The MLB postseason has been trimmed to four teams still chasing a World Series title in 2026, while the league’s other 26 clubs have already turned their attention to next year.
The upcoming free-agent class is thin behind ace Tarik Skubal, which could push teams toward a more active offseason of wheeling and dealing on the trade market. The looming CBA negotiations and an expected lockout, however, cloud what the winter will actually look like.
Assuming something resembling a traditional offseason takes place, here are the top 25 potential trade chips likely to move. The list mixes speculative candidates with players whose names have already surfaced in trade rumors. The likelihood that each player is traded determined which 25 made the cut, while remaining years of control, salary commitments and expected 2027 impact shaped the rankings.
Nos. 25-24
25. 3B Matt Chapman, San Francisco Giants (Age: 33)
Stats: 84 G, 97 OPS+, .235/.324/.368, 26 XBH (7 HR), 2.7 WAR
Contract: 4 years, $100.7M remaining
Rafael Devers, Willy Adames and Jung Hoo Lee are generally viewed as unavailable or immovable, which leaves Chapman as the one high-priced veteran the Giants might be able to flip. Last year’s Nolan Arenado trade offers a rough blueprint. Chapman underwent season-ending core muscle and hernia surgery in August, but he is expected to be ready for the start of next season.
24. 2B Ozzie Albies, Atlanta Braves (Age: 29)
Stats: 162 G, 87 OPS+, .237/.293/.392, 50 XBH (22 HR), 1.4 WAR
Contract: $7M club option for 2027
Albies has spent his entire 10-year career with Atlanta, accumulating 25.7 WAR, four All-Star selections and two Silver Slugger awards. He still showed surface-level power this year, but he has posted an 88 OPS+ and a .299 on-base percentage over 1,350 plate appearances across the last two seasons. The Braves could be ready to move on as part of a larger retooling.
Nos. 23-22
23. SP Griffin Jax, Tampa Bay Rays (Age: 31)
Stats: 34/23 G/GS, 3.53 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 116 K, 112.1 IP, 0.7 WAR
Contract: Arbitration through 2027 (projected $5.7M in 2027)
After four seasons as one of baseball’s elite setup relievers, Jax moved into the rotation in his first full season with Tampa Bay. The Rays acquired him in a 2025 deadline deal that sent Taj Bradley the other way. As a starter, he posted a 3.14 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 106 strikeouts over 103.2 innings in 23 starts. Tampa Bay has a habit of shopping pitchers with climbing arbitration salaries, and Jax fits that profile.
22. SP Michael Wacha, Kansas City Royals (Age: 35)
Stats: 32 GS, 3.32 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 158 K, 200.2 IP, 4.3 WAR
Contract: 1 year, $14M remaining, $14M club option in 2028
No team met the Royals’ asking price for Wacha at the deadline, but Kansas City could shop him more aggressively this winter. He is a reasonably priced veteran starter coming off an All-Star season, and he led the American League with 200.2 innings pitched. His 4.3 WAR was a career high across his 14-year career.
Nos. 21-20
21. 2B Xavier Edwards, Miami Marlins (Age: 27)
Stats: 142 G, 108 OPS+, .280/.360/.371, 29 XBH (6 HR), 3.0 WAR
Contract: Arbitration through 2029 (projected $3.5M in 2027)
Edwards was one of only 11 qualified hitters with a walk rate above 10 percent and a strikeout rate below 15 percent. He batted .321 with runners in scoring position and stole 21 bases in 26 attempts. After shifting over from shortstop midway through 2025, he played solid defense at second base. The Marlins listened to offers for him and shortstop Otto Lopez at the deadline. Because Lopez carries an extremely high asking price, Edwards is the more likely chip to move.
20. RP Trevor Megill, Milwaukee Brewers (Age: 32)
Stats: 63 G, 30 SV, 2.63 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 10.1 K/9, 1.8 WAR
Contract: Arbitration through 2027 (projected $8.0M in 2027)
Megill’s fastball touches triple digits, and his knuckle curve generated a 46.5 percent whiff rate. He converted 30 of 33 save chances and ranked among baseball’s most dominant closers. Over the past three seasons, he has posted a 2.61 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP and 10.4 K/9 while notching 81 saves in 161 appearances. Milwaukee has a history of trading closers before they become expensive, having dealt Josh Hader and Devin Williams.
Nos. 19-18
19. SP Shane McClanahan, Tampa Bay Rays (Age: 29)
Stats: 24 GS, 3.36 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 106 K, 118.0 IP, 1.4 WAR
Contract: Arbitration through 2027 (projected $6.6M in 2027)
Only four Rays players earned a salary above $6 million in 2026, and Tampa Bay carried the fourth-lowest payroll in the majors. That makes McClanahan an obvious trade chip ahead of his final year of arbitration. The two-time All-Star returned well from a 2025 season lost to Tommy John surgery. He owns a 3.10 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 562 strikeouts in 522.2 career innings.
18. SP George Kirby, Seattle Mariners (Age: 28)
Stats: 30 GS, 4.33 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 148 K, 174.2 IP, 1.4 WAR
Contract: Arbitration through 2028 (projected $9.8M in 2027)
Even after shedding Luis Castillo’s salary at the trade deadline, Seattle still has a good chance to shop one of its starting pitchers this winter in pursuit of offensive upgrades. Kirby has two years of club control remaining and endured a down season in 2026. He is the least likely of the three Mariners starters on this list to go, but he still carries significant value.
Nos. 17-16
17. 2B Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks (Age: 32)
Stats: 141 G, 107 OPS+, .249/.316/.432, 56 XBH (22 HR), 2.5 WAR
Contract: 4 years, $77.8M remaining, $11.5M player option in 2031
Marte earned 10-and-5 rights during the 2026 season, which gives him the power to veto any trade. Off-the-field turmoil, however, suggests he may want a change of scenery. Even in a down year by his standards, he remained one of the best offensive second basemen in the league.
16. SP Jacob deGrom, Texas Rangers (Age: 38)
Stats: 31 GS, 4.20 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 201 K, 162.2 IP, 1.7 WAR
Contract: 1 year, $37M remaining
The Rangers reportedly asked deGrom to waive his full no-trade clause at the deadline, and he declined. That does not mean he will hold his position if Texas starts retooling this offseason. He is entering the final season of his five-year, $185 million deal, and the contract is not the obstacle it would have been a year or two ago.
Nos. 15-14
15. SS Corey Seager, Texas Rangers (Age: 32)
Stats: 102 G, 112 OPS+, .227/.312/.424, 36 XBH (20 HR), 3.2 WAR
Contract: 5 years, $157.5M remaining
Seager’s $31.5 million annual salary over the next five seasons, combined with his lengthy injury history, will make it difficult for Texas to move him. Still, he remains a star-level performer when healthy. A thin shortstop class in free agency should push teams toward the trade market. For a club unwilling to pay the steep price for players like Zach Neto or Otto Lopez, absorbing Seager’s salary at a lower acquisition cost could be an alternative.
14. 3B Isaac Paredes, Houston Astros (Age: 27)
Stats: 155 G, 127 OPS+, .262/.360/.447, 53 XBH (25 HR), 4.0 WAR
Contract: $13.4M club option in 2027
Houston sits at a crossroads. Its starting rotation needs rebuilding, Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa are aging, and Paredes and Jeremy Peña are closing in on free agency. A larger rebuild would make sense, but even a simple retool could make Paredes a logical trade candidate. The infield logjam and his one remaining year of control add to his appeal on the market.
Nos. 13-12
13. OF Steven Kwan, Cleveland Guardians (Age: 29)
Stats: 151 G, 110 OPS+, .282/.382/.349, 27 XBH (3 HR), 5.3 WAR
Contract: Arbitration through 2027 (projected $11.3M in 2027)
Kwan was Cleveland’s third-highest paid player in 2026 with a $7.725 million salary, and that figure is projected to climb well above $10 million next season. The Guardians operate with one of the lowest payrolls in baseball, and Kwan has been a speculative trade candidate for years. With his final year of control approaching, moving him would fit the organization’s philosophy. The emergence of Chase DeLauter and the addition of Jo Adell have also improved the outfield picture in Cleveland.
12. SP Emerson Hancock, Seattle Mariners (Age: 27)
Stats: 25 GS, 3.57 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 126 K, 138.2 IP, 2.7 WAR
Contract: Arbitration through 2030 (projected at the minimum in 2027)
Seattle viewed Hancock as its No. 6 starter entering the year. He earned a spot in the Opening Day rotation when Bryce Miller got hurt, and the former No. 6 overall pick seized the opportunity. He posted a 2.59 ERA over 41.2 innings in his first seven starts and held onto a rotation spot the rest of the way. With four years of control remaining, he is far more valuable than his surface-level track record suggests.
Nos. 11-10
11. SP Reid Detmers, Los Angeles Angels (Age: 27)
Stats: 32 GS, 3.36 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 211 K, 185.0 IP, 4.2 WAR
Contract: Arbitration through 2028 (projected $7.5M in 2027)
Detmers followed a 6.70 ERA over 17 starts in 2024 with a strong season out of the Angels bullpen in 2025, which earned him another chance in the rotation. He finished in the top 10 in the American League in strikeouts (211, fourth), innings pitched (185.0, sixth) and pitcher WAR (4.2, eighth). His value may never be higher for an Angels team coming off a 100-loss season and in need of a rebuild.
10. SP Logan Gilbert, Seattle Mariners (Age: 29)
Stats: 32 GS, 3.73 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 205 K, 186.0 IP, 3.3 WAR
Contract: Arbitration through 2027 (projected $15.4M in 2027)
Extension talks have made little progress, and free agency arrives quickly after the 2027 season. If Seattle decides to cash in one of its rotation trade chips, Gilbert could sit at the top of the list. Over the past five seasons, he has been one of baseball’s most consistent starters, logging a 3.46 ERA and 1.05 WHIP while averaging 192 strikeouts and 180 innings per year.
Nos. 9-8
9. SP Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins (Age: 30)
Stats: 27 GS, 3.79 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 159 K, 144.2 IP, 2.1 WAR
Contract: Arbitration through 2027 (projected $9.6M in 2027)
Minnesota avoided arbitration with Ryan last January and added a $13 million mutual option for 2027. The club will almost certainly pay the $100,000 buyout on that option in exchange for a significantly lower arbitration projection. He could still end up on another team’s books if the Twins take another step toward rebuilding. Minnesota clung to Byron Buxton and Ryan as building blocks a year ago, but after a 29-36 second half and a second straight losing season, bigger changes could be coming.
8. SS Jeremy Peña, Houston Astros (Age: 29)
Stats: 112 G, 124 OPS+, .277/.325/.477, 43 XBH (22 HR), 3.7 WAR
Contract: Arbitration through 2027 (projected $13.1M in 2027)
Peña hired Scott Boras as his agent in June 2025, and that move considerably reduced the chances of a long-term extension before he reaches the open market. A wide-open AL West led Houston to avoid selling at the deadline. Even if the Astros view themselves as contenders in 2027, they could still consider flipping Peña before losing him to free agency.
Nos. 7-6
7. C William Contreras, Milwaukee Brewers (Age: 28)
Stats: 147 G, 108 OPS+, .270/.341/.417, 46 XBH (18 HR), 2.9 WAR
Contract: $14.5M club option in 2027
Milwaukee has made a habit of trading stars as they approach free agency, with Josh Hader, Corbin Burnes, Devin Williams and Freddy Peralta among the notable recent examples. That history puts Contreras in the trade conversation, especially if the club views former top prospect Jeferson Quero as a viable in-house replacement.
6. C Shea Langeliers, Athletics (Age: 28)
Stats: 106 G, 118 OPS+, .262/.328/.474, 44 XBH (23 HR), 3.4 WAR
Contract: Arbitration through 2028 (projected $8.7M in 2027)
Langeliers started the 2026 All-Star Game and carried an .807 OPS and 21 home runs into the break. A torn meniscus in his right knee limited him to 20 games in the second half, but he returned for 13 games in September to show potential suitors he is healthy. The Athletics have locked up several members of their young offensive core in recent years, but Langeliers is not among them. He could be the piece Oakland flips to upgrade one of baseball’s worst rotations.
Nos. 5-3
5. C Hunter Goodman, Colorado Rockies (Age: 27)
Stats: 138 G, 115 OPS+, .245/.310/.529, 63 XBH (41 HR), 2.6 WAR
Contract: Arbitration through 2029 (projected $6.2M in 2027)
Only seven players in baseball have hit more home runs over the past two seasons than Goodman, who has 72. His 41 long balls this year tied him for third in the National League with Braves slugger Matt Olson. He actually posted better numbers on the road (.882 OPS, 25 HR) than at home (.791 OPS, 16 HR), so Coors Field is not inflating an otherwise average performer. He has also developed into a serviceable defender behind the plate, though his bat drives his value.
After a fourth straight 100-loss season, Colorado has nothing off the table as it explores ways to improve. The asking price will be high given his remaining control, but he may be the most impactful power bat on the market.
4. SS Zach Neto, Los Angeles Angels (Age: 25)
Stats: 157 G, 118 OPS+, .239/.330/.436, 63 XBH (27 HR), 5.2 WAR
Contract: Arbitration through 2029 (projected $9.8M in 2027)
Neto has recorded three straight seasons with 20 home runs, 20 steals and 5.0 WAR, which makes him one of the best all-around shortstops in baseball. He rarely gets the attention he deserves while playing for a franchise that has banked 11 consecutive losing seasons. The Angels took a step toward retooling at the deadline by trading several controllable pieces, including José Soriano, Jo Adell and Ryan Zeferjahn. They kept their two most valuable trade chips, Neto and left-hander Reid Detmers. Los Angeles’ status as a perennial also-ran, combined with its newfound willingness to move controllable players, should make Neto one of the most talked-about trade candidates this winter.
3. RP Mason Miller, San Diego Padres (Age: 28)
Stats: 66 G, 38 SV, 1.67 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 16.6 K/9, 3.1 WAR
Contract: Arbitration through 2029 (projected $8.1M in 2027)
San Diego walked a fine line between buying and selling before the 2026 trade deadline. Miller was discussed as one of the top players who could move, but the Padres committed to buying and added Casey Mize and Robbie Ray instead. With Adrián Morejón and Jason Adam potentially departing in free agency, the Padres will be hesitant to deal their All-Star closer. His value is so high, however, that they would be unwise not to at least listen to offers. San Diego needed an elite prospect, Leo De Vries, to pry Miller loose from Athletics. If a similar offer arrives or a team is willing to part with a controllable starting pitcher, he could move again.
Nos. 2-1
2. SS CJ Abrams, Washington Nationals (Age: 26)
Stats: 152 G, 127 OPS+, .261/.336/.497, 67 XBH (33 HR), 5.1 WAR
Contract: Arbitration through 2028 (projected $10.2M in 2027)
Washington finished among the MLB leaders in runs scored (821, third), home runs (210, sixth) and OPS (.744, third), and a breakout season from Abrams helped drive those numbers. After posting a 109 OPS+ with 19 home runs and 31 steals in 2025, he reached another level with the first 30/30 season of his career and 106 RBIs, which ranked fourth in the National League. The Nationals traded starter MacKenzie Gore last winter while still trying to build back toward contention. They could make a similar move with Abrams if the right package of talent improves their long-term outlook enough to justify moving an increasingly expensive star.
1. OF Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves (Age: 28)
Stats: 107 G, 118 OPS+, .255/.345/.451, 39 XBH (20 HR), 1.9 WAR
Contract: $17M club options in 2027 and 2028
Fans booed Acuña loudly after he grounded out to end the seventh inning of Game 4 of the NLDS. He stranded a runner on second base and finished his playoff line at 3-for-24 with no RBIs. Will that be his final at-bat in a Braves uniform?
The 2023 NL MVP and face of the franchise had a good-but-not-great 2026 season. Shortly after Atlanta was eliminated from the playoffs, he removed the Braves from his Instagram account, which fueled speculation that a split could come this winter. His contract adds to his value rather than subtracting from it, as pairs of reasonable $17 million club options for the next two seasons make him more attractive than some other players on this list. The asking price will be astronomical, but if he returns to peak-level production, he could be one of the 10 best players in the sport.