Matt Johnson
A new Major League Baseball season has arrived and while we’re still months away from the MLB trade deadline, there are already some big names circulating in rumors. While we probably won’t see any blockbuster deals until July, it’s never too early to examine some of the MLB players who could be moved this year.
Let’s dive into our list of the top MBL trade candidates in 2026.
C.J. Abrams, Shortstop, Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are seemingly entering another rebuild, though it never truly feels like the last one ended. MacKenzie Gore got dealt during the winter, and there have already been signals that All-Star shortstop C.J. Abrams can be acquired. Only 25 years old, Abrams is arbitration-eligible through 2028 and boasts a .748 OPS with 64 doubles, 62 stolen bases, 39 home runs, and 11 triples over the last two seasons. While he’s not much of an on-base threat (.315 OBP) and he’s not considered elite defensively, we’re still talking about an above-average middle infielder who hits left-handed and is on a team-friendly deal for the next three years.
Related: Best MLB Shortstops 2026
Isaac Paredes, Third Baseman, Houston Astros
Isaac Paredes fit in well with the Houston Astros last season, hitting 20 home runs with a .352 OBP and an .809 OPS in 378 at-bats. When Jeremy Peña returns to the Astros lineup after his finger injury, however, Carlos Correa is holding down the hot corner with Yordan Alvarez primarily serving as the designated hitter. It forces Paredes into a utility role that he’s not suited for. So, Houston will likely revisit trade talks during the season to see if they can find a solid return for the 27-year-old. Paredes is owed $9.35 million this season and he has a $13.35 million club option for 2027, so there is some level of long-term contractual control. While the Crawford Boxes have proven favorable to Paredes’ swing, it’s worth noting that he had a higher batting average on the road (.259) this past season and he still had a respectable .783 OPS away from Daikin Park.
Related: MLB Predictions 2026, Projecting Win-Loss Records for All 30 Clubs
Joe Ryan, Starting Pitcher, Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins will certainly downplay the possibility of a Joe Ryan trade happening in 2026. However, every move the club made at the MLB trade deadline last season paired with the inactivity this winter suggests the sell-off will continue. Ryan, who turns 30 in June, boasts a 3.50 ERA with a 1.01 WHIP and a 341-62 K-BB ratio across 306 innings pitched in the last two seasons. He is capable of being a No. 2 starter in a playoff rotation, and he is even more valuable to top teams because he is owed just $6.1 million this season with a $13 million mutual option for the 2027 campaign. This is the year when Ryan’s trade value will be at its highest, so it would be wise for Minnesota to move him since it will not be sniffing postseason contention until 2028.
Related: MLB Playoff Predictions 2026
Luis Severino, Starting Pitcher, Sacramento Athletics
It’s no secret that Luis Severino isn’t fond of pitching for the Sacramento Athletics. However, it was difficult to move him last year since he was in the first season of a three-year, $67 million contract. It’s also hard to blame Severino for wanting out, since he allowed a .288/.352/.442 triple-slash line with a .794 OPS and a 6.01 ERA at home in Sacramento’s minor-league ballpark, whereas he had a 3.02 ERA with a .620 OPS allowed in 14 road starts. If the Athletics are willing to eat a portion of the money Severino is owed over the next two years, there will certainly be a few suitors interested in him as an innings eater who can be plugged in as a No. 4 starter.
Read More: MLB Power Rankings 2026, Evaluating all 30 Teams
Yandy Diaz, First Baseman, Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays will probably exceed expectations this season, but their record still might not prevent a Yandy Diaz trade. He will be 35 years old in August, and he is under contract for the next two years, with the 2027 club option set at $13 million if he reaches 500 plate appearances this year. Diaz has been excellent at the plate over the last three seasons, putting up a .303 batting average with an .843 OPS, 61 home runs, 226 RBI, and 229 runs scored. He would be an upgrade at either first base or designated hitter for several contenders, and with the prospects coming up in the Rays’ farm system, trading him would also open up a spot for others to get at-bats.
Related: MLB Award Predictions 2026
Jake Cronenworth, Infielder, San Diego Padres
There are quite a few bad contracts the San Diego Padres simply won’t be able to get out of, and the franchise probably has some regrets about the Jake Cronenworth deal. With that said, he did put up a respectable .744 OPS this past season, and he is just one year removed from delivering 17 home runs with 83 RBI and a .714 OPS in 2024. There is value in having a left-handed hitter who can play first base, second base, or shortstop. At 32 years old and still owed over $60 million total through the 2030 season, San Diego would certainly need to cover a portion of Cronenworth’s contract to move him. Given their ambitions of further reducing payroll, it might need to be explored this summer.
Related: Worst MLB Contracts 2026, Worst Contract at Each Position
Sandy Alcantara, Starting Pitcher, Miami Marlins
Trading former NL Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara really wasn’t an option for the Miami Marlins midway through the 2025 MLB season because he had a 6.36 ERA through his first 21 starts. It took him time to regain his stuff post-Tommy John surgery, but Alcantara rebounded with a 2.68 ERA in his final eight starts to end the regular season. If Alcantara can maintain anything close to that form in the first half of the 2026 campaign, Miami’s phone will be ringing constantly because an All-Star pitcher who is owed $38.3 million over the next two seasons is still a bargain.
Related: Best MLB Pitchers 2026
Jasson Dominguez, Outfielder, New York Yankees
It might already be time for Jasson Dominguez to get a change of scenery. Once one of the top prospects in MLB, he has now mustered just a .247/.329/.378 triple-slash over the last two seasons with more strikeouts (134) than hits (108) in 437 at-bats. To make matters worse, he has been awful defensively (3rd percentile Outs Above Average) in the outfield. The New York Yankees are not in a position as contenders where they can afford patience and keep giving him at-bats. When sellers start shopping cost-controlled starting pitching this summer, Dominguez will likely be one of the chips New York offers around the league.
Related: Best MLB Players by Position 2026, Top Player at 11 Positions
