Analyzing 13 top trade targets, one for every need

The Trade Deadline is July 30 at 6 p.m. ET, and while the list of buyers and sellers might become clearer by then, it’s still a bit murky given the state of the postseason races.

So which players will teams be targeting? Depending on their specific needs, some will have myriad options, while others may be forced to focus on one or two available possibilities.

MLB.com looks at the best player currently believed to be available at each position, along with the “Buzz Factor” surrounding them as the Trade Deadline draws near. All stats were current entering play on Monday.

C: Elias Díaz, Rockies
Adding catching in the middle of a season can be tricky, but for any team that is looking to do that, Díaz is the best option available, with a .731 OPS and solid defensive metrics behind the plate. An impending free agent, the 33-year-old is owed roughly $2.4 million through the end of the season.

Buzz Factor: High
Colorado is one of the sure-fire sellers, so unloading its expiring contracts makes perfect sense. Could the Yankees be a suitor now that Jose Trevino will miss significant time with a quad strain?

1B: Andrew Vaughn, White Sox
Vaughn’s performance this season has been a bit underwhelming. But for any team looking for a controllable option at the position, the 26-year-old might be a sneaky candidate. Vaughn has 11 homers with 43 RBIs in 92 games. Although his .670 OPS is well below his career average (.723), he hits lefties well, is owed about $1.3 million this year and is arbitration-eligible for two more seasons.

Buzz Factor: Medium
The White Sox have higher-profile names generating plenty of trade buzz (we’ll get to them in a bit), but unlike potential trade candidates like Josh Bell and Mark Canha, Vaughn’s club control beyond 2024 makes him an appealing candidate for clubs in need of help at first base.

2B: Jazz Chisholm Jr., Marlins
Sure, Chisholm has played only two games at second base this season, but Miami plans on giving him more time there this month. Any potential suitor might view Chisholm as more of an outfield option than a second baseman. But this is our list, and without many intriguing options here, we’ll go with Chisholm, who has 13 home runs, 45 RBIs, 19 stolen bases and a .733 OPS in 96 games.

Buzz Factor: High
The Marlins are expected to make a number of moves -- and with Chisholm set to receive another salary bump in arbitration this winter, it won’t be a surprise to see him among those traded.

SS: Paul DeJong, White Sox
Finding a new shortstop will be a challenge for any contender, as the current crop of sellers don’t have many they plan to move. DeJong has shown renewed pop in his bat this season, belting 16 homers in 91 games before the break. The 30-year-old (he turns 31 on Aug. 2) is owed roughly $700,000 through the end of the season, after which he will become a free agent.

Buzz Factor: Medium
DeJong’s relatively small salary and expiring contract make him a minimal risk for any contender. Given the lack of shortstops expected to be moved, he may be the best option on the trade market. It’s hard to imagine the White Sox asking for a huge haul for DeJong.

3B: Luis Rengifo, Angels
The versatile infielder has been on the injured list with right wrist inflammation since early July, but he has resumed baseball activity and the Angels believe Rengifo will be back soon. The 27-year-old played 43 games at third base and 28 at second base, posting an .800 OPS with six homers, 25 RBIs and 22 stolen bases in 69 games before the break.

Buzz Factor: Medium
The Angels owe Rengifo approximately $1.75 million this season and he will get a bump from his $4.4 million salary in his final year of arbitration eligibility. Los Angeles could wait until the offseason to trade him or even try signing him to an extension. But the limited number of infielders on this year’s market could force the Angels’ hand if they have a number of teams calling about Rengifo.

LF: Randy Arozarena, Rays
The Rays could do some buying and selling between now and the Trade Deadline, with names such as Zach Eflin, Isaac Paredes and Arozarena all representing potential trade chips. Arozarena is having a down year (15 homers, 35 RBIs, 14 stolen bases and a .712 OPS in 96 games), but he has heated up since June 1, posting a .910 OPS from June 1 through Saturday, when he belted a pair of home runs against the Yankees. Arozarena is owed approximately $3.24 million this season and will be arbitration-eligible for two more years, so there’s no urgency for Tampa Bay to deal him.

Buzz Factor: Low
Left field is one of the few positions with a number of potential trade candidates including Jesse Winker, Taylor Ward and Miguel Andujar. But Arozarena is one of the most intriguing, given his track record both during the regular season and postseason. The big question is whether the Rays get close enough to a postseason spot in the next week to keep them from selling.

CF: Luis Robert Jr., White Sox
Robert missed two months earlier this season with a right hip flexor strain, but he has played well since his June 4 return, hitting nine home runs with 19 RBIs, 10 stolen bases and an .801 OPS in 38 games through Saturday. When healthy, Robert is a game-changer -- just look at his 38-homer, 30-steal season in 2023 -- but the 26-year-old (he turns 27 on Aug. 3) has played more than 100 games only once in his career. If he can stay on the field, Robert could be the best offensive player available.

Buzz Factor: High
Robert is signed through 2025, though his contract has $20 million club options in '26 and '27, giving an acquiring club as many as three more full seasons of control. Chicago is likely to be very active this month, and while the asking price for Robert will be understandably high, his extra years of control could prompt another club to make a big offer.

RF: Lane Thomas, Nationals
Washington was in the Wild Card mix for much of the first half, but the trade of Hunter Harvey to the Royals before the break signaled that the Nationals could be open for business. The club’s impending free agents are likely to be dealt, but Thomas is arbitration-eligible for another year, so it’s going to take a strong offer to pry the 28-year-old out of Washington.

Buzz Factor: Medium
Thomas is one of Washington’s best players, but with top prospect James Wood now in the Majors and another one -- Dylan Crews, last year’s No. 2 overall pick -- getting close to the big leagues, trading Thomas for young talent could be the move. The Nationals acquired Thomas three years ago for an aging Jon Lester, so dealing him for a package of prospects would be a good end result for GM Mike Rizzo.

DH: Brent Rooker, Athletics
At first glance, Rooker looks like the type of bat a young team would want to build around. He hit 30 home runs last year and has 22 in 86 games this season, posting a .954 OPS in the process. And while Rooker is arbitration-eligible for the next three years, he turns 30 in November and is unlikely to be a part of the core when Oakland is ready to contend.

Buzz Factor: High
With only a handful of teams locked in as sellers, the Athletics know they have one of the better bats on the market. If Oakland can cash in Rooker for a big return, it would help further the rebuilding plan moving forward. Given the number of contenders looking to add offense, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see such a deal.

RH starting pitcher: Jack Flaherty, Tigers
Flaherty was a Deadline acquisition by the Orioles last summer, but he went 1-3 with a 6.75 ERA in nine outings (seven starts) -- part of the reason he had to take a one-year, $14 million deal with Detroit. That move worked out for Flaherty, who has reestablished his value with a strong 2024 (7-5, 3.13 ERA in 17 starts), making him one of the top starters available on the trade market.

Buzz Factor: High
Flaherty is a pure rental this summer, though the Tigers will be in position to make him a qualifying offer if they don’t trade him, so the return in any deal has to outweigh a potential compensatory Draft pick. Enough teams are looking for rotation help that Detroit shouldn’t have an issue landing a solid return for the 28-year-old.

LH starting pitcher: Garrett Crochet, White Sox
Crochet’s transition to the rotation has been one of the great success stories of 2024, as the 25-year-old made the AL All-Star team and led the league with 150 strikeouts in 107 1/3 innings prior to the break. Crochet has a 1.61 ERA in 13 starts dating back to the beginning of May, and with two more years of arbitration eligibility ahead, he’s under club control through 2026.

Buzz Factor: High
Although the White Sox don’t have to trade Crochet, the question around the league seems to be when, not if, the lefty will be traded. Crochet will command a huge haul of prospects for the White Sox, who are in the early stages of their rebuild after trading Dylan Cease during Spring Training.

RH relief pitcher: Carlos Estévez, Angels
The Angels closer has been one of the most dominant relievers in baseball of late, allowing only three hits and a pair of walks in 16 innings over his past 16 appearances. Estévez is 18-for-21 in save opportunities this season after saving 31 games in 2023, though he has experience in a setup role, as well.

Buzz Factor: High
Estévez will be a free agent at the end of the season, and given the league-wide need for back-end bullpen help, he should be in high demand this month.

LH relief pitcher: Tanner Scott, Marlins
The other top rental reliever available this month, Scott is a near-lock to be be traded by the Marlins. The lefty has a 1.27 ERA and 16 saves in 41 appearances this season, earning a spot on the NL All-Star squad.

Buzz Factor: High
The Marlins began their trade activity more than two months ago with the deal of Luis Arraez to the Padres, and while any controllable players may wind up staying in Miami, impending free agents such as Scott are almost certain to move.