Buxton to Sandy Alcantara, there's a chance that several big names are traded this winter. While those deals could feature proven talent heading both ways, the most frequent outcome is that one team sends prospects in exchange for proven talent.
Some prospects are off limits in any trade; sorry, the Detroit Tigers are not trading Kevin McGonigle under just about any circumstance. Others, though, might be tough for contenders to part with but might actually get dealt in order to get their roster over the hump. This list features the best prospects each contending team can realistically part with.
Note: All prospect rankings are via MLB Pipeline.
Prospects who can be traded
- AL East prospects who can be traded
- AL Central prospects who can be traded
- AL West prospects who can be traded
- NL East prospects who can be traded
- NL Central prospects who can be traded
- NL West prospects who can be traded
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AL East prospects who can be traded
Baltimore Orioles: OF Dylan Beavers (BAL No. 2 prospect)
It's put up or shut up time for Mike Elias and the Baltimore Orioles. Missing the playoffs for a second straight season following a disastrous 2025 campaign could lead to Elias losing his job. Because of that, the O's should be willing to spend in free agency and also part with valuable prospects in trades. Samuel Basallo, obviously, shouldn't be going anywhere, but the Orioles should be open to trading Dylan Beavers for a proven veteran.
Beavers, one of Baltimore's top prospects, made his MLB debut in mid-August and had a .775 OPS in 35 games while playing in both corner outfield spots. I have high hopes for Beavers, a 24-year-old who crushed the ball in Triple-A this past season, but the Orioles have needs in their rotation, bullpen and outfield.
If Beavers can help land a proven and controllable commodity, it'd be hard to say not to execute a trade involving him.
Boston Red Sox: SS Franklin Arias (BOS No. 1 prospect)
Trading a 19-year-old shortstop as talented as Franklin Arias, who already has 10 games at the Double-A level under his belt, might sound like a bad idea, but hear me out. The Boston Red Sox are officially in win-now mode. Getting back to the postseason for the first time since 2021 was cool, but as their Wild Card exit showed, there's a lot more work to do to get this team back in World Series contention.
The Red Sox should be willing to spend money in free agency, particularly to add the power bat this lineup desperately needs, and Boston's rotation is in dire need of a No. 2 starter as well. Rather than signing a guy like Dylan Cease or Framber Valdez, a trade for a younger and cheaper alternative, like Joe Ryan or Hunter Greene, makes more sense.
It's hard to envision a deal of this magnitude going down without Arias being involved. As much as it'd hurt to watch him blossom elsewhere, it'd be more fun to watch the Red Sox win on the back of whoever they're able to acquire by dangling Arias on the trade block.
New York Yankees: OF Spencer Jones (NYY No. 4 prospect)
Spencer Jones might be the most polarizing prospect in the sport. He had an outstanding year split between Double-A and Triple-A, slashing .274/.362/.571 with 35 home runs, 80 RBI and 29 stolen bases. He's even a solid defender in center field. His issue, though, is that he struck out 179 times in 506 plate appearances, a 35.3 percent strikeout rate. If he's striking out that much in the Minor Leagues, can he make enough contact to thrive in the bigs?
I don't know the answer to that, and neither does anyone else. What I do know is that Jones has a very high ceiling and a lower floor than you'd like. The New York Yankees trading him for a proven outfielder, perhaps Steven Kwan, could make a lot of sense.
This could come back to haunt them if Jones finds a way to make more contact in Cleveland, but it's worth the risk for a Yankees team trying to win now.
Toronto Blue Jays: SS Arjun Nimmala (TOR No. 3 prospect)
Trey Yesavage, the Toronto Blue Jays' No. 1 prospect, obviously isn't going anywhere after the absurd postseason he just had. Blue Jays fans wish the same could be said about Arjun Nimmala, one of the best infield prospects in the game. But with the Jays coming off a World Series appearance, they can ill-afford to hold Nimmala back from trade talks completely.
I'm not suggesting the Jays should rush to trade the 19-year-old who has a lot of upside, but Toronto is clearly in win-now mode. And when considering Nimmala's late-season struggles in High-A, he's a ways away from contributing.
If the Jays are able to land an impactful starting pitcher or slugger with Nimmala as the centerpiece, Ross Atkins ought to strongly consider it. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is in his prime right now, and the Jays need to take advantage of that even if it means trading Nimmala away. Winning one World Series would make up for Nimmala making 10 All-Star teams elsewhere.
AL Central prospects who can be traded
Detroit Tigers: C/1B Josue Briceno (DET No. 3 prospect)
I can understand the hesitancy when it comes to trading Josue Briceno, one of the top catching prospects in the game who just hit 20 home runs with a .883 OPS in 100 games split between High-A and Double-A in 2025. In most cases, I would not advocate for moving him, particularly when the Detroit Tigers could use another big bat in their lineup. But if they choose to hold onto Tarik Skubal, they must consider making some tough choices.
Skubal is entering his final year of club control. The only way to justify holding onto Skubal to start the year without an extension in place is if the roster is much better than it was in 2025. Spending a ton of money would help, but that isn't what the Tigers are known for.
Trading a guy like Briceno could help land a very impactful player to help Detroit win right now. With Dillon Dingler at the big-league level and Thayron Liranzo still in their farm, trading Briceno for the right player wouldn't be the worst thing.
Kansas City Royals: C Blake Mitchell (KC No. 2 prospect)
The Kansas City Royals might not be close enough to winning the World Series to justify trading a top-100 prospect like Blake Mitchell, but a logjam behind the plate might give the Royals an excuse to part with him.
Salvador Perez might not catch as much as he used to, but he'll still be behind the plate a good amount in 2026. (With the extension he just signed, he isn't going anywhere, either.) On days Perez won't catch, the Royals' top prospect, Carter Jensen, figures to step in. Mitchell is still far away from the Majors, and when he gets there, where would he play?
So why not trade him while he's still a highly touted prospect in exchange for a much-needed power hitter? The Royals are unlikely to spend on a guy like Kyle Schwarber or Pete Alonso, so using Mitchell as a centerpiece in a package for additional power makes a lot of sense considering the logjam behind the plate.
AL West prospects who can be traded
Houston Astros: 2B Brice Matthews (HOU No. 1 prospect)
The Houston Astros are in a tough spot right now, as they'd like to compete but don't have much money to spend and don't have many tradable prospects to boot. The Astros probably don't want to trade Brice Matthews, their No. 1 prospect, but with a crowded infield, why not do it?
Matthews, a 23-year-old who made his big-league debut this past season, likely wouldn't see any MLB time in 2026 barring a couple of trades and/or injuries. If the Astros want to win now, he's probably their best bet to fetch them something of value without gutting the big-league roster.
While Matthews has some strikeout concerns, he has 20+ home run power and 40+ stolen base ability, as we've seen in the Minors. Chances are, there's a team out there that'll believe he can put it together at the Major League level and become a star.
Seattle Mariners: C Harry Ford (SEA No. 4 prospect)
An unwillingness to trade any of their top three prospects might not sound great, considering the Seattle Mariners just made it to Game 7 of the ALCS, but the Mariners happen to have more top-100 prospects than any other team rightnow. Harry Ford might be their fourth-best prospect, but he'd rank a lot higher on most teams' lists; he's a special talent who happens to also play the same position as the AL MVP runner-up.
Ford, like Cal Raleigh, is a catcher. He's played a little bit of left field in the Minor Leagues, but he really belongs behind the plate. He's a guy who can hit for a high average, hit 15-20 home runs and run extremely well despite the position he plays. He also happens to be big-league ready, he's just blocked by Raleigh.
Ford can help bring the Mariners, a team ready to win now, a proven hitter to add to their lineup. Odds are, they'll lose at least one of Josh Naylor, Eugenio Suarez or Jorge Polanco to free agency. Ford can help land a replacement. It's never fun to trade a player of his talent level, but since Raleigh obviously isn't going anywhere, Ford would be more valuable as a trade chip than as a backup catcher starting just once or twice a week at most.
NL East prospects who can be traded
Atlanta Braves: LHP Cam Caminiti (ATL No. 1 prospect)
It's probably unlikely that the Atlanta Braves actually consider trading Cam Caminiti, the top prospect in a mostly subpar farm system, but they should for the right return. The reason for this is twofold.
First, Caminiti is a 19-year-old who has just 13 appearances in Single-A under his belt. He's a ways away from the Majors, which isn't that attractive for a Braves team in win-now mode. And the fact that they're in win-now mode is my second point: Who knows how many bites at the apple this core has left? Chris Sale is entering his final year under contract, both Reynaldo Lopez and Ozzie Albies can hit free agency after 2027 and Ronald Acuña Jr. is only under control through 2028.
I wouldn't trade Caminiti for a rental, but if the right deal for a controllable contributor came along, the Braves should consider it.
New York Mets: INF/OF Jett Williams (NYM No. 3 prospect)
The New York Mets obviously will not be trading their top prospect, Nolan McLean, after how he began his MLB career. They probably shouldn't consider trading Carson Benge, their best position player prospect who could easily be their Opening Day center fielder, either. I wouldn't want them to rush to trade infielder Jett Williams, but he's far more movable than the two prospects above him.
Williams, a 22-year-old coming off an impressive season in Double-A and Triple-A, can easily be the Mets' long-term solution at second base sooner rather than later. He can also headline a trade for a much-needed ace.
If the Detroit Tigers want Williams in a Tarik Skubal deal, you trade him away and don't think twice. The same goes for high-end controllable arms like Hunter Greene and Joe Ryan. The Mets obviously shouldn't trade him just to trade him, and I'm not sure there's a rental they should part with Williams for that isn't Skubal, but he should be far from untouchable if the right deal is out there.
Philadelphia Phillies: SS Aidan Miller (PHI No. 2 prospect)
I can understand those who'd be open to trading Andrew Painter away after an up-and-down 2025 season, but the potential is too high for me to part with him. A guy like Aidan Miller, though, should be available for a Philadelphia Phillies team that is running out of chances to win.
Their core is getting older, and their farm system doesn't have many big names outside of Painter and Miller. The Phillies should be reluctant to trade Miller, a guy who could easily be their third baseman of the future, but if they can trade him for a proven and controllable power hitter, particularly an outfielder, they ought to consider it.
NL Central prospects who can be traded
Cincinnati Reds: 1B/3B Cam Collier (CIN No. 6 prospect)
The Cincinnati Reds are in an interesting spot. They backed into a playoff spot thanks to the Mets' collapse, but never stood a chance in the Wild Card round, and reports have surfaced suggesting that Hunter Greene might actually be available in a trade. Even if the Reds don't move Greene, they probably aren't in a position to go all-in like other contenders. This means prospects like Sal Stewart, Rhett Lowder and Alfredo Duno should be untouchable, and I'd hold onto Steele Hall and Tyson Lewis, too.
This leaves Cam Collier as the prospect the Reds should be most comfortable trading. Collier, a first-round pick back in 2022, has yet to really break out in the Minors. He has not finished a single one of his full seasons with an OPS over .800, and injuries held him to just 95 games this past season.
I'm not sure how much more patient Cincy can be with Collier. Plus, guys like Stewart, Ke'Bryan Hayes, Noelvi Marte and Spencer Steer are capable of playing the corner infield spots. I'd be very open to trading Collier for a big-league hitter.
Chicago Cubs: OF Owen Caissie (CHC No. 1 prospect)
Having Owen Caissie on the trade block despite the unlikelihood that the Chicago Cubs re-sign Kyle Tucker might seem strange, but even without Tucker and Caissie, the Cubs can roll out an outfield consisting of Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki from left to right. That's a very good outfield, and one Caissie likely wouldn't play in without an injury in 2026 anyway — especially since I believe Moises Ballesteros's bat is more MLB-ready than Caissie's right now, giving him a clear path to the DH job.
Since Caissie will have a hard time finding playing time and the Cubs are a lot cheaper than they should be, why not consider trading him for a starting pitcher? It'd have to be a true frontline starter, and the Cubs should not play the rental game they played with Tucker again. But if they can land a cheap and controllable ace with Caissie as the centerpiece, why not do it?
To be clear, the Cubs must hold out for the right deal with Caissie, a very valuable prospect. If the right move doesn't present itself, they should hold onto him. If it does, though, he should not be untouchable.
Milwaukee Brewers: SS Cooper Pratt (MIL No. 3 prospect)
It's hard for a small-market team like the Milwaukee Brewers to trade a top-100 prospect like Cooper Pratt, but it makes sense for them to do so this offseason for a couple of reasons.
First, the Brewers have other middle infield prospects, Jesus Made and Luis Pena, who have more potential than Pratt. Those are players they should aim to build around. Second, Milwaukee should be pushing to win now. How many better chances will this team have?
The Brewers won a franchise-record 97 games this past regular season but were swept in the NLCS. Trading Pratt away might sting in the future, but if they're able to land a big-time player for him in the middle of their contention window, why not do it?
NL West prospects who can be traded
Los Angeles Dodgers: OF Josue De Paula (LAD No. 1 prospect)
Not only are the Los Angeles Dodgers back-to-back World Series champions, but they have one of the league's best farm systems, headlined by three outfield prospects: Josue De Paula, Zyhir Hope and Eduardo Quintero. De Paula is probably the best of the trio and the closest to being big-league ready.
For most teams, trading their best prospect is a non-starter, but the Dodgers are trying to three-peat. If they can trade De Paula for a proven outfielder or closer, why shouldn't they do it? It's not as if they'd have a shortage of outfield prospects behind him if they sent him away.
The Dodgers will be favorites to win it all again regardless, so they don't have to trade a top prospect like De Paula this offseason. But moving him could boost their chances even further, and when has good enough ever been good enough for Andrew Friedman?
San Diego Padres: C Ethan Salas (SD No. 1 prospect)
If this list were made a couple of years ago, Ethan Salas would've been untouchable. Back-to-back lost seasons, though, make him a lot easier to part with. This past season wasn't Salas' fault, as a back injury ended his campaign after just 10 games, but he had a .599 OPS in a full year of High-A in 2024. The San Diego Padres attempted to rush Salas, a very young catcher, through their farm system, and it might've backfired.
His stock has plummeted over the last couple of years. The only reason why he's the Padres' No. 1 prospect now is that they've traded so many big names from the farm in recent years. It isn't ideal timing to trade Salas, still a very talented prospect whose stock is at its lowest point, but who else can the Padres trade to improve their team? Again, A.J. Preller has already spent most of his ammo.
If San Diego can land a controllable power hitter or rotation cog for Salas, they ought to consider it. With limited prospect capital and a limited budget, trading Salas might be their only chance to add a key contributor this winter.