1 potential trade candidate from each team

We’ve already seen some notable signings in the lead-up to Thanksgiving, as Blake Snell and Yusei Kikuchi came off the free-agent board.

Now that we’ve reached December, the Hot Stove should really start to heat up, especially with the Winter Meetings set to take place next week in Dallas.

While names such as Juan Soto, Corbin Burnes and Alex Bregman will dominate the headlines, the trade market could become quite active in the coming weeks. Some clubs could look to shed payroll, while others could turn to the trade market to fill holes on their rosters.

With that in mind, here’s a look at one potential trade candidate from every team:

American League East

Blue Jays: Spencer Horwitz, 1B
Horwitz has shown the ability to get on base at the big league level, posting a .357 on-base percentage over 381 plate appearances in 2024. A first baseman by trade, the 27-year-old started 32 games at first and 37 at second base, showing some versatility in the infield. Still, if Toronto intends to sign Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a long-term deal, Horwitz will be blocked at his natural position. Teams seeking first-base help could plug Horwitz in at the position right away.

Orioles: Ryan Mountcastle, 1B
Mountcastle saw his numbers decrease for the third consecutive season, hitting 13 home runs with 63 RBIs and a .733 OPS in 124 games in 2024. The 27-year-old is arbitration-eligible for two more years, so while there’s no urgency to move him, a trade would open the door for Baltimore's top prospect Coby Mayo (the No. 8 prospect in baseball) to take over at first base. Baltimore also picked up Ryan O’Hearn’s $8 million option, giving the O’s further depth at first base.

Rays: Zack Littell, RHP
Yandy Díaz and Brandon Lowe are set to make more money in 2025, but they appear to be integral parts of a lineup that needs every capable bat it can get. Littell -- who will likely get at least $4 million in arbitration -- could be expendable despite being the Rays' most valuable player last season (2.7 bWAR) thanks to Tampa Bay’s rotation depth.

Red Sox: Triston Casas, 1B
Boston has a glut of left-handed hitters, so dealing the 24-year-old first baseman to acquire pitching might be part of the offseason plan. Some have speculated that Rafael Devers might move to first base at some point, so perhaps the Red Sox add a third baseman, move Devers across the diamond and use Casas as trade bait to acquire pitching help.

Yankees: Marcus Stroman, RHP
Stroman is entering the final year of the two-year, $37 million contract he signed in January, though the deal includes a vesting $18 million player option if he throws 140 innings in 2025. Stroman was slightly below average (95 ERA+) over 154 2/3 innings last season, posting a 4.31 ERA, but the 33-year-old did not make a single appearance for New York during the postseason. He could be a mid-rotation option for many clubs, but he doesn’t appear to be in the Yankees’ plans.

American League Central

Guardians: Emmanuel Clase, RHP
Trading the best closer in baseball might seem like an unconventional idea, but since when have the Guardians been afraid to be bold? With Shane Bieber and Matthew Boyd on the free-agent market, Cleveland must address the rotation, and with only so much payroll flexibility, the Guardians might have to make a painful trade at some point to bring in talent. Clase is set to earn $4.5 million in 2025 and $6 million in '26 with club options for '27 ($10 million) and '28 ($10 million), making him one of the more appealing trade assets in the Majors.

Royals: Maikel Garcia, INF
Garcia’s versatility -- he can play second base, shortstop and third base, and he even made an appearance in right field last season -- should make him an appealing player for many teams. The Royals’ recent acquisition of Jonathan India should give the lineup a boost, and Kansas City has received interest in Garcia from other clubs. Despite an offensive dip in 2024, the 24-year-old has upside at the plate and runs the bases well (he had 37 stolen bases in 39 attempts last season), and most importantly, is under club control through 2029.

Tigers: Jace Jung, INF
Colt Keith’s emergence at second base this season means Jung is ticketed to play third base in Detroit, possibly in a platoon with Matt Vierling. The jury is still out on whether Jung, a first-round Draft pick in 2022, can stick at the hot corner long-term, so if the Tigers look for an alternative at third, they could find a team that sees him as a fit for them at second.

Twins: Christian Vázquez, C
As always, payroll will be a major consideration for the Twins as they look to retool the roster this winter, making Vázquez and his $10 million salary a potential trade chip. Ryan Jeffers is under club control for two more years, and although Vázquez’s offense has been down in recent years, he remains a solid defender behind the plate.

White Sox: Garrett Crochet, LHP
Crochet has seemingly been on the trade block for months, but as the White Sox look to advance their rebuild, the 25-year-old lefty is unquestionably their best trade chip. Given the expected price of free-agent pitching this offseason, Crochet offers a controllable, All-Star-caliber arm that will cost another club young players rather than millions of dollars.

American League West

Angels: Reid Detmers, LHP
Following the free-agent signings of Kikuchi and Kyle Hendricks, the Angels have some much-needed depth in the rotation. Detmers took a step backward in 2024, posting a 6.70 ERA over 87 1/3 innings, but the 25-year-old showed enough promise in 2022-23 for another team to believe he would benefit from a change of scenery.

Astros: Ryan Pressly, RHP
The addition of Josh Hader in January and Bryan Abreu’s emergence have made Pressly -- who is set to earn $14 million next season -- a potential trade candidate. The right-hander has a full no-trade clause in his contract, so he will have some say in his next destination, assuming he even approves a deal. Pressly hasn’t been as dominant over the past two years as he had been during his All-Star seasons of 2019 and '21, but he would be a bullpen upgrade -- and a short-term commitment -- for a lot of teams.

Athletics: JJ Bleday, OF
Bleday had the best season of his young career in 2024, hitting 20 home runs with 60 RBIs and a .762 OPS (120 OPS+) in 159 games. He can play all three outfield spots and won’t be arbitration-eligible for another year, two appealing factors that might help the Athletics swap him for a third baseman or pitching help. Three of the Athletics’ Top 10 prospects are outfielders (No. 5 Henry Bolte, No. 7 Colby Thomas and No. 10 Denzel Clarke), giving them plenty of young depth.

Mariners: Mitch Garver C/DH
Garver’s first year in Seattle didn’t go well: He hit .172 with a .627 OPS after signing a two-year, $24 million deal with the Mariners last December. Cal Raleigh is locked in as the Mariners’ No. 1 catcher, leaving Garver as a part-time DH. Garver was a key contributor to the Rangers’ championship team in 2023, when he belted 19 home runs with an .870 OPS in 87 games, so it’s possible his subpar '24 was a hiccup rather than the new norm. Seattle would likely need to pick up part of the contract to get anything of value in return.

Rangers: Jon Gray, RHP
The Rangers are believed to be interested in bringing Nathan Eovaldi back on a new deal, and with the club’s desire to trim payroll this offseason, Gray’s $13 million contract for 2025 could help them achieve that goal. Gray’s numbers dipped a bit in 2024 (4.47 ERA and 88 ERA+ over 102 2/3 innings), but he was slightly above league average in 2022-23 (103 ERA+) and only carries a one-year commitment.

National League East

Braves: AJ Smith-Shawver, RHP
Many teams have unsuccessfully tried to land the club's No. 3 prospect RHP Hurston Waldrep, who might fall into the untouchable category. No. 5 prospect C Drake Baldwin is Atlanta’s second-most-attractive trade piece, but following Travis d’Arnaud’s departure, the Braves might be hesitant to reduce depth at this premium position. But you have to give to get, so Smith-Shawver (the Braves’ No. 2 prospect and No. 97 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100) could be used as a trade chip, as Atlanta needs an outfielder, another veteran starter and a high-leverage reliever.

Marlins: Jesús Luzardo, LHP
Miami might be more interested in trading Edward Cabrera, but if the Marlins are looking to get the best bang for their pitching buck, Luzardo is the guy. Even after a down season hindered by elbow and back injuries (5.00 ERA in 66 2/3 innings), the 27-year-old posted a 3.48 ERA over 50 starts in 2022-23, and with two years of arbitration eligibility remaining, Luzardo would draw interest if the Marlins look to move him.

Mets: Brett Baty, 3B
The emergence of Mark Vientos in 2024 has quieted any talk about Baty as the Mets’ third baseman of the future, though things could change if Pete Alonso leaves as a free agent and Vientos moves to first base. The more likely scenario would be a trade of Baty, who is a prime change-of-scenery candidate following a couple of tough seasons in New York.

Nationals: Derek Law, RHP
Law had his best season since his 2016 rookie year, posting a 2.60 ERA over 90 innings in 75 appearances. The 34-year-old might open the year in the Nationals’ bullpen and become summer trade bait, but once the free-agent relief carousel stops, clubs left without the bullpen help they sought might look to Law as a low-cost alternative. Law should earn a nice raise from last year’s $1.5 million salary as he enters the arbitration process for the final time before becoming a free agent next offseason.

Phillies: Alec Bohm, 3B
President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski recently said, “Sometimes you have to trade good players to get good players.” An All-Star in 2024, Bohm certainly falls into that category, and he’s under club control for two more seasons prior to free agency. Bohm struggled late in the season and was benched in Game 2 of the NLDS, but there are a lot of reasons for a team to want him in a trade, namely his offensive upside and solid defense at the hot corner.

National League Central

Brewers: Devin Williams, RHP
Williams is arbitration-eligible for his final year before free agency, and given the Brewers’ annual payroll situation, it’s entirely possible that Milwaukee will look to move the All-Star closer this winter. Trevor Megill proved he could fill the closer’s role during Williams’ lengthy IL stint last season, so using Williams to fill other areas of need might be the Brewers’ best play.

Cardinals: Nolan Arenado, 3B
File this one under the “where there’s smoke, there’s fire” category. Arenado’s name has surfaced in trade reports all offseason, and given the Cardinals’ plan to reset this winter, the 33-year-old would likely welcome a change of scenery as long as it meant joining a contender. Arenado has three years and $74 million remaining on his contract, along with a full no-trade clause, so he will ultimately control his destiny if St. Louis wants to trade him.

Cubs: Cody Bellinger, 1B/OF
Bellinger exercised his $27.5 million player option for 2025 and has another worth $25 million for '26 (with a $5 million buyout), taking up a large chunk of payroll for at least this season. Moving him (and his contract) would create flexibility with both the roster and payroll, allowing the front office to add another impact player to the lineup. Whether Chicago could move Bellinger without picking up some of his contract remains to be seen, making this a complicated situation for the Cubs.

Pirates: Bailey Falter, LHP
The emergence of Paul Skenes and Jared Jones to complement Mitch Keller has given the Pirates some rotation depth, and with more pitching prospects (No. 1 Bubba Chandler, No. 4 Braxton Ashcraft and No. 5 Thomas Harrington) on the way, Pittsburgh could use Falter -- who had a 4.43 ERA over 142 1/3 innings -- to help address other areas. The 27-year-old is arbitration-eligible for the next four seasons, the type of control any team would find attractive.

Reds: Alexis Díaz, RHP
An All-Star in 2023, Díaz had another solid season in 2024, successfully converting 28 of his 32 save opportunities. His strikeout percentage dropped from 30.1% to 22.7% while his walk rate remained high (12.8%), but he’s still only 28 years old and would draw interest from bullpen-needy clubs. Cincinnati would likely need Major League talent in return rather than prospects, but Díaz remains one of its best trade chips.

National League West

D-backs: Jake McCarthy, OF
Arizona has a surplus in the outfield, with Corbin Carroll, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Alek Thomas and McCarthy, giving the D-backs an area from which they can trade. McCarthy posted a .749 OPS with 25 stolen bases last season, ranking in the top 20 percent of the NL in strikeout and whiff percentage. He’s also a strong defender -- his 6 Outs Above Average ranked in the 90th percentile -- and won’t enter the arbitration process for another year.

Dodgers: Dalton Rushing, C/OF
Los Angeles’ No. 1 prospect and No. 39 in baseball, Rushing is blocked at the big league level by Will Smith, who signed a $140 million contract extension through 2033. The Dodgers began playing him in the outfield in 2024, but given the dearth of young catching around the league, he could prove to be more valuable as a trade chip.

Giants: LaMonte Wade Jr., 1B/OF
Both Wade and Mike Yastrzemski could fit into this category, but Wade is expected to command far less in his final year of arbitration than Yastrzemski’s $9.25 million salary, making him a more appealing asset, especially given his .376 on-base percentage over the past two seasons. The Giants could look to add a power bat at first base, while the club’s top prospect (20-year-old Bryce Eldridge) is the likely long-term answer at the position.

Rockies: Ryan McMahon, 3B
Cal Quantrill and Brendan Rodgers were two prime trade candidates, but the Rockies non-tendered both players, sending them to the free-agent market. McMahon, who is signed for $44 million over the next three seasons, is a player Colorado gets calls on often, and while the Rockies have resisted the urge to trade him to this point, all it could take is the right offer to make them think twice.

Padres: Luis Campusano, C
San Diego will be looking for a catcher this winter with Kyle Higashioka hitting free agency, though a reunion is possible. Whether or not he comes back, the Padres seem unlikely to turn over the catching reins to Campusano, a former top-three prospect for the club. He looked to be reaching his potential with a solid 2023 (7 HR, 30 RBI and an .847 OPS in 174 plate appearances), but he regressed last season (8 HR, 40 RBI, .642 OPS in 299 PA), making him a change-of-scenery candidate who remains under club control through 2028.