Top 25 MLB Trade Chips Big Board For the 2025-26 Offseason

With the ALCS and NLCS matchups now set, the MLB postseason field has been trimmed to four teams still vying for a World Series title, while the league's other 26 clubs have already shifted their attention to the offseason.

This year's free-agent market is deep, but somewhat lacking in elite-level talent, and that could mean a more active offseason of wheeling and dealing on the trade market.

Ahead we've highlighted the top 25 potential trade chips of the upcoming offseason. It's a mix of speculative trade candidates and players who have previously seen their names pop up on the rumor mill.

The likelihood that a player is traded helped narrow the list to 25 names, while remaining years of control and salary commitment factored into where they fell in the rankings.

Age: 28
Stats: 119 G, 108 OPS+, .266/.356/.397, 35 XBH (9 HR), 1.2 WAR
Contract Status: Arbitration-eligible through 2026

With a thin market for catching talent, Ryan Jeffers could be a sought after trade chip for the Twins as they continue dismantling their roster in the wake of a summer fire sale.

With a 21-homer season in 2024, he has some pop, and his $6.6 million projected arbitration salary still represents a bargain relative to what his earning power would be on the open market.

Age: 32
Stats: 135 G, 93 OPS+, .227/.271/.394, 47 XBH (19 HR), 2.7 WAR
Contract Status: Arbitration-eligible through 2026

An All-Star in 2021 and 2023 who peaked with a 39-homer, 4.5-WAR campaign in 2023 where he also took home ALCS MVP, Adolis García has hit .225/.278/.397 for a 96 OPS+ in 1,184 plate appearances the last two years.

His $12.1 million projected arbitration salary might be too rich for a Rangers team that is looking to shed payroll, and if they can't find an early taker on the trade market, he will be a non-tender candidate.

Strong batted-ball metrics make him an appealing buy-low candidate with more upside than the majority of the outfield bats available in free agency.

Age: 29
Stats: 120 G, 102 OPS+, .287/.331/.409, 32 XBH (11 HR), 1.3 WAR
Contract Status: Arbitration-eligible through 2026

The Phillies shopped Alec Bohm last offseason while hinting at a potential roster shakeup in the aftermath of an early playoff exit, and they find themselves in an almost identical position this winter.

He has not developed into the middle-of-the-order power threat the team was expecting when he was taken No. 3 overall in the 2018 draft, but he has logged an OPS+ north of 100 in each of the past four seasons and could be a solid change of scenery candidate with no commitment beyond 2026.

Age: 31
Stats: 29 GS, 4.54 ERA (4.11 FIP), 1.30 WHIP, 124 K, 162.2 IP, 1.0 WAR
Contract Status: $25 million in 2026, player option in 2027

The Athletics signed Luis Severino to a three-year, $67 million deal last offseason that represented the largest contract in franchise history, though he could be cut to a two-year, $45 million commitment if he declines a 2027 player option.

He struggled to a 6.01 ERA over 82.1 innings in his 15 home starts in Sacramento, compared to a 3.02 ERA in 80.1 frames on the road, making him perhaps the most obvious change of scenery trade target in baseball.

Age: 34
Stats: 107 G, 87 OPS+, .237/.289/.377, 31 XBH (12 HR), 1.3 WAR
Contract Status: $27 million in 2026, $15 million in 2027

The St. Louis Cardinals have spent the better part of the last year trying to unload Nolan Arenado, and they will likely renew those efforts this winter with a focus on getting younger across the roster.

The future Hall of Famer is a shell of the player he was in his prime, but he is still a strong defender at third base, and he has adjusted to a more contact-oriented approach as his power has diminished.

Between the money the Rockies are still paying and the money the Cardinals have deferred, his salary for next season is actually only $16 million, so that could make moving him a bit easier.

Age: 31
Stats: 61 G, 27/32 SV, 2.83 ERA (3.63 FIP), 8.8 K/9, 1.2 WAR
Contract Status: $12.5 million club option in 2026

It should be a no-brainer for the Tampa Bay Rays to exercise their $12.5 million club option on closer Pete Fairbanks for next season, but that doesn't mean he will still be playing for the club on Opening Day.

He is currently the highest projected salary on the books for 2026, and a team like the Rays that has one of the smallest budgets in the league simply can't afford to give a relief pitcher that big of a slice of the pie.

His 75 saves over the last three years rank 12th in the majors during that span, and while he is no longer the elite strikeout pitcher he was a few years ago, he offset that with a career-low 7.4 percent walk rate in 2025.

Age: 28
Stats: 135 G, 95 OPS+, .234/.325/.361, 38 XBH (13 HR), 1.3 WAR
Contract Status: Arbitration-eligible through 2027

Lars Nootbaar entered the 2025 season with a 115 OPS+ in 1,379 plate appearances over the first four seasons of his career, and after battling through an injury-plagued season, he has some nice buy-low appeal and two years of club control remaining.

He can play all three outfield spots, gets on base at a solid clip, has enough pop for 10-15 home runs per year and carries a reasonable $5.7 million projected salary for next year.

Age: 30
Stats: 27 GS, 5.10 ERA (4.90 FIP), 1.30 WHIP, 120 K, 146.1 IP, 1.1 WAR
Contract Status: Arbitration-eligible through 2027

Bailey Ober was one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball during the 2023 and 2024 seasons:

2023: 26 GS, 3.43 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 146 K, 144.1 IP, 3.1 WAR
2024: 31 GS, 3.98 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 191 K, 178.2 IP, 2.9 WAR

A dip in velocity played a role in his opponents' batting average spiking from .208 in 2024 to .275 this season, and while that leaves him as something of a reclamation project, his $4.6 million projected salary makes him an extremely attractive buy-low target.

Age: 33
Stats: 122 G, 111 OPS+, .243/.335/.411, 38 XBH (12 HR), 2.0 WAR
Contract Status: $15.75 million in 2026, club option in 2027

After lackluster offensive seasons in 2023 (97 OPS+) and 2024 (96 OPS+), Jeff McNeil had a quietly productive bounce-back season while adding center field to his already versatile defensive repertoire.

His .272 expected batting average was his highest since 2022 when he won the NL batting title, and a career-high 10.6 percent walk rate saw him post nearly as many walks (49) as strikeouts (55).

If the Mets want to clear a path for young infielders Luisangel Acuña, Ronny Mauricio and rising prospect Jett Williams, flipping McNeil for pitching help could be the way to do it.

Age: 31
Stats: 134 G, 116 OPS+, .256/.307/.477, 50 XBH (31 HR), 1.8 WAR
Contract Status: $11.5 million club option in 2026

An All-Star for the second time in his career in 2025, Brandon Lowe remains one of the game's best offensive second basemen when healthy, though he probably fits better at first base or designated hitter defensively at this point in his career.

His club option carries a modest $500,000 buyout, but the most likely approach will be the Rays locking in his $11.5 million salary and then shopping him throughout the offseason. If they can't find a taker this winter, he will be an in-demand target at the deadline if he has a similar season in 2026.

Age: 31
Stats: 157 G, 116 OPS+, .228/.317/.475, 69 XBH (36 HR), 2.7 WAR
Contract Status: Arbitration-eligible through 2026

Bright spots were few and far between for the Los Angeles Angels this year en route to a 10th straight losing season, but a career year from outfielder Taylor Ward did give them one clear individual standout.

The front office has balked at trading him in recent years, but as he enters his final year of club control, there is no better time to sell high than on the heels of a season where he set career-high marks in doubles (31), home runs (36), RBI (103), runs scored (86) and total bases (275).

Age: 28
Stats: 118 G, 119 OPS+, .287/.353/.422, 42 XBH (10 HR), 2.7 WAR
Contract Status: Arbitration-eligible through 2027

Brendan Donovan is the type of player who could be a fit on the roster of all 30 MLB teams, with valuable defensive versatility, solid on-base skills and intangibles that allow him to maximize his modest tools.

He has a 117 OPS+ and 11.1 WAR over his first four seasons in the big leagues, and he was an All-Star for the first time in 2025. He has made double-digit starts at all four infield positions and both corner outfield spots over the course of his career, and cleanly fits the Ben Zobrist super-utility mold.

Age: 35
Stats: 32 GS, 4.28 ERA (3.39 FIP), 1.23 WHIP, 201 K, 180.2 IP, 1.4 WAR
Contract Status: $35 million in 2026, club option in 2027

After balking at the idea of waiving his no-trade clause last offseason, Sonny Gray has indicated he is more open to the idea this winter, and that immediately moves him to the top of the list of most likely Cardinals trade chips.

The veteran workhorse posted his seventh career season with at least 150 innings of work in 2025, and also racked up 200 strikeouts for the second year in a row while backing that swing-and-miss stuff with elite command.

The Cardinals will need to do something to offset some of his $35 million price tag if they hope to bring back anything of value in return, but he would be a welcome addition to the rotation of more than a few contenders.

Age: 27
Stats: 135 G, 87 OPS+, .200/.298/.378, 41 XBH (20 HR), 0.3 WAR
Contract Status: Arbitration-eligible through 2028

In terms of pure physical tools, few players can match that combination of speed, power and athleticism that Oneil Cruz brings to the table, but it's fair to wonder if his development has plateaued as an incomplete player.

After a 21-homer, 22-steal, 2.5-WAR season in 2024, he took a significant step backward offensively this year, including an uptick in his strikeout rate to an untenable 32.0 percent clip. He was also a defensive liability in center field (-14 DRS, 11 errors) after shifting off shortstop, which leaves his long-term defensive home still up in the air.

With all of that said, it's not often a 30/30 threat in his prime is available on the trade market, and a new organization might be what it takes to unlock his full potential.

Age: 27
Stats: 26 GS, 3.53 ERA (3.83 FIP), 1.23 WHIP, 150 K, 137.2 IP, 2.8 WAR
Contract Status: Arbitration-eligible through 2028

After years of teasing his potential with some of the best pure stuff in the majors, Edward Cabrera finally put together a full season of production in the Miami rotation, eclipsing 100 innings for the first time in his career.

A reworked pitch mix seems to have taken his game to another level, with more reliance on his curveball and sinker, and less on his changeup and fastball, which helped him do a better job keeping hitters off balance.

He won't come cheap with three years of control remaining and a team-friendly $3.7 million projected salary for 2026, but the Marlins were willing to listen over the summer and should test the waters again.

Age: 29
Stats: 32 GS, 4.19 ERA (4.02 FIP), 1.26 WHIP, 150 K, 176.1 IP, 1.4 WAR
Contract Status: Three years, $55.7 million left on contract

Just two years into a five-year, $77 million extension, Mitch Keller is already a popular name in trade rumblings due to his steadily climbing salary and Pittsburgh's glaring need for a controllable bat with impact upside.

The Pirates won't simply flip him for prospects, but if they can bring back a bat that slots right into their everyday lineup and has middle-of-the-order potential, it could better position them for success going forward.

Age: 34
Stats: 150 G, 136 OPS+, .300/.366/.482, 55 XBH (25 HR), 3.4 WAR
Contract Status: $12 million club option in 2026

Only seven qualified hitters batted .300 during the 2025 season and Yandy Diaz was one of them, and he has hit .301/.379/.461 in 2,430 plate appearances the last four years while taking home the AL batting title in 2023.

He also recorded career-high marks in home runs (25) and RBI (83), and posted his usual elite batted-ball metrics. His $12 million club option has no buyout, but the Rays will almost certainly exercise it in advance of shopping him this offseason, and even with limited defensive value he should have no shortage of suitors.

Age: 29
Stats: 14 GS, 2.74 ERA (3.19 FIP), 1.11 WHIP, 73 K, 75.2 IP, 2.1 WAR
Contract Status: Two years, $43.5 million left on contract

A shoulder injury limited Pablo López to one total start in June, July and August, and his season then ended prematurely when he suffered a forearm strain in mid-September, but when healthy he was once again a frontline-caliber pitcher.

In the three seasons prior to the 2025 campaign, he made 32 starts each year while posting a 3.83 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 606 strikeouts in 559.1 innings, earning an All-Star nod and finishing seventh in AL Cy Young voting in 2023.

His medicals will be a hurdle after his arm issues this past season, but if everything is clean, he could slot immediately into the No. 2 or 3 starter role in a contender's rotation.

Age: 30
Stats: 31 GS, 5.36 ERA (4.28 FIP), 1.27 WHIP, 142 K, 174.2 IP, 0.0 WAR
Contract Status: $17.3 million in 2026, club option in 2027

Sandy Alcantara did not immediately return to top-of-the-rotation form in his return from Tommy John surgery after missing the entire 2024 campaign, but he did show some promising signs down the stretch.

Over his final eight starts, he logged a 2.68 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 52 strikeouts in 53.2 innings, recording a quality start in seven of those outings.

In a market where No. 4 starters regularly command a salary in the $15 million range, contenders will be chomping at the bit to acquire him at a $17.3 million price tag if the Marlins put him on the block again, and his $21 million club option for 2027 also has appeal if he gets back to his Cy Young level.

Age: 26
Stats: 30 GS, 4.17 ERA (3.74 FIP), 1.35 WHIP, 185 K, 159.2 IP, 3.0 WAR
Contract Status: Arbitration-eligible through 2027

Will the Washington Nationals be ready to contend by 2027?

That's the question that has to be asked when considering whether to float MacKenzie Gore as a trade chip, since the Scott Boras client will almost certainly test the free agency waters once his arbitration years are over, making him unlikely to ink an early extension.

One of the prospect centerpieces of the Juan Soto blockbuster trade with the San Diego Padres, he has developed into the de facto ace of the staff, and he had a 3.02 ERA and 138 strikeouts in 110.1 innings during the first half before stumbling a bit after the All-Star break.

Age: 27
Stats: 90 G, 90 OPS+, .220/.307/.366, 27 XBH (9 HR), 1.9 WAR
Contract Status: Arbitration-eligible through 2027

Adley Rutschman was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft, a top prospect throughout his time in the minors and an instant star when he piled up 5.4 WAR in 113 games as a rookie in 2022 and then started the All-Star Game the following year.

He earned a second straight All-Star selection in 2024, but his offensive numbers dipped across the board, and that decline continued during an injury-shortened 2025 season that saw him miss 32 games with oblique strain.

After top catching prospect Samuel Basallo signed an eight-year, $67 million extension in August, it immediately fueled speculation that Rutschman could be shopped this winter, and a rapidly climbing arbitration salary could steer the Orioles in that direction this winter.

Age: 28
Stats: 156 G, 96 OPS+, .272/.330/.374, 41 XBH (11 HR), 3.7 WAR
Contract Status: Arbitration-eligible through 2027

A two-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner who might be headed for his fourth straight this offseason, Steven Kwan has developed into an extremely valuable player for the Cleveland Guardians.

However, his contact-oriented approach at a corner outfield spot is part of the reason the Guardians are lacking in offensive punch, and if they don't plan on signing him to a lucrative long-term extension then flipping him now could be their best course of action.

His market could be tied to Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran, who is also a speculative trade candidate.

Age: 29
Stats: 157 G, 114 OPS+, .256/.332/.442, 70 XBH (16 HR), 4.6 WAR
Contract Status: Arbitration-eligible through 2028

Jarren Duran did not come close to replicating his 8.7 WAR breakout performance from 2024, but he was once again an extra-base hit machine for the Boston Red Sox with 41 doubles, 13 triples and 16 home runs, to go along with 24 stolen bases.

However, the Red Sox will enter the 2026 season with an abundance of outfielders once Roman Anthony returns healthy alongside Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu, and after a summer of trade rumblings Duran could again be one of the most talked about players on the market.

A lackluster 1-for-11 showing in the AL Wild Card Series against the Yankees to go along with some defensive miscues ended his season on a sour note, but should do nothing to undercut his value.

Age: 29
Stats: 33 GS, 2.70 ERA (3.65 FIP), 1.08 WHIP, 204 K, 176.2 IP, 5.5 WAR
Contract Status: $8 million club option in 2026

The Milwaukee Brewers have shown time and again that they are more than willing to move on from their core players once they reach free agency and are set to become more expensive, with Josh Hader, Corbin Burnes, Willy Adames and Devin Williams among the notable recent examples.

Freddy Peralta has been playing on a team-friendly six-year, $22 million extension since the 2020 season, and that deal wraps up with an $8 million club option in 2026, so if they plan to flip him rather than keep him beyond this year then now is the time.

It will likely take a return similar to what the Orioles gave up to acquire Burnes to pry him loose, but there's an easy argument to be made that he's better than any pitcher in this year's free agent class.

Age: 29
Stats: 30 GS, 3.42 ERA (3.74 FIP), 1.04 WHIP, 194 K, 171.0 IP, 4.5 WAR
Contract Status: Arbitration-eligible through 2027

Freddy Peralta is a better pitcher than Joe Ryan by a small margin, but Ryan gets the No. 1 spot in these rankings due to the simple fact that he has two years of club control remaining to Peralta's one.

With a $5.8 million projected salary for 2026 and one more year of arbitration in 2027, Ryan has the potential to make a far greater overall impact as a trade pickup, and the Twins asking price will no doubt reflect that fact.

For teams looking for a controllable, frontline-caliber arm this winter, Ryan should be No. 1 on their big board.