It's time for an update to our rankings! Major League Baseball's Aug. 3 trade deadline is exactly four weeks away now, and teams are ramping up conversations about plans for the trade season ahead.

Whether from contenders determining how big of a splash they are willing to make or basement dwellers deciding which stars to make available, MLB's trade market is ever evolving. And to keep you updated, ESPN's Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan have put together a list of 100 potential trade candidates and top potential fits that will be updated regularly leading up to the deadline.

Some of the players listed are unlikely to be dealt but at least are being discussed in potential deals. Others might not be on the list now but will be added in the future should their team's fortunes change. Either way, this will be the most up-to-date accounting of where MLB's trade market stands.

Now on to the 100 names to know this trade season, starting with a game-changing ace. After that top 100 list, we break down the top players by position.

Note: Players ranked by total trade value with rest-of-season value as tiebreaker (not odds of being dealt); 10% trade likelihood minimum

Jump to: Top players by position

Top 100 trade candidates

1. Tarik Skubal, LHP, Detroit Tigers

Chance of being traded: 85%
Rest-of-season impact: Game-changing
Years of control: Just the remainder of 2026

The buzz: Skubal returned from midseason bone chip surgery in record time and hit 99.9 mph with his fastball, so any concerns about his stuff returning have been answered. His future depends on whether the Tigers can muster a run at an American League playoff spot.

Considering the hole they've dug themselves, they are far more likely than not to move Skubal -- beyond their six-game deficit for the final wild card, they are behind six other teams -- and they will squeeze every ounce of value out of the best pitcher in the world. He is the dream deadline candidate, the sort of ace who can carry a team in the postseason. Whoever lands Skubal will pay an enormous price. Happily.

The scouting report: He's still the same guy who won back-to-back Cy Young Awards. He relies on a 95 mph to 98 mph four-seam fastball and one of the best changeups in the league, along with a sinker, a slider and a slurve that are all above average to plus. Skubal's command is also plus, so you can see why he has the hardware and could also be in line for a precedent-setting contract depending on how this season ends.

Best fits: Every single contending team -- but more realistically the Dodgers, Yankees, Braves, Brewers, Blue Jays and Rays.

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Passan to Eisen: Everyone in MLB could use Tarik Skubal

2. Byron Buxton, CF, Minnesota Twins

Chance of being traded: 10%
Rest-of-season impact: Game-changing
Years of control: Two more years after 2026, at a little over $15 million per year

The buzz: Buxton told reporters "I'm a Twin" on June 18, and Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll followed up by saying "it's not something we're exploring. It's not something we plan to explore." So, while we've dropped the odds from unlikely (30%) to extremely unlikely (10%), removing Buxton from the board altogether discounts the possibility of a team blowing away Minnesota with an offer that's too good to refuse.

The scouting report: The report on Buxton is still pretty similar to when he went No. 2 in the 2012 draft: elite runner and defender with loud bat speed. The difference is the bat speed in high school turned into regular in-game power by his mid-20s and now, in his early 30s, he is hitting some of the high-end projections for 30-plus homer potential more than a decade later. Basically everything you dreamed of with Buxton has come true, with injuries/durability being the only negative.

Best fits: Phillies, Padres, Diamondbacks, Braves, Rays, Cardinals, Yankees, Rangers.

3. Jeremy Peña, SS, Houston Astros

Chance of being traded: 35%
Rest-of-season impact: High
Years of control: One more year after 2026

The buzz: After nearly signing a contract extension last year, Peña hired agent Scott Boras and put the kibosh on the deal. Now, Houston finds itself in a pickle: always wanting to contend, lacking the roster to do it.

Replenishing a bad farm system with few players close to the big leagues takes a move like trading Peña, and the only question at this point is whether it will be before Aug. 3 or before the Dec. 1 lockout. No longer are the Astros in the position they were when they held onto George Springer, Carlos Correa and Alex Bregman all the way to free agency. This is a Kyle Tucker situation -- only now the Astros aren't good, either, which could precipitate moving their shortstop before the deadline. The one potential drawback from Houston's perspective: There aren't a whole lot of contenders in the market for a shortstop, and it might make more sense to wait until the winter.

The scouting report: Peña has always been a plus defender at shortstop with a strong power/speed combo, but his feel for hitting and pitch selection comes and goes. He made the most of Daikin Park's Crawford Boxes by leaning into power and pull/lift, and his 2025 baseball card stats ran hot with better-than-you'd-expect outcomes on balls in play fueling a 5.7 WAR season. Expect more years in line with his other WAR figures (2.7 to 3.3) for the next few seasons.

Best fits: Braves, Rays, Yankees, Blue Jays, Red Sox.

4. Joe Ryan, RHP, Minnesota Twins

Chance of being traded: 55%
Rest-of-season impact: High
Years of control: One more year after 2026

The buzz: Ryan was one of the lone survivors after the Twins' teardown last deadline -- and Minnesota was deep into discussions on deals involving him, as well. So, a move would surprise nobody, particularly considering that Ryan looks better than ever this season.

Here are the pitchers with better K-BB% this year: Jacob Misiorowski, Paul Skenes, Jacob deGrom and Cristopher Sanchez. That's it. Calling him a front-line starter is not just Minnesota Nice. It's a reality, and contenders -- even ones with good rotations -- will be lining up the moment the Twins declare Ryan available.

The scouting report: Ryan is doing the thing a lot of teams are hunting for in the draft as one of the most valuable ways of throwing the baseball: utilizing huge extension, lower slot and solid lift to his fastball with good command.

It was called an "invisiball" early in his pro career, and it is along the same lines as the biggest advantages that Bryan Woo or Spencer Strider have, among others. Ryan gets a strong separation of his arsenal -- four-seamer, two-seamer, splitter, slider, sweeper and curve -- covering basically all of the possible spots on a pitch movement graph. This is the highest evolution of a pitcher combining deception/angles/deep pitch mix.

Best fits: Cubs, Padres, A's, Diamondbacks, Braves, White Sox, Nationals, Blue Jays, Cardinals.

5. CJ Abrams, SS, Washington Nationals

Chance of being traded: 15%
Rest-of-season impact: High
Years of control: Two more years after 2026

The buzz: For all of teams' reticence regarding Abrams -- particularly with his propensity to have bonanza first halves and wither after the All-Star break -- his performance this season is undeniable. He hits for average. He hits for power. He steals bases. He drives in runs. All of that plus two years of control and he plays up the middle? Why isn't he higher? Evaluators simply don't think he's a good shortstop. Defensive metrics firmly agree. And among the limited number of teams looking to fill that position, the exceptional return that president of baseball operations Paul Toboni would seek and the Nationals still firmly in contention right now, it's probably not the time for Abrams to move.

The scouting report: Abrams is on pace for career highs across the board in his age-25 season, but as noted above, his defense and familiar patterns still make you wonder if this is the year it all comes together. He's an easy plus runner with strong bat speed/raw power and, like Pena, has leaned into the pull/lift elements (to the biggest degree this season) to get to his power in games. Is the solution to move him to second or third base or maybe even to center field? Can he keep this up all season? If he solves these questions, he might be on the road to becoming the star some envisioned in the 2019 draft.

Best fits: Braves, Rays, Yankees, Blue Jays.

6. Reid Detmers, LHP, Los Angeles Angels

Chance of being traded: 20%
Rest-of-season impact: High
Years of control: Two more years after 2026

The buzz: Detmers has the fourth-most strikeouts in the big leagues behind Misiorowski, Cristopher Sanchez and Dylan Cease, isn't walking hitters or giving up home runs, and is a metric darling on top of that. Complement all that with an additional two years of club control on top of the season and his value has skyrocketed this year, giving the Angels a genuine opportunity to start a long-needed rebuild the proper way. Of course, it's the Angels, so executives are skeptical that it will happen.

The Angels also fired GM Perry Minasian at the end of June and replaced him with former Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak, so how much leeway owner Arte Moreno will give Mozeliak to potentially deal Detmers and others with multiple years of club control remains unclear at the moment.

The scouting report: Because it's the Angels, after taking Detmers with the 10th pick in the 2020 draft and seeming to be on the verge of becoming a strong third-starter type, they moved him to the bullpen for a year in 2025 only to just put him right back where he was in the rotation in 2024. The knock earlier in Detmers' career was that his breaking stuff wasn't crisp enough. But to his credit, he has steadily improved the velo/movement of his slider over the years while moving his softer curveball to be more of a sometimes pitch and adding velo to his now plus fastball.

Best fits: Cubs, Padres, A's, Mets, Cardinals, Orioles, Diamondbacks, Braves, White Sox, Rays, Nationals, Blue Jays.

7. Jung Hoo Lee, OF, San Francisco Giants

Chance of being traded: 50%
Rest-of-season impact: High
Years of control: Three more years after 2026, at $21 million per year

The buzz: While the Giants' desire to dump their high-profile players with high-priced contracts will run into plenty of resistance, they should be able to cobble together a market if they really are interested in moving Lee. The 27-year-old is top five in MLB in batting average and strikeout rate, and considering he's carrying a slugging percentage in excess of .450 and can also play all around the outfield, Lee is primed to get a big return if the Giants indeed move him.

The scouting report: Lee is a high-contact hitter with the fourth-best in-zone contact rate in the majors. He can play all three outfield spots but isn't a standout defender or baserunner, closer to average. He hits the ball on the screws often but has below-average raw power, so you're looking at eight to 12 homers a year with an elite batting average. That's a solid everyday player but not a star.

Best fits: Phillies, Braves, Guardians, Padres, Diamondbacks, Rangers, Padres, Rays, Marlins.

8. Casey Mize, RHP, Detroit Tigers

Chance of being traded: 60%
Rest-of-season impact: High if it continues to click
Years of control: Just the rest of 2026

The buzz: While Mize has twice hit the injured list with a strained groin, his most recent start illustrates why he'll be in high demand if Detroit decides to punt. He threw seven scoreless innings and allowed one hit while striking out 10 Yankees. Mize isn't popping any models with his stuff, but he's striking out more than a batter an inning, he's allowing less than a baserunner an inning, and his contract will be barely $2 million for the remainder of the season.

The scouting report: When Mize was taken with the No. 1 pick in the 2018 draft, some thought the only thing that could derail him from becoming a front-line starter was injuries -- and those certainly have derailed him a bit, but he could be breaking through now in his late 20s.

His fastball velocity is the lowest of his big league career, but he has four above-average pitches (fastball, cutter, sweeper, splitter) that are all performing (via runs value) as at least average pitches. The improvement this year was limiting damage on his fastball/splitter (by staying on the fringes of the zone) and juicing whiffs on the cutter (by tunneling with the fastball).

Best fits: Braves, Padres, Cubs, Brewers, White Sox, A's, Cardinals, Rays, Diamondbacks, Blue Jays.

9. Luis Arraez, 2B, San Francisco Giants

Chance of being traded: 90%
Rest-of-season impact: Moderate
Years of control: Just the rest of 2026

The buzz: Arraez has done more to improve himself in the eyes of teams than perhaps anyone on this list. His second-base defense this year is among the best in the league. Teams also understand how valuable putting the ball in play can be in the postseason, and nobody is better at that than Arraez, who is going to lead MLB in strikeout rate for the fifth consecutive season. With experience at first base, as well, Arraez's versatility expands his market, positioning him to join his fifth team in five years.

The scouting report: Among the least expected things to happen this season is Arraez going from one of the worst defensive second basemen in the league in 2023 to a below-average every-day first baseman in 2024-25 to a plus defensive second baseman in 2026. Behold the power of infield defense whisperer Ron Washington, the Giants infield coach.

This improvement changes the outlook for Arraez, as slipping down the defensive spectrum is a big reason his free agent market was tepid. Now, his MLB-best contact ability combined with real defensive value means his lack of power and speed shouldn't keep him from posting a 3-win or even a 4-win season. The question is how long this new version will hold up, but he turned 29 in April, so presumably a few more years, at least.

Best fits: Rays, Nationals, Dodgers, Yankees, Blue Jays, Diamondbacks, Guardians, Pirates.

10. Aroldis Chapman, LHP, Boston Red Sox

Chance of being traded: 90%
Rest-of-season impact: High
Years of control: Probably just 2026, with a vesting/mutual option for 2027

The buzz: Relief pitchers often are some of the most impactful deadline acquisitions, and Boston's closer is as effective as ever. Chapman doesn't throw as hard as he once did, but he has four distinct pitches now. And he's still chucking his fastball in the high 90s, which is plenty of velocity when hitters need to gear up for his slider and splitter. Here's the greatest truism of the deadline: Everyone needs a good reliever. Teams will climb over each other for Chapman.

The scouting report: This one has read the same for about 15 years. Chapman sits in the upper-90s and tickles triple digits throwing about 75% fastballs, now both a four-seamer and sinker. He'll mix in enough sliders (often out of the zone) to keep hitters honest and the occasional splitter against righties. He just keeps throwing hard into his late-30s and getting people out with basically one pitch.

Best fits: Mariners, Pirates, White Sox, Dodgers, Rays, Phillies, Diamondbacks, Cubs, Blue Jays, Guardians.

11. Sonny Gray, RHP, Boston Red Sox

Chance of being traded: 25%
Rest-of-season impact: Moderate
Years of control: A 2027 mutual option for $30 million with a $10 million buyout

The buzz: Like with Contreras, there are complications. Gray also has a no-trade clause. And then there's the financial matter: On top of the $10 million or so he'd be owed in salary for the final two months -- around the same as Skubal -- Gray's restructured contract after his trade from St. Louis to Boston includes a $10 million buyout on a $30 million mutual option for 2027. Considering mutual options don't get picked up, that is a pricey deadline acquisition, leaving Boston somewhat hamstrung unless it's willing to pay down a significant portion and convince Gray to accept a deal.

The scouting report: Gray, somewhat uniquely, throws a cutter-shaped fastball as his primary pitch, and it moves more toward lefties than righties. His sinker and slider both work off of tunneling with that primary cut-fastball, while his sweeper, curveball and changeup move even more off of that starting point. He always has limited walks with above-average control and command, but his deep arsenal, somewhat unique movement profile and four distinct pitches that cut away from righties give Gray lots of ways to beat you, even as his fastball velocity tails off later in his career.

Best fits: Braves, Padres, Cubs, Brewers, White Sox.

12. Willson Contreras, 1B, Boston Red Sox

Chance of being traded: 40%
Rest-of-season impact: High
Years of control: One year after 2026 (for $17 million), with a $20 million club option for 2028 that has a $7.5 million buyout

The buzz: Contreras has been highly productive in Boston, thriving at Fenway Park -- where he has an OPS over 1.000 -- and mashing on the road. Since he has been so good offensively for a team that has been so bad, trading him when he has two very reasonable years left on his deal and when the Red Sox intend to compete in the coming years gives them pause. Compound that with Contreras' no-trade clause and the feeling of other teams is that anything short of a massive overpay will make Contreras difficult to land.

Of course, the market is an ever-evolving creature, and all it takes is one team willing to buck the trend of recent deadlines and give Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow an offer he can't refuse -- provided Contreras doesn't refuse it.

The scouting report: Contreras has top-end bat speed/raw power and barrels the ball up at among the highest rates in baseball, often to the pull side. This approach would work in any stadium but especially at Fenway, which is helping to put Contreras on pace for a career year in his age-34 season but not explaining why.

He obviously has a history of catching but is now two years removed from doing that, so you're looking at a hitter who can probably be an emergency option behind the plate. This is similar to the Eugenio Suarez pursuit at last year's deadline, but Contreras isn't a rental.

Best fits: Diamondbacks, Blue Jays, Guardians, Rangers, Marlins, Pirates, Padres.

13. Josh Hader, LHP, Houston Astros

Chance of being traded: 20%
Rest-of-season impact: High
Years of control: Two more years after 2026, at $19 million per year

The buzz: Considering the utter lack of high-end relief pitching available at the deadline, Astros general manager Dana Brown would be smart to explore trading Hader, even as Houston mounts a run toward a wild-card spot. Franchise stewardship entails understanding markets and using them to your advantage, and with teams packed so closely and in need of a differentiator, a lockdown ninth-inning arm is quite a way to differentiate. The one potential fly in the ointment: Plenty of teams are fundamentally against paying $19 million per year for a one-inning reliever.

The scouting report: Hader is one of the best examples of why so many teams are chasing pitchers with big extension and lower arm slots who can still get "lift" on their fastballs: The angle at which his pitch approaches the plate (very flat) makes it very hard for power hitters to get on plane. That means lots of whiffs and mishits at the top of the zone, which then also means any sort of decent or deceptive off-speed pitch will also play well as hitters gear up for the heater. Hader's bullet slider, placed below the zone, gives hitters fits for this reason: They miss on over half of their swings on the pitch.

Best fits: Yankees, Cubs, Blue Jays, Mariners, Dodgers, White Sox, Diamondbacks.

14. Seiya Suzuki, OF, Chicago Cubs

Chance of being traded: 15%
Rest-of-season impact: Moderate
Years of control: Just the rest of 2026

The buzz: Chicago wants to get creative to fill its pitching issues, and that means at least listening on Suzuki, who will be a free agent at the end of the season. Considering the paucity of impact outfielders available, Chicago could try to take advantage of the market and lean into its depth with Michael Conforto and Kevin Alcantara.

At the same time, Chicago's offensive woes make dealing a hitter of Suzuki's caliber potentially counterproductive. The Cubs want to win this season, but their May swoon hasn't entirely abated in June, and they might not have a clear sense of how they want to approach the deadline until it nears.

The scouting report: Suzuki has been very consistent since coming to MLB in 2022 and is having another solid season. He has a big arm in right field, is a solid runner and defender and is on-pace for 25 homers in another above-average offensive campaign. He doesn't have a plus-plus raw tool and is just 5-foot-11, but he's good at everything every year.

Best fits: Rays, Mariners, Marlins, Padres, Phillies, Yankees, Diamondbacks, Cardinals.

15. Matt Chapman, 3B, San Francisco Giants

Chance of being traded: 25%
Rest-of-season impact: High
Years of control: Four years after 2026, at $100 million

The buzz: Chapman has been characteristically strong this season, hitting enough and playing well-above-average third base. If he wasn't owed $100 million from 2027 to 2030 -- his age-34 to age-37 seasons -- along with having a full no-trade clause, he would be much higher on this list. It's the issue, really, with all of the Giants' aging players they'd like to move: The combination of age and money owed leaves the deals underwater or close to it.

Nobody is taking Rafael Devers unless San Francisco pays down significantly the $211 million he is owed after this season or takes on bad contracts. The same goes for Willy Adames, whose defense has gone in the wrong direction. Chapman's glove salvages his value and puts him at least in play.

The scouting report: Chapman has been an above-average offensive and defensive contributor for a full decade. His bat speed is actually up a bit since the first year measured in 2023, but his in-game power metrics (barrel, sweet spot, squared up, etc.) are falling off a bit, which is why his homers and isolated power are down. That smells like a swing tweak (usually addressed in the winter, but sometimes during the season) could address that as the raw power is still there.

Best fits: Cardinals, A's, Nationals, Brewers, Marlins, Phillies, Mets, Red Sox.

16. Jose Soriano, RHP, Los Angeles Angels

Chance of being traded: 20%
Rest-of-season impact: Moderate
Years of control: Two more years after 2026

The buzz: Since starting the season by giving up one run in his first 37⅔ innings, Soriano has posted an ERA approaching 5.00. The stuff still really plays, and plenty of organizations believe they can help work out the control kinks that can plague Soriano. Add to that the two years of control and the same pitching-hungry organizations that want Detmers -- contenders and teams that intend to contend in the coming years -- will be interested in Soriano.

The scouting report: Since the time he entered pro ball in 2016, Soriano was more prospect than finished product until 2024 or 2025, including being a Rule 5 draft pick (and returned!) in 2021. Since late April, he has been roughly that third-/fourth-starter type that he has been in the big leagues. He's ranked this high because of the flashes, the years of control and the plus stuff grades from scouts and analysts on his pitches. A savvy pitching development team could realize tens of millions in value from acquiring Soriano and unlocking results that match the stuff/potential/flashes.

Best fits: Cubs, Padres, A's, Mets, Cardinals, Orioles, Diamondbacks, Braves, White Sox, Rays, Nationals, Blue Jays.

17. Sandy Alcantara, RHP, Miami Marlins

Chance of being traded: 25%
Rest-of-season impact: Moderate
Years of control: Nothing guaranteed beyond 2026 but a $21 million club option (and $2 million buyout) for 2027

The buzz: Teams are far more bullish on Alcantara this deadline than they were last time around, when the gap between the Marlins' ask and others' willingness to give up significant talent was too large to bridge. With just this year and a club option for less than the qualifying offer remaining, the 30-year-old Alcantara throws hard, eats innings and induces ground balls.

If he's your No. 1 starter, you're probably not going very far. If he's your No. 3, you've got a good playoff rotation. Bonus points to teams with good infield defenses to account for Alcantara's strikeout rate of 6.57 per nine innings, which ranks 62nd of 68 qualified starters. One potential snag: The Marlins might actually be good.

The scouting report: His velocity and pitch usage are similar (he has added a couple of more breaking pitches) to when he won the Cy Young Award in 2022, but overall, it doesn't look like that level of Alcantara is coming back.

His heavy sinker and changeup are his bread and butter, with his four-seamer and three or four different breaking pitches used to keep hitters honest, depending on batter handedness, location and count. He is now a No. 3/No. 4 starter who can eat innings and comes without a long contract commitment.

Best fits: Cubs, Diamondbacks, Guardians, Padres, A's, Rays, Braves, White Sox, Brewers.

18. Isaac Paredes, 3B/1B, Houston Astros

Chance of being traded: 40%
Rest-of-season impact: Moderate
Years of control: One more year after 2026

The buzz: Paredes is only 27 years old but has been traded three times in the past four years. Houston's long-term infield glut and Paredes' free agency lining up with Peña's put Paredes squarely in the sights of teams looking for a right-handed bat. Though nobody's idea of a great hitter, he does specific things very well: pull the ball in the air and not strike out. Paredes will get on base around 34% of the time, bop you 20 home runs and can play corner-infield positions with reasonable competency. He's not a home run trade target. But a solid double? Sure.

The scouting report: Paredes doesn't have that much raw power, but he's elite at pitch selection and hitting the ball just right to take advantage of a short left-field porch, a huge reason the Astros traded for him in the Kyle Tucker deal. A more normal left-field wall will turn some homers into doubles and doubles into outs, which would pull his profile from above-average regular to lower-end regular. His lack of loud raw tools and a specific skill set makes evaluators wary of long-term projection, but the rest of this year and next is a reasonable time range to jump on board.

Best fits: Guardians, Mariners, Phillies, Pirates, Brewers, Reds.

19. Foster Griffin, LHP, Washington Nationals

Chance of being traded: 55%
Rest-of-season impact: Moderate
Years of control: Just the remainder of 2026

The buzz: Griffin has quietly been one of the best pitchers in baseball. Signed for a year and $5.5 million coming off three excellent years with Japan's Yomiuri Giants, the 30-year-old has a 2.87 ERA (15th in MLB) and a chase rate in between Jacob Misiorowski and Drew Rasmussen. Griffin doesn't throw hard -- among the top 10 pitchers in batting average against, his average fastball of 91.4 mph is nearly 3 mph less than the others -- but his cutter-heavy seven-pitch mix is giving him real Seth Lugo-in-a-mirror vibes.

The scouting report: Pitchers often deepen or tweak their arsenal after spending time overseas, and Griffin has done the former: His four-pitch mix in 2022, before heading to Japan, is now a seven-pitch mix, including a changeup and splitter. He works laterally against lefties (sinker/cutter/sweeper) and more vertically against righties (four-seam fastball, cutter, curveball, changeup). Griffin has clear intention and feel to command, profiling now as an innings-eating third or fourth starter.

Best fits: Padres, Cubs, Diamondbacks, White Sox, Braves, A's, Pirates.

20. Michael Wacha, RHP, Kansas City Royals

Chance of being traded: 50%
Rest-of-season impact: Moderate
Years of control: One year after 2026 (at $14 million) and a club option for 2028 (also for $14 million)

The buzz: Few pitchers are as consistent as Wacha. He isn't going to headline a playoff rotation or even necessarily slot in as a No. 2, but rotation depth is important for postseason teams if only as a bulwark against injuries.

Wacha is doing what he always does: gobbling innings and putting up solid ERAs in spite of a low strikeout rate. Kansas City doesn't want to punt, but with its options increasingly limited -- Vinnie Pasquantino's hamate fracture and Cole Ragans' continued arm troubles are likely to preclude the Royals from pursuing a deal -- Wacha has real appeal. Two years of potential control at a tolerable salary add even more value.

The scouting report: Like teammate Seth Lugo below, Wacha has a collection of below-average pitches by stuff+, but Wacha does have a plus changeup to go with his above-average-to-plus command of a six-pitch mix. He doesn't rack up strikeouts, but he is durable and limits walks, making him a valuable and reliable third/fourth starter depending on the year.

Best fits: Braves, White Sox, Yankees, Padres, A's, Diamondbacks, Cardinals, Marlins, Cubs.

21. Ryan Jeffers, C, Minnesota Twins

Chance of being traded: 85%
Rest-of-season impact: Moderate
Years of control: Just the rest of 2026

The buzz: Jeffers should return from a hamate bone fracture well before the deadline, and he's clearly the best catcher available. Few contending teams are actively interested in acquiring a catcher, which muddies the situation slightly.

The Yankees are the obvious match. Other options could emerge, including the Pirates if Endy Rodriguez doesn't continue raking and the same for the Padres and Luis Campusano. And Jeffers certainly has the bat to carry at DH. This one might take time to develop as Minnesota seeks leverage.

The scouting report: Jeffers is randomly having a career year (in a smallish sample) at age 29, but it also is well-timed, as it's his walk year. He has worked to become an average defensive catcher, but his whole Baseball Savant offensive grid has turned red after only being red in some on-base categories last season. If he can return and keep this up, he'll be sought-after in the winter but also could impact a pennant race first.

Best fits: Yankees, Rays, Rangers, Diamondbacks, Pirates, Padres.

22. Robbie Ray, LHP, San Francisco Giants

Chance of being traded: 90%
Rest-of-season impact: Moderate
Years of control: Just the remainder of 2026

The buzz: Ray's struggles at the beginning of the season have dissipated, and after turning in back-to-back eight-inning starts without allowing an earned run, he is showing off as he prepares to hit free agency this winter. The former AL Cy Young Award winner is leaning more heavily on a changeup he picked up last season, and his velocity is enough to keep hitters honest. For a midrotation veteran, he's a perfect fit as long as the acquiring team can tolerate an excess of walks, a malady Ray never has shaken.

The scouting report: Ray threw a four-seam fastball or cutter 76% of the time in 2022 before injuries knocked out most of his 2023 and 2024 seasons. That's still his bread and butter, but his usage of those two pitches is now around 64%, with his changeup (used almost exclusively against righty hitters) and curveball (used equally) gaining usage with his sinker losing some. There's intention to his locations, but he's often working on the edges of the strike zone with a low margin for error, and he simply has never been that fine with his precision. I see a reliable back-end starter with a history of bulk innings who is essential for contenders in the regular season but might change roles in the postseason.

Best fits: White Sox, Cubs, Diamondbacks, A's, Blue Jays, Braves, Padres, Cardinals, Rays.

23. Mickey Moniak, OF, Colorado Rockies

Chance of being traded: 60%
Rest-of-season impact: Moderate
Years of control: One more year after 2026

The buzz: Moniak missed a month with an ankle injury and took a few games to get back into form, but his home run stroke is undeniable and he cracked three in three games against Miami. All of them came at home, where his OPS is more than 400 points higher than on the road, and teams will be wary of that. With such a paucity of bats available, though, and the Rockies' outfield increasingly loaded -- rookies Cole Carrigg and Troy Johnston have played well, as has veteran Jake McCarthy -- moving Moniak makes sense for new president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta.

The scouting report: Moniak has above-average raw power and is tapping into it almost exclusively to his pull side, with a good bit of help from Coors Field. His pitch selection has not been good this year, and his bat-to-ball ability is just OK, but Moniak is contributing in all phases, playing all three outfield spots well and being efficient on the basepaths. There's real risk on his offensive numbers due to a number of factors -- home stadium, splits vs. lefty pitchers, and his underlying numbers suggesting he's running quite hot right now -- but he's a nice player to have and a potential standout one if he stays hot.

Best fits: Padres, Braves, Diamondbacks, Cardinals, Yankees, Rangers, Rays.

24. Taylor Ward, LF, Baltimore Orioles

Chance of being traded: 75%
Rest-of-season impact: Moderate
Years of control: Just the rest of 2026

The buzz: A slugger who hit 36 home runs last season, Ward has evolved into the walkingest hitter this side of Nick Kurtz and Mike Trout. It has juiced his on-base percentage to over .400 -- higher than his slugging percentage -- and made him a leadoff hitter extraordinaire for the Orioles. Plenty of teams could use an outfielder, and though Ward won't win a Gold Glove anytime soon, his on-base percentage fits in almost every lineup.

The scouting report: Ward has been very consistent, offering above-average offensive value for the sixth year in a row. His defensive value is slipping into the fringy-but-fine area, while his spike in walk rate has helped make up for his drop in barrel rate. The components for power are still here, so I think his power numbers will get some positive regression in the second half. That said, Ward is a player whom the acquiring team is probably happy doesn't come with a multiyear commitment, both to lower the price in prospects and also because he has turned into a different player for the first half of 2026 than the one the O's acquired in the winter.

Best fits: Guardians, Phillies, Diamondbacks, Padres, Rangers, Braves, Rays, Marlins.

25. Freddy Peralta, RHP, New York Mets

Chance of being traded: 90%
Rest-of-season impact: Moderate
Years of control: Just the rest of 2026

The buzz: Teams are thrilled that Peralta has gotten off to a middling start with the Mets. Unless New York goes on a run, it has to trade the 30-year-old. Why? Because of the Mets' spending over the luxury tax, the best compensatory draft pick they can reap for him comes after the fourth round.

Even with his strikeout rate dipping below one per inning, Peralta is still plenty capable of throwing seven shutout innings in a postseason game -- and that makes him worth a much better prospect than what New York could get with a fourth-rounder.

Even better: Peralta is making $8 million this season, an awfully attractive figure for low-payroll teams.

The scouting report: As mentioned with Ryan, Peralta is doing a similar thing to explain his success, setting the tone for the rest of his arsenal with a flat-planed fastball at the top of the zone that he commands well. His changeup is the next best pitch, and his breaking pitches combine for just 25% usage.

He just turned 30, has below-average fastball velocity and is listed at 6 feet tall and 198 pounds. So, it's good to know that he doesn't succeed due to pure velocity, because he'll need angles and command in his favor even more going forward.

Best fits: Guardians, A's, Padres, White Sox, Cubs, Cardinals, Rays, Diamondbacks, Blue Jays, Braves.

26. Christian Walker, 1B, Houston Astros
27. Clay Holmes, RHP, New York Mets
28. Jo Adell, RF, Los Angeles Angels
29. Trevor Rogers, LHP, Baltimore Orioles
30. Lars Nootbaar, OF, St. Louis Cardinals
31. Garrett Whitlock, RHP, Boston Red Sox
32. Pete Fairbanks, RHP, Miami Marlins
33. Yennier Cano, RHP, Baltimore Orioles
34. Riley O'Brien, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals
35. Gleyber Torres, 2B, Detroit Tigers
36. A.J. Minter, LHP, New York Mets
37. Lake Bachar, RHP, Miami Marlins
38. Trevor Larnach, LF, Minnesota Twins
39. Anthony Bender, RHP, Miami Marlins
40. Josh Bell, 1B, Minnesota Twins
41. Daniel Lynch IV, LHP, Kansas City Royals
42. Jarren Duran, OF, Boston Red Sox
43. Jake McCarthy, OF, Colorado Rockies
44. Matt Shaw, IF, Chicago Cubs
45. Luis Castillo, RHP, Seattle Mariners
46. Jack Flaherty, RHP, Detroit Tigers
47. Dustin May, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals
48. Antonio Senzatela, RHP, Colorado Rockies
49. Brooks Raley, LHP, New York Mets
50. Caleb Kilian, RHP, San Francisco Giants
51. Seth Lugo, RHP, Kansas City Royals
52. Sam Bachman, RHP, Los Angeles Angels
53. Kris Bubic, LHP, Kansas City Royals
54. Ryan Zeferjahn, RHP, Los Angeles Angels
55. Luis Robert Jr., CF, New York Mets
56. Willi Castro, UT, Colorado Rockies
57. Nathaniel Lowe, 1B, Cincinnati Reds
58. Kenley Jansen, RHP, Detroit Tigers
59. Brady Singer, RHP, Cincinnati Reds
60. Brock Burke, LHP, Cincinnati Reds

61. Bryan Abreu, RHP, Houston Astros
62. Eugenio Suarez, DH, Cincinnati Reds
63. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, SS, Boston Red Sox
64. Victor Caratini, C, Minnesota Twins
65. Rico Garcia, RHP, Baltimore Orioles
66. Jorge Soler, OF, Los Angeles Angels
67. Chase Silseth, RHP, Los Angeles Angels
68. Michael Petersen, RHP, Miami Marlins
69. Kirby Yates, RHP, Los Angeles Angels
70. Harrison Bader, CF, San Francisco
71. Drew Anderson, RHP, Detroit Tigers
72. Taylor Rogers, LHP, Minnesota Twins
73. Brennan Bernardino, LHP, Colorado Rockies
74. Calvin Faucher, RHP, Miami Marlins
75. John Schreiber, RHP, Kansas City Royals
76. John King, LHP, Miami Marlins
77. JT Brubaker, RHP, San Francisco Giants
78. JoJo Romero, LHP, St. Louis Cardinals
79. Caleb Ferguson, LHP, Cincinnati Reds
80. Matt Strahm, LHP, Kansas City Royals
81. Ryne Stanek, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals
82. Andrew Kittredge, RHP, Baltimore Orioles
83. Patrick Sandoval, LHP, Boston Red Sox
84. Jaden Hill, RHP, Colorado Rockies
85. Lane Thomas, OF, Kansas City Royals
86. Justin Bruihl, LHP, St. Louis Cardinals
87. Tomoyuki Sugano, RHP, Colorado Rockies
88. Mark Vientos, 3B, New York Mets
89. Justin Verlander, RHP, Detroit Tigers
90. Juan Mejia, RHP, Colorado Rockies
91. Ryan Mountcastle, 1B, Baltimore Orioles
92. Zack Littell, RHP, Washington Nationals
93. Michael Lorenzen, RHP, Colorado Rockies
94. Alex Lange, RHP, Royals
95. Danny Coulombe, LHP, Red Sox
96. Zach McKinstry, UT, Detroit Tigers
97. Anthony Banda, LHP, Minnesota Twins
98. Masataka Yoshida, OF, Boston Red Sox
99. Tyrone Taylor, OF, New York Mets
100. Ryan Feltner, RHP, Colorado Rockies

Top players by position

Catcher: 1. Ryan Jeffers, 2. Victor Caratini, 3. Jake Rogers

First base: 1. Willson Contreras, 2. Isaac Paredes, 3. Christian Walker, 4. Nathaniel Lowe, 5. Josh Bell

Second base: 1. Luis Arraez, 2. Gleyber Torres, 3. Willi Castro, 4. Zach McKinstry

Third base: 1. Matt Chapman, 2. Isaac Paredes, 3. Mark Vientos, 4. Zach McKinstry

Shortstop: 1. Jeremy Peña, 2. CJ Abrams, 3. Willi Castro, 4. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, 5. Zach McKinstry

Outfield: 1. Byron Buxton, 2. Jung Hoo Lee, 3. Seiya Suzuki, 4. Jo Adell, 5. Lars Nootbar

Starting pitcher: 1. Tarik Skubal, 2. Joe Ryan, 3. Reid Detmers, 4. Casey Mize, 5. Sonny Gray

Relief pitcher: 1. Aroldis Chapman, 2. Josh Hader, 3. Garrett Whitlock, 4. Pete Fairbanks, 5. Yennier Cano