Ten players that could be traded at the MLB Winter Meetings

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The Winter Meetings are up and running, and many have suggested that we could see more trades this year than any previous season. With the prices of free agents climbing to new heights, clubs will opt to pursue players with more affordable salaries on the trade market rather than hand out fat checks to the top talents available on the open market.

With that being said, let’s take a look at some of the top names that could be moved this week. Note: this list was created for speculation purposes, so names that are reportedly in deals nearing completion (Aroldis Chapman, Javier Baez, etc.) at the time this was posted have been omitted.

List as of 7:12 AM CST on December 7.

Next: Mitch Moreland or Prince Fielder

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Mitch Moreland or Prince Fielder – 1B/DH, Texas Rangers

Moreland’s contract is set to expire after 2016, and he’s coming off a career year. Fielder, meanwhile, is likewise coming off a strong season and has $90-million due to him through 2020. The Rangers will likely look to either cash in on Moreland’s big year or leverage Fielder’s 2015 season into moving his salary off the books, and the team would likely land pitching or prospect depth in a deal for either. Expect Seattle, Baltimore, Boston, St. Louis and others to be connected to either if they do become available.

Next: Elvis Andrus

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Elvis Andrus – SS, Texas Rangers

Andrus, like Fielder, is owed a hefty sum of cash over the next several seasons. He’s been mentioned as a trade candidate for almost a full year now, and will likely draw a fair amount of interest with the free agent market holding little beyond Ian Desmond. If the Rangers are serious about adding another top pitcher, they could look to package Andrus with one of Moreland or Fielder to maximize their return, or they could market Andrus to the Braves (where they originally got him) in a trade for Shelby Miller. The Yankees, Nationals and Mets could also be amongst the teams to show interest in Andrus.

Next: Drew Storen

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Drew Storen – RP, Washington Nationals

Aroldis Chapman and Darren O’Day will likely have new homes in the coming hours, which leaves Storen as one of the top relievers available. He’s been one of the better closers in baseball over the last few seasons, but was replaced at times by both Rafael Soriano and Jonathan Papelbon. Entering a walk year, he’ll want to close again, and bridges between him and the Nationals have seemingly been burned.

Washington is expected to shop Storen hard at the Winter Meetings, and will likely target a center fielder or prospects in return.

Next: Yunel Escobar

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Yunel Escobar – SS, Washington Nationals

Escobar is coming off a career year in which he hit .314, and the Nationals will look to sell high on the shortstop with Anthony Rendon returning from injury and Trea Turner now in the fold. While Washington could elect to hang onto Escobar, plenty of teams will prefer his $7-million price tag next year (and same on a club option for 2017) to that of Desmond or Andrus. Escobar also comes with the ability to play second or third base.

Escobar will likely be used to target bullpen help, as Washington will be fully reconstructing a bullpen that is set to lose Storen, Craig Stammen, Matt Thornton, Casey Janssen and possibly Jonathan Papelbon.

Next: Clay Buchholz, Wade Miley, Joe Kelly

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Clay Buchholz, Wade Miley, Joe Kelly – SP, Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox will reportedly listen to offers on Buchholz, Miley and Kelly this week, and it would make sense that at least one of the three is out of Boston by the end of the week. Dave Dombrowski seems set on completely rebuilding the rotation, and moving one or more of the trio of inconsistent starters would free rotation space as well as payroll.

Boston is reportedly targeting relievers, and teams like Pittsburgh, Arizona, St. Louis, Miami, Baltimore, Seattle and Texas would likely be amongst the teams expressing interest in the group.

Next: Adam Lind

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Adam Lind – 1B, Milwaukee Brewers

The free agent market is particularly thin at second base, with Justin Morneau presenting the top option beyond Chris Davis in this year’s class. That leaves the trade market for Lind wide open, and his incredibly reasonable $8-million salary should also appeal to teams trying to make a budget-friendly move.

Because the Brewers in rebuild mode, the list of potential landing spots for Lind is a dozen teams long. The Orioles, Mariners, Red Sox, Astros, Indians and Marlins would all seem like fits, though Lind can also man corner outfield which expands his market to roughly half the teams in baseball.

Next: Jay Bruce

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Todd Frazier – 3B, Cincinnati Reds

Frazier once seemed destined to be the next face of the Cincinnati Reds, but now finds himself a candidate to be traded this offseason. Frazier will be 30 before the 2016 season starts, and has two years of control left. And with the third base market completely barren this winter, the Reds will likely receive more than their fair share of calls on the charismatic slugger.

The Rangers reportedly checked in on Frazier with the Reds, and pursued him with the intent of playing him in the outfield. If moving off of first base is something Frazier is willing to consider, that would open his market up to teams pursuing corner outfield and first base help. As third base, Frazier makes sense as a fit for the Angels, Astros, Red Sox (if they can move Pablo Sandoval) and Indians, though the Rangers, Orioles, Mariners, Marlins and Pirates could also have interest if Frazier is also marketed as a potential first baseman or corner outfielder.

Next: Carlos Gonzalez, Charlie Blackmon

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Carlos Gonzalez, Charlie Blackmon – OF, Colorado Rockies

The Rockies are reportedly being “open-minded” about the idea of moving Gonzalez or Blackmon, and it seems like Colorado is destined to move Gonzalez after all this time. The market for CarGo should cover a good portion of the league’s contenders, and now is the time for the Rockies to stockpile young talent and build around a young core of Brendan Rodgers, Jon Gray and others. Gonzalez is owed $35-million through 2017, which is more than fair for what he brings to the table.

Blackmon is a sell-high candidate, and would likely go only after Gonzalez was moved.  The 29-year-old profiles are more of a “true” center fielder, and is coming off a year in which he hit .287 with 17 home runs and 43 stolen bases. The Orioles, Indians, Nationals, Rangers, Mets, Cardinals and Cubs could all make a run at either of the two.

Next: Shelby Miller

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Shelby Miller – SP, Atlanta Braves

Miller is perhaps the most likely on this list to be dealt by the end of the week. He’s already been floated around in several trade rumors, and the Braves seem determined to flip their young starter for an outfielder.

Miller comes with his fair share of question marks, and struggled down the stretch in 2015. However, he’s young and affordable, and a team will undoubtedly gamble on his age, upside and cost-efficiency. The Diamondbacks, Cubs and Cardinals seem to make the most sense for Miller, though the Orioles, Red Sox, Pirates, Mariners and Blue Jays could also make a run at him.