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MLB hot stove: top trade target for each team

By Benjamin Chase

SEATTLE, WA - JULY 30: James Paxton #65 of the Seattle Mariners waits to deliver the pitch in the second inning against the Houston Astros at Safeco Field on July 30, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Mariners beat the Houston Astros 2-0. (Photo by Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA - JULY 30: James Paxton #65 of the Seattle Mariners waits to deliver the pitch in the second inning against the Houston Astros at Safeco Field on July 30, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Mariners beat the Houston Astros 2-0. (Photo by Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images) /
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MLB hot stove
NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 20: Clint Frazier #77 of the New York Yankees in action against the Seattle Mariners at Yankee Stadium on June 20, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. New York Yankees defeated the Seattle Mariners 7-5. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

New York Yankees

As the Yankees have shed salary, they have added more and more depth, finding that the major contract to a few doesn’t build quite the same level of team as developing elite players and balancing that salary structure around “fill-in” vets and elite stars that you’ve developed in your own system while also knowing when it’s time to use that farm system to plug in for a veteran rather than hold on for one more year.

While that depth is a blessing, it can also lead to players stagnating, and at his current position in the organization, that’s the possible path for Clint Frazier. The outfielder acquired when the Yankees traded Andrew Miller to Cleveland has been among baseball’s top prospects, but now that he’s reached the major leagues, he finds himself 5th or 6th on the outfield depth chart.

With the outfield set already for 2019 and more outfield reinforcements coming in the next few seasons as well, moving Frazier in a deal to shore up team needs would make a lot of sense for the team. Many Yankee bloggers have even suggested that with some of the depth of “elite” prospects stripped from the system recently, Frazier could be moved for a prospect or two to enhance the top end of the Yankees farm system, which is always deep, but does currently lack top-100 talent at its usual pace (after their most recent trade, there are three Yankees on my consideration board for the top 150, for example).

While Frazier’s .238/.295/.429 major league line isn’t going to have teams running to get first in line for his services, he’s shown himself to be a very good defender and possesses excellent hitting skills, as he displayed in AAA in 2018, where he hit .311/.389/.574 with 10 home runs over 48 games. Many teams would certainly like to give him an opportunity in their outfield, and the Yankees could find rotation depth, bullpen depth, or top prospects in return.

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