The MLB trade deadline is a little more than two weeks away and rumors are swirling around the best players on teams out of playoff contention. When the dust settles and the deadline has passed, there will be some open roster spots on big-league teams that will need to be filled internally.
Here are five players who could get an extended look with their respective MLB teams over the final two months
1B/OF Nick Pratto
Pratto made his MLB debut this week thanks to 10 Kansas City Royals being ineligible to travel to Canada due to COVID-19 vaccine requirements. The 23-year-old is primarily a first baseman but has seen time at the corner outfield spots in the minors. He’s posted a .249/.371/.551 line with 38 homers and 13 stolen bases in 138 games at Triple-A and doesn’t have much more to prove in the minors.
With Carlos Santana already traded and Andrew Benintendi, Whit Merrifield, and Michael Taylor all being mentioned as trade candidates, Pratto could get regular playing time for the Royals over the last couple of months.
C Shea Langeliers
One of the reasons why Oakland will entertain offers on 27-year-old backstop Sean Murphy is that they have Langeliers waiting in the wings. Murphy is under team control for three more seasons and has been an above-average hitter and solid defender in his four seasons for the A’s and should garner a considerable return for the rebuilding Athletics.
Should Murphy be traded, it would open the door for Langeliers to make his big-league debut. The 24-year-old was named to the Top-100 prospect lists of Baseball America, MLB.com and Baseball Prospectus before the season and has crushed Triple-A pitching this season, posting a .272/.365/.505 with 16 homers in 74 games.
The Pacific Coast League is one of the best offensive environments in the minors and Oakland Coliseum is one of the worst places to produce as a hitter so there could be some growing pains at the plate for Langeliers whenever he gets promoted.
MI/OF Jose Barrero
The Cincinnati Reds have a bunch of guys who could be traded in the next couple of weeks that would open up a spot for Barrero to get an extended look in the majors. Brandon Drury, Tyler Naquin, Tommy Pham, and Donovan Solano could all be dealt. Barrero has primarily played short in the minors but has seen time in center field and second base in his brief stints in the majors. Baseball America rated the 24-year-old as the 33rd-best prospect in baseball before the season and it’s probably time he proves he can compete at the game’s highest level.
INF Lucius Fox
Josh Bell and Cesar Hernandez are the two most likely position players for the Washington Nationals to be dealt before the deadline. If either gets traded, it likely opens up a role for Fox on the big-league club.
Bell has started all but one of Washington’s games and, since there is no great prospect in the high minors waiting to take over, Maikel Franco seems like the logical choice to move across the diamond, opening up a spot at third for Fox. Should Hernandez get moved, Fox would slot right in at the keystone. The 24-year-old Fox struggled in his first trip to the majors earlier in the season but has a solid walk rate and has stolen at least 25 bases four times in the minors.
C/1B/3B P.J. Higgins
With Willson Contreras almost certainly being dealt to a contender, Higgins could be the beneficiary of some added playing time with the Chicago Cubs. Entering Saturday, Contreras had made 46 starts at catcher but has also appeared as the designated hitter 29 times.
Even if Yan Gomes moves into the primary catcher role, Higgins could play nearly every day in the second half, backing up catcher, serving as DH, and occasionally filling in at the corner infield spots.
The 29-year-old has put up a solid .266/.341/.494 line, good for a 132 wRC+, through 89 plate appearances, and is playing for a more defined role on the 2023 team.