This offseason, several league stars, including Juan Soto, Kyle Tucker, and Garrett Crochet, are set to don new uniforms in 2025. And the MLB trade targets list is only getting more exciting. Recently, prominent players like Max Fried, Isaac Paredes, and Devin Williams also changed teams. As the market remains saturated with top free agents and trade targets, it’s an opportune moment to evaluate the players who are likely to make a shift.
Today’s list will focus on the players’ most significant impact on their new teams next season, based on their expected Wins Above Replacement (WAR) for 2025, as projected by FanGraphs’ Steamer.
The Winter Meetings have sparked significant excitement, particularly with Mets owner Steve Cohen leading the charge. While clubs that missed out on Soto have been active, both the free-agent and trade markets are heating up, with salaries exceeding initial expectations. The Yankees have acquired Max Fried as their new ace, while the Red Sox welcomed Garrett Crochet. Meanwhile, Corbin Burnes remains available, and Roki Sasaki’s decision looms ahead.
Teams like the Cubs and San Francisco Giants have also been busy, seeking to secure top talents as they navigate the ongoing frenzy of player transactions and trade discussions.
Let’s have a look at the list of trade targets projected to change team dynamics in the 2024-25 offseason.
Here Are The Top MLB Trade Targets For The 2024-25 Offseason
10. Brady Singer
Singer was recently traded from the Kansas City Royals to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for second baseman Jonathan India. The star pitcher boasts a career ERA of 4.52 with a strikeout rate of approximately 22% and a ground ball rate over 50%. In the 2023 season, he displayed his potential by throwing six scoreless innings against the Reds at Great American Ball Park
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Singer bounced back from a challenging 2023 season by lowering his ERA from 5.52 to 3.71 and achieving a 2.5-fWAR in 2024. Although moving from one hitter’s park to another might not greatly improve his performance, the 2018 first-round draft pick is expected to be a reliable starter in his first season with the Reds.
9. Andrés Giménez
The Toronto Blue Jays recently acquired second baseman Andrés Giménez from the Cleveland Guardians in a four-player trade. Giménez, a Gold Glove winner for three consecutive years, brings with him defensive expertise. He also boasts a track record of an impressive 59 Defensive Runs Saved since 2021.
✅ 3x Gold Glove Winner
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) December 11, 2024
✅ 2x Fielding Bible Winner
✅ Platinum Glove Winner
✅ All-Star
😎 Andrés Giménez 😎 pic.twitter.com/urDr8Pqcni
While his offensive performance has fluctuated, his batting statistics show potential for improvement. In 2022, Giménez achieved an impressive slash line of .297/.371/.466 with 17 home runs across 557 plate appearances.
However, his subsequent seasons have seen a decline, with a slash line of .251/.314/.399 in 2023 and .252/.298/.340 in 2024. Despite his recent offensive struggles, he remains a valuable asset for his next home. His overall WAR was enhanced by his 30 stolen bases in consecutive seasons. His 2023 WAR was around 2.7, indicating he was still a solid contributor, particularly on defense.
8. Yusei Kikuchi
Yusei Kikuchi has landed a significant three-year, $63 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels, making him the first big free agent signing of the offseason. At 33 years old, Kikuchi has spent several years in MLB after coming over from Japan. He had success early in his career with the Seattle Mariners, even making the All-Star team in 2021.
After some struggles with the Toronto Blue Jays, Kikuchi found his rhythm after being traded to the Houston Astros at the 2024 Trade Deadline, where he posted an impressive 2.70 ERA and played a key role in helping the Astros win the AL West title.
Throughout 2024, he made 32 starts and pitched 175.2 innings with a 4.05 ERA. Over his career, he has a 4.57 ERA across 154 starts, but his recent performance in Houston has raised hopes for better consistency. The Angels are looking to improve their rotation after having one of the highest ERAs in baseball last season.
7. Max Fried
The New York Yankees have reached an agreement with pitcher Max Fried on an impressive eight-year contract worth $218 million. The Yankees are excited about this addition to their rotation, especially after missing out on star player Juan Soto.
Fried, a consistent performer since his breakout season with the Atlanta Braves, will join Gerrit Cole at the top of the Yankees’ starting lineup to create a formidable pitching duo.
Max Fried has established himself as a reliable pitcher, boasting a 3.07 earned run average (ERA) since his first full season in 2019. Over the last few years, he has pitched over 824 innings, showcasing both durability and skill on the mound. He is capable of generating ground balls as he maintains a low walk rate of just 6.3%.
6. Willy Adames
Willy Adames recently signed a seven-year, $182 million contract with the San Francisco Giants. It marked the largest deal in franchise history, surpassing the previous record held by Buster Posey. The agreement, announced by the team, highlights Adames’ value as a potent middle-of-the-order bat and a key defensive asset at shortstop. A position where the Giants have struggled since Brandon Crawford’s departure. Alongside his signing, the Giants also secured third baseman Matt Chapman with a six-year extension for a solid left side of the infield.
Adames’ new contract also includes a signing bonus of approximately $22 million, with an element of community engagement as he will contribute annually to the Giants Community Fund.
In the 2024 season, Adames recorded a career-high 4.7 WAR and ranked among the top shortstops in Major League Baseball. He also finished the season with a .251 batting average, 32 home runs, and 112 RBIs, tying him for fourth in the league.
Additionally, he also stole a career-high 21 bases with an impressive 84% success rate. Adames started an MLB-high 161 games at shortstop and maintained a solid defensive presence, as indicated by his plus-1 Outs Above Average (OAA) for the season.
5. Blake Snell
Snell has officially joined the Los Angeles Dodgers and the trade made it to the top MLB trade targets list. The star pitcher agreed to a lucrative five-year contract worth $182 million with the Dodgers. This deal resulted as the team has their mind made to strengthen their starting rotation with an ace. And after Snell’s impressive performance in the 2023 season, where he led the MLB with a 2.25 ERA and racked up 234 strikeouts over 180 innings, it was sure to happen.
Snell’s contract also includes a staggering $52 million signing bonus and features deferred payments. Statistically, Snell has a proven track record with a career average of 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings, the highest in MLB history. He has garnered two Cy Young Awards, with the most recent coming in 2023 while playing for the San Diego Padres.
His recent performance in the 2024 season has already been impactful as he recorded a remarkable 1.23 ERA over his final 14 appearances.
4. Isaac Paredes
Paredes has made an impactful transition as part of the recent trade that sent him from the Chicago Cubs to the Houston Astros in exchange for All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker. The 25-year-old infielder had a versatile season. He played both third and first base while showing off his potential as an offensive contributor.
Isaac Paredes: “I feel very good going to Houston because of the Hispanic community and I know I'm going to have a lot of support there." pic.twitter.com/Vjco6vj473
— Lorenzo (@lorenzodelgad0) December 13, 2024
In the 2024 season, Paredes finished with a batting average of .238, hitting 19 home runs and recording one stolen base in 542 at-bats. He also had a .739 on-base plus slugging (OPS) while contributing to the team’s offensive production, particularly as a power hitter. Throughout his young career, which has seen him play with multiple MLB teams, Paredes has been a quick adapter to the situations.
3. Garrett Crochet
Crochet, the left-handed pitcher for the White Sox, has marked his first full year back from Tommy John surgery. Having been the No. 11 pick in the 2020 draft, Crochet was frequently mentioned as a key trade candidate throughout the summer, only to remain with the White Sox after expressing his desire for an extension and commitment to a starting role.
He had an impressive performance in 2024 as he pitched 146 innings, achieving a commendable 3.58 ERA alongside impressive strikeout and walk rates of 35.1% and 5.5%, respectively. Despite experiencing fatigue towards the end of the season, his high average fastball velocity of 97.2 mph has kept him on the favorite’s list for the MLB trade targets this offseason.
Following his trade to the Red Sox, Crochet continued to impress and finished the 2024 season with a 209 strikeouts in just 146 innings, resulting in a WAR of 4.7. He could be valued more if he can improve his endurance and go deeper into games. As he is averaging only 4.56 innings per start in his inaugural season as a starter.
As Crochet is projected to be among the top pitchers in terms of WAR for the 2025 season, with only a few elite arms surpassing him, the Red Sox’s investment in him may pay significant dividends.
2. Kyle Tucker
The recent trade between the Chicago Cubs and the Houston Astros has sent outfielder Kyle Tucker to Chicago. After having a good time at the Astros, Tucker will be donning the Chicago colors. He is coming off a proven track record with the team. From 2021 to 2023, he averaged 30 home runs per year and had a solid batting average of .278 with a .353 on-base percentage.
Even though he faced injury issues in 2024 and missed a few months, he still managed to hit 23 home runs in just 78 games, that too with a high wRC+ of 180. In his career from 2021 to 2024, Tucker recorded 19.1 WAR despite playing fewer games due to his injury.
1. Juan Soto
This list is undoubtedly topped by none other that Juan Soto. The number one choice in the MLB trade targets, Soto has just signed a groundbreaking 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets.
It was by far the largest deal in professional sports history. This contract includes a hefty $75 million signing bonus and has structured salaries that start high and could increase over time, especially with performance incentives.
In terms of performance, Soto has put up impressive statistics throughout his career. As of his last season, he finished with a .288 batting average, hit 41 home runs, and had an on-base percentage of .419. Soto is particularly notable for his excellent plate discipline, often getting more walks than strikeouts.
Over his seven seasons in Major League Baseball, Soto has accumulated 36.4 WAR, a statistic that measures a player’s overall contribution to their team. This combination of skill and consistency has made him one of the most sought-after players in the league.
Also Read: Why Are The Mets Paying Juan Soto $765 Million? Breaking Down The Biggest Deal In Sports History
