Major League Baseball

MLB trade deadline: Ten under-the-radar players to watch

Published Jul. 10, 2015 2:37 p.m. ET

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By Dave Tobener

Yesterday, we took a look at the big names that may be on the move at this year’s trade deadline. Chances are your team won’t trade for any of those guys; instead, they’ll trade for a guy you kind of forgot was in the league before you look up his numbers and realize he’s been pretty good this year. That’s what always happens at the trade deadline.

Those guys you’d kind of forgotten about but are actually pretty good are the guys that can help push a team far in the postseason, maybe even to a World Series championship (Marco Scutaro is a recent one that comes to mind). Here’s a look at ten under-the-radar guys who might find themselves changing uniforms come July 31:

Gerardo Parra: He’s quietly been one of the league’s hottest hitters over the past month or so after taking an expanded role in the Milwaukee lineup. Still an excellent defender, Parra can play all three outfield positions and would represent an upgrade there for a number of contending teams. His asking price will likely be reasonable – a mid-range prospect or two – and the Brewers should be motivated sellers, considering they’re out of the playoff race and Parra is a free agent at the end of the year.

Yusmeiro Petit: One of San Francisco’s playoff heroes last year, Petit may find himself out of a job due to a numbers crunch on the Giants pitching staff. When Tim Lincecum and Tim Hudson come off of the DL, the Giants will find themselves with seven starters and only five rotation spots to fill. Lincecum to the bullpen as a long reliever/mop-up man makes the most sense, which would make Petit redundant. He can eat innings and is a valuable spot-starter, and is capable of moments of brilliance as last year’s playoffs showed. If he does find himself on the outs in San Francisco, the Giants will likely try to trade him rather than outright release him.

David Murphy: The Indians just can’t seem to put it together, which means they might find themselves as sellers once the deadline approaches. Murphy would be an ideal candidate to go, as the 33-year-old outfielder is enjoying one of the best seasons of his career and likely isn’t in the Tribe’s future plans. He’d be an ideal fourth outfielder for a contender and shouldn’t break the bank in terms of prospect cost. Plus he’s mashed RHP this year, something other teams will no doubt find appealing.

Ryan Raburn: Almost everything about Murphy applies to Raburn: relatively cheap, not in Cleveland’s future plans, ideal fourth outfielder or platoon partner. The only difference is that Raburn kills LHP to the tune of .314/.398/.559 this season. A team with a big hole in the outfield ought to just make the Indians an offer for Murphy and Raburn together, since they’re the ideal platoon-mates.

Austin Jackson: Jackson doesn’t do anything particularly well: he doesn’t get on base nearly enough, he doesn’t hit very much, and he’s not a very good base stealer. But some team would likely take him as a fourth outfielder/spot starter, and the Mariners should jump at the chance to get something for him while they can. He could be a decent add for a team dealing with injuries in the outfield, one that banks on him being closer to the hitter with a career .732 OPS rather than the .657 he’s sporting this year.

Josh Reddick: The Angels reportedly asked about Reddick and were rebuffed, but you have to think Billy Beane would trade him if the right deal came along. The outfielder recently complained about his playing time, blaming the A’s front office and their computer data in the process. That probably didn’t sit well with Beane, and it wouldn’t be a shock to see him try to move Reddick once the deadline approaches. He’d likely cost more than most of the outfielders on this list too, since he’s more apt to be a starter than a reserve.

Jeff Francoeur: Don’t laugh. Frenchy has been serviceable at the plate (.253/.286/.421) and could help bolster a contending team’s bench. He’s also great in the clubhouse and teams trying to make playoff runs can’t get enough of those guys. And if the Phillies can get even a marginal prospect for Francoeur, who looked like he was finished as far back as 2012, then Ruben Amaro should get at least one executive of the year vote.

Kyle Lohse: He hasn’t been very good this year, which may explain why his name hasn’t popped up all too often in trade talks. But Lohse was once a solid starter (as recent as last season) and has a bunch of postseason experience, which could appeal to a contending team with a young rotation. It’s possibly that a change of scenery could serve him well, and he shouldn’t cost all that much to acquire. The Brewers should be motivated sellers at the deadline and shouldn’t have too much trouble finding a taker for Lohse.

Skip Schumaker: If you’re a contending team looking for something scrappy, Schumaker might be your guy. He’ll never hit much, but his value lies with his flexibility. Schumaker can play a number of positions, something that probably appeals to a contender, and has extensive postseason experience from his time with the Cardinals (and had a few big playoff moments, too). His cost would be minimal and he’d provide some bench value for a team making a push.

John Axford: He’s somehow managed a 2.45 ERA pitching in Colorado which should qualify him for some kind of award. For teams that miss out on Jonathan Papelbon or Craig Kimbrel, Axford would be a nice Plan B. The Rockies are going nowhere, Axford is a free agent in the winter, and he’d probably bring back a good prospect or two. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see a contending team add him to the back of their bullpen, not necessarily as a closer.

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