A Few of My Favorite 2023 Trade Partners

The Royals are not contenders, but they can impact the pennant races.

This might come as a surprise after the Royals started their Cactus League schedule 14-2, but they are not contending for a playoff spot in 2023. I’ll give you a minute to take in that news. You good? Great. What that means is that the Royals are open for business. Today is the anniversary of them officially opening for business when they traded Carlos Santana to the Mariners for Wyatt Mills and William Fleming. I think I may have actually predicted he’d be traded to the Mariners that morning, so maybe we’ll have some of that magic again today.

What’s interesting about the 2023 season is there are 12 teams obviously currently in playoff spots and another eight within five games. Five games out with about half of a season left is nothing. Those teams have to feel that they have a shot to make the playoffs. Some, like the Tigers and maybe the Cubs, shouldn’t be buyers even though it seems like the Cubs might be. But those teams could easily be replaced in the buyer’s market by teams like the Mariners, Padres and Mets who find themselves not within shouting distance but built to win this year.

The only teams who I think are guaranteed sellers are the A’s, Rockies and our beloved Royals. It sounds like the Pirates are going to sell as well, which is kind of crazy given that they started 20-8, but reality is reality. The Cardinals should sell, but I’m not convinced they will. I think you can make an argument for the Padres to make some moves like moving Blake Snell, Drew Pomeranz and Josh Hader at least, but I’m not convinced they will. And I think the Mets probably should sell, but it’s hard to see that happening with the massive investment in their roster. So that makes this a seller’s market, by definition.

The Royals key trade chips are in the bullpen, though they have some other pieces who could go like Edward Olivares, Nicky Lopez and maybe even one of their young outfielders (that hasn’t been mentioned, but there are simply too many guys for this roster even if none have proven to be impact yet). I’ve already written about some of the guys who can get moved. Today I want to look at teams who the Royals can and should be focusing on in the trade market because of how they match up with the needs of this team moving forward.

They’ve spoken a lot about looking for talent in proximity to the big leagues. I think it’s fair to say I disagree with that. It’s not that I wouldn’t want talent close to the big leagues because that requires little to no development work. It’s just that I don’t like the idea of limiting the search for what they can get. The truth is that every team has someone the Royals would be interested in, but there are some teams that just match up better. Let’s dig in.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Their bullpen is fine. They have three pitchers with at least six saves and they have three lefties, though Joe Mantiply has not been especially good this year. I think they’re a fit for Chapman, but I also think Scott Barlow could fill a really interesting role for them given that they just don’t have many strikeouts from the right side in that bullpen. And their farm system has some pieces the Royals would like.

Prospects of note:

Landon Sims, RHP - I don’t know if the Diamondbacks would trade him, but their competitive balance pick from last year is back on the mound and has looked pretty good in the Arizona Complex League. He might be a reliever in the end. In fact, he probably is. But the two pitches he does have are elite when he’s healthy.

Yu-Min Lin, LHP - He is not a typical Royals pitcher. He’s undersized and doesn’t come at you with velocity, but rather with deception. His breaking balls are good and his changeup has a chance to be elite. There’s risk in this profile, but there’s also upside.

Carlos Vargas, RHP - He’s a reliever, but he’s a potentially dominant one. It might be fair to ask why the Diamondbacks would trade him when they need relief help, but relying on rookies is tough for a team with World Series hopes. The numbers aren’t good, but the stuff really is and I’d like him as a second piece in a deal with them.

Blaze Alexander, SS - Reno is a pretty crazy hitter’s environment, so his numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, but Alexander can hit the ball out of the park, has a great arm and could fit easily at second or third. I’ve wondered if he can be a corner outfielder as well, but the Diamondbacks have never tried him there.

Dominic Canzon, OF/1B - He has some of the best barrel control you’ll see, which is something I think the Royals are lacking some of. He isn’t fast, so maybe he’s not a great fit for the Royals with the big outfield, but the guy can hit.

Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles system has gotten so good that they’re simply running out of spots to put guys. Their bullpen has obviously been great at the end with two of the better relievers in all of baseball, but other than Felix Bautista and Yennier Cano, they’ve shown some issues. I don’t know that Barlow is exactly what they’re looking for, but can you imagine them adding Chapman to those two? I think they’ll probably save their best prospects for a starting pitcher, which is why it would be great if Brady Singer could figure anything out, but they’ve got plenty to deal beyond those few at the top.

Prospects of note:

Connor Norby, 2B/OF - He doesn’t have much size, but Norby can hit. He makes excellent contact and the one issue is that I don’t think he controls the zone exceptionally well, but he does hit fastballs well and can handle both second base and the outfield. There’s some redundancy here, but Norby would be a good get.

Cade Povich, LHP - I have said a few times that I wouldn’t have been happy if the Royals had traded Barlow for what the Orioles traded Jorge Lopez, but here I am saying that Povich would be a nice pickup. I think part of it is that I overlooked what Povich has been able to do and part of it is that I think he’s gotten better in the Orioles system. He throws strikes, has four or five pitches and can get a swing and miss. He hasn’t been great in AA, but has continued to rack up strikeouts.

Seth Johnson, RHP - There’s reliever risk here with just two above average pitches, but he at least has a changeup and a curve to go along with a good fastball and a good slider. I don’t think he’ll pitch in 2023 after Tommy John, but he should be back for 2024 and seems like a nice piece to pick up for the long-term.

Chayce McDermott, RHP - Here we have sort of the classic high-octane pitching prospect. He throws hard and his fastball can be dominant. But he doesn’t always know where it’s going. The control has gotten better this year and his slider and curve are both potential plus pitches while his changeup looks like it might be good enough. I think he can stick as a starter, but there’s definitely a fallback plan of a dominant reliever.

Hudson Haskin, OF - He can go get it in the outfield and has shown an increased ability to barrel the ball in the minors. He’s had some strikeout issues this season, but when I saw him play last year, I thought the hit tool would play in the big leagues, so he’s an interesting name to watch.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Every single year, it seems like they churn out talent. Their player development system is one of the best out there. So if they are interested in someone from your favorite team, get excited, because there are plenty of very good prospects to choose from, even down the list. I imagine the Dodgers would have interest in Barlow, Chapman, maybe Taylor Clarke, maybe Amir Garrett and maybe even Nicky Lopez.

Prospects of note:

Gavin Stone, RHP - He is probably the highest-rated prospect I have on these lists because I don’t think the Royals are trading anyone that will get a top-50 prospect, though I suppose I could be wrong and a team gets desperate. Still, the shine is off Stone some because of his big league struggles, but he’s still a legitimate prospect even if he’s working on some things. He has three good pitches, including a dominant changeup. Maybe he’s just one of those guys who can’t cut it at upper levels, but I’d be willing to find out.

Emmett Sheehan, RHP - I wonder some if Sheehan’s big league success has made him untouchable for the Dodgers, but a couple people I’ve spoken with don’t think that’s necessarily the case. I was first tipped off on Sheehan a few weeks ago that the Royals liked him and then he really exploded onto the scene. He has a big fastball, an excellent changeup and a very good slider. His curve is pretty meh, but he doesn’t really need it. I think there’s huge upside here even though there may be some hiccups along the way.

Nick Frasso, RHP - The fastball is the main event with Frasso, hitting triple digits at times, but his slider is getting better and his changeup is already pretty good. It’s hard to know, though, if he can start because he really hasn’t been given a chance to throw many innings. He hasn’t thrown more than 49 pitches in a game since May 6, so while he’s been dominant, you wonder a little if he’s a reliever. That said, if he could be a 2-3 inning reliever you use two or three times a week, maybe there’s a fun role there.

Nick Nastrini, RHP - Did you hear the one about the Dodgers prospect who added velocity after being drafted? Oh it’s all of them? Nastrini isn’t excluded from that. Control is the question with Nastrini, but if he can even master average control, he could be a one or two starter. He hasn’t been as prolific with the strikeouts this year, but this kind of high octane arm is what the Royals need to add to their system.

River Ryan, RHP - He has four pitches and the fastball runs to the upper-90s. His control is the one limitation, but he’s shown flashes of better control throughout his last few starts (wish some flashes of big issues too). In my opinion, there’s a step down after Nastrini to Ryan, but Ryan would be a very nice addition to the pitching depth the Royals are trying to build.

Landon Knack, RHP - Unlike the others, Knack does throw strikes. He had some issues because of a leg injury, but he seems back on trick this season. His fastball ticked up with the Dodgers and he complements it with a good slider, a good enough changeup and a curve that I’d probably scrap or keep working on. He would be an excellent secondary piece in a trade with them.

Kyle Hurt, RHP - Hurt has a fastball that can reach to the upper-90s with excellent carry that he mixes with an excellent changeup and average curves and sliders. The problem with the breaking balls are that sometimes they’re outstanding and sometimes they’re not, which leads to them become average on the whole, but pretty inconsistent. He’s had a reputation of someone who doesn’t throw strikes, but he’s only walked 16 in 44 innings this year, so maybe he’s figured some of that out. At worst, he seems like a bullpen weapon. At best, he could be a number three starter. The Royals could use either.

Jonny Deluca, OF - The Dodgers have given Deluca a big league taste and he hasn’t hit the ground running, but he’s still a solid prospect. He has legitimate big league power and can really run the bases, though he’s more of a corner outfielder. He also controls the zone well, so he probably isn’t going to spend a ton of time getting himself out.

Andy Pages, OF - I don’t know that Pages would be available if he was healthy, but he’s not. He recently had the same surgery Vinnie Pasquantino did, so there’s risk here. But if he can come back healthy, Pages is a legitimate middle of the order bat who could slide into right field for the Royals immediately (well, as immediate as his return next season). He has a good eye, has immense power and is a good athlete. I’m not convinced they’ll trade him either way, but I feel like there’s at least a possibility now.

Yeah, I went nine deep here. I don’t see a way to get more than one of Sheehan/Frasso/Pages/Nastrini, but maybe I’m wrong. Still, getting one would be big, I think. There are some serious options. I didn’t even include Ryan Pepiot because of his big league success, but maybe he could be had too. A deep system means you can trade guys who you otherwise might hesitate on.

Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers are in a winnable division, but aren’t in a great spot with the Reds ascending and the Cubs sort of hanging around. Still, the lack of Cardinals this year helps them and they’re apparently going to be involved in the trade market for relief arms. Boy, can you imagine what they’d look like with a guy like Josh Hader paired with Devin Williams?

Prospects of note:

Tyler Black, 3B/OF - He can hit, he knows the zone and he can run a bit. He doesn’t have a great arm, so that limits his defensive home a little bit, but to get the OBP in a lineup, I think you’d figure out a way to make it work. I don’t know if they’d trade him for a reliever, so there might be no chance here, but he’d be my number one target with them.

Robert Gasser, LHP - A pitcher with four average or better pitches is one who you can see in a big league rotation. The concern is that he doesn’t throw hard, which is less of a big deal for lefties, but sitting in the low-90s doesn’t leave a ton of room for error. We’ve seen that plenty in Kansas City with some young starters. But his slider is very good and his changeup seems to be improving along with a solid enough curve. It would be hilarious if they got him in the Hader deal and traded him for Chapman.

Abner Uribe, RHP - Pretty much every prospect has blemishes, and those enhance as you go farther and farther down a list. Uribe has struck out 36 batters in 18.2 innings this year in AA and AAA, which is bonkers. He’s also walked 15. In fact, he’s struck out eight and walked six in 3.2 AAA innings. So this is a risk and if he was the main piece of a deal, I’d say no. But he throws 100+ and has a nasty slider. Sometimes nobody knows where it’s going, but the stuff is beyond intriguing.

Logan Henderson, RHP - In Henderson, if you like him, you like the control first and you figure out the third pitch. His changeup is his elite weapon while his fastball is fine. But his slider is hit or miss. I wonder a little bit if the Royals would work to convert it to more of a sweeper as they’ve done with a couple of guys this year. Just from chatting with a couple of people, Henderson is someone who seems open to working on pitches, so you never know there. But he throws strikes. He’s a ways away, but he’d be a nice add.

Justin Jarvis, RHP - Sometimes you see a guy at his best and that sticks with you. I was flipping around and watching some minor league baseball back in April and I caught Jarvis throw six shutout innings while he struck out 10 batters and I was sold. That’s a dangerous game, but I’m not a scout, so really it’s okay. What caught my attention was his splitter. I feel like that’s a pitch the league can’t figure out but more pitchers aren’t throwing. It’s difficult to throw, so that makes sense, but Jarvis has a good one. I don’t know. I think he sticks as a starter and would love to see him in the Royals system and fighting for a job next year.

New York Mets

The Mets don’t have a great farm system, but I wonder a little bit if they’ll get desperate and they do have some solid prospects. They also have a massive hole in the bullpen where they have struggled mightily. So there seems to be a match.

Prospects of note:

Ronny Mauricio, SS/Jett Williams, SS - They certainly aren’t trading both and probably aren’t trading either, but there’s something about a $300+ million payroll performing as poorly as they have along with the fact that they have Francisco Lindor signed for the next 71 years. The Mets have tried Mauricio in the outfield and that’s probably the long-term spot and would likely be the long-term spot in KC as well, but he’s an elite prospect and so is Williams, who barrels up a lot of pitches. If the Mets think they’re a bullpen overhaul away from making a move, the Royals can help them with one trade.

Mike Vasil, RHP - Here’s a more realistic target. Vasil shows a solid fastball, curve and slider and has a changeup that’s up and down. He’s throwing harder than when he was drafted and with some pretty good spin. He’s shown good enough control in AAA with the ability to get some swing and miss. I don’t know that he plugs into a big league rotation today, but probably by the end of the year and certainly by next season.

Calvin Ziegler, RHP - There’s reliever risk in that his fastball and curve are well above average pitches but his splitter is still a work in progress. But the fastball and curve are really, really good and if the Royals could add him, that would be fantastic. He’s not throwing enough strikes and I wouldn’t trade for him one-for-one, but he’d be a heck of a part of any deal.

Christian Scott, RHP - Scott may end up being a guy you don’t hear from again, but I like that he throws strikes and could easily be an additional part of a trade. He has a decent fastball, a good slider and a changeup that isn’t worth much at this point. But he’s now in AA and getting strikeouts while not walking hitters and that feels like a profile the Guardians target and get a lot out of, so maybe Brian Sweeney and his gang can do some work here too.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers have spent a ton of money to upgrade their team and after winning just 68 games in 2022, they spent a lot on the pitching side and it’s worked. They’re currently sitting in first place in the AL West and it doesn’t seem like a fluke. Part of it is that their offense is just bonkers good, but the starting pitching has done a lot for them. They have two needs, though, that I can see. The biggest is the bullpen, but I could see them wanting to add a DH-type. There are some rumors about Andrew McCutchen and he’d be the best bet for them, but Edward Olivares could be a possibility too.

Prospects of note:

Brock Porter, RHP - The Rangers are a little like the Mets in that you wonder how desperate they are. Unlike the Mets, the money they’ve spent is generally quite long-term, so maybe not, but if they want to beef up the worst part of their roster, the Royals have the goods. Porter has the fastball that holds through a game. He has a great changeup. He has a very good slider and a usable curve. He’s one of the three least likely players to get traded to the Royals on this list, but I had to include him. He’s currently dominating A-ball and needs a promotion soon. Again, it’s probably a dream, but you never know, I guess.

Aaron Zavala, OF - The results in AA are bad this year, but I like the bat here. He’s sort of early career Andrew Benintendi-ish in my opinion. He’ll probably get to 15-20 home runs just from hitting the ball hard, but he’s going to be more of an average hitter than a power hitter. He’s probably not someone who is a sexy player on a team, but I think he can contribute. His numbers this year wouldn’t make it popular, but I think he’s a big leaguer within the next year or two.

Tekoah Roby, RHP - I like that there are four above average pitches, so even if he doesn’t have the traditional starter’s build, he seems like someone who can stick there with a solid fastball, changeup, curve and slider. He’s only 6’1”, but gets a ton of extension, so the fastball that sits like 93-94 mostly looks harder and has some really nice spin. He’s gotten hit a bit in AA, but he’s not walking hitters and he is striking them out. I could see him getting to the big leagues and being a solid three or four for awhile.

Sebastian Walcott, SS - I don’t think there’s any chance the Royals target Walcott, but I think they should. He’s just 17 and he’s a 6’4” shortstop, which means the odds are he’s not a shortstop (though that’s changed some in the league lately). But he has big power potential, hits the ball hard and has some pretty smooth defensive actions. He’s someone who will take some time, but he could be one of those stories like Josh Fields for Yordan Alvarez if the Royals could pull it off.

Dane Acker, RHP - Acker isn’t quite as balanced with four pitches as Roby, but he does have four that are at least average. He was working back from Tommy John last year, so we didn’t see the big fastball he’d flashed previously, but I’ve seen reports that it’s mostly back. He did miss time to start this season too, so there’s some injury risk, but he’s not the main piece in any deal. I like the potential here paired with another prospect.

This, of course, isn’t a comprehensive list. And some of these guys are absolute dreams. But I wanted to include them all, and it’s just a few of my favorite teams to target and some of the players I like on each of those teams. I do think the Royals will get active and I think I’d put the odds of them making a move before the draft fairly high given the players they’re looking to move. It’ll be interesting to see what they do and if they can pull any of the above to help boost the system.