Top 10 Best MLB Hitters Available at the Trade Deadline

There are probably players with better season numbers that could be available on the offensive side of things, but we’re betting on the back of the baseball card with Randy Arozarena. He’s one of the best outfielders in baseball at the plate, and he’s underperforming a good bit right now. He has a 130 wRC+ since the start of May, bringing up the season total to 96, and while his baserunning miscues and defensive problems aren’t great, he’s got the bat and postseason resume to boost any contender.

Very quietly, Luis Rengifo is battling for the batting title, and while is underlying metrics are concerning, he has provided solid production at the plate for a couple of years now. His power numbers are down but the contact rates are up, and his uber-aggressive approach have led to a 130 wRC+ and .319 AVG. This could be a sneaky-good pickup or a player who regresses mightily after being traded, only time will tell.

While probably not a centerfielder at this point, Jazz Chisholm has remained a solid everyday regular with the power and speed to play for a contender. He’s very aggressive in-zone and can hit for power, but the Marlins haven’t been able to get the same OPS production they got in 2022 when he made the All-Star Game. He’s striking out less than ever before, still hitting the ball hard, and has remained consistently healthy. Perhaps a move back to second and a more hitter-friendly ballpark does him some justice.

After winning Rookie of the Year, Jonathan India became a league-average hitter with poor defense at second base. Out of nowhere, the 27-year-old infielder has become the high OBP threat he was in 2021, posting a .381 OBP and 123 wRC+ across 78 games. His low chase rate and high contact numbers make him an excellent leadoff option for any team, and the Reds could shop him due to their surplus of infield depth. He would have 2.5 years of team control, and while his defense is hard to judge, his bat certainly makes up for it.

The Chicago Cubs are one of the biggest disappointments in baseball, and while Cody Bellinger is not the same hitter he was last year, he’s still an effective player. With a 111 wRC+ and the defensive versatility to hold his own at three different positions, Cody Bellinger is a solid player who can help a contender at various positions. His player opt-out at the end of the season creates some questions about how much a team would trade for him; however, as if he opts in, it’s because he wasn’t good or healthy enough to get more than two years $53 million.

Last year’s All-Star season might not have been a fluke for Brent Rooker, who is striking out more but also destroying the ball more often on contact than his 30-HR season in 2023. With a 143 wRC+ and 1.7 fWAR, he’s one of the best DHs in the game, and any team would love to add him to the middle of their lineup and get a much-needed jolt. He’s a masher with the power and plate discipline to work some walks in between his tape measure blasts.

The first base market is deep, and Pete Alonso is another name on the long list of power threats who could become available this summer. The Grimace Mets have seriously dented his chances of being traded, but they’re still out of a playoff spot, and one bad week could completely change their tune in Queens. With a 131 wRC+ and  18 home runs, Alonso is just having another great season at the plate, and he’s a premier home run threat who has hit the 40-HR plateau in each of his last two seasons.

The definition of underrated, Christian Walker is both one of the best defensive first basemen in baseball and one of the most powerful ones. He’s top 10 in all of baseball in Defensive Runs Saved (31) and Outs Above Average (33) since 2022 while having the sixth-most home runs (87) as well. He’s a consistent power threat with the OBP skills to put up a well-rounded slashline, and if the Diamondbacks continue to skid there are plenty of teams that should be all over this.

The odds of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. being traded are lower than the other names on this list, but it doesn’t feel as if that number is zero. The Canadian slugger is back to his MVP ways at the plate, with a 144 wRC+ and 13 home runs through his first 85 games. More of a high average hitter than a monstrous power one, Vladdy has remained excellent offensively after two questionable seasons in a row, and a team in contention could plug him at the top of their lineup to have a high OBP hitter with the threat to send a ball ten rows deep.

One of the best players in baseball, period, Luis Robert Jr is off to a solid start despite his putrid .215 average, as he’s hit 10 home runs in 32 games for a 117 wRC+. He’s been an average defensive centerfielder, but the true talent defense is Gold Glove-caliber. The problem for La Pantera has always been injuries because when he’s healthy, he’s simply one of the best players in the entire sport. He has crazy power and excellent speed tools, a team in contention will be adding a superstar if they land him.