MLB trade deadline 2022: Soto, Bell lead list of top players to be traded

By Pedro Moura
FOX Sports MLB Writer

The Washington Nationals might trade their 23-year-old superstar, Juan Soto, between now and the 6 p.m. ET Tuesday trade deadline. More likely, they won’t. 

Either way, the prospect of their doing so will dominate trade speculation between now and then.

Everyone involved, especially Soto, understands this. He spent an hour answering questions about it at the All-Star Game, and he spent several minutes Tuesday afternoon at Dodger Stadium joking with Washington Post beat reporter Jesse Dougherty and a Nationals spokesperson about the prospect of being traded. 

At times, pitcher Patrick Corbin, a subject of many rumors alongside Soto, joined the conversation.

If he is indeed traded, the return for Soto will surely be the subject of intrigue and dissection. He could net the largest return the sport has ever seen.

Ken Rosenthal on Juan Soto destinations: Yankees, Cardinals, Padres

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But because of that package and because he remains under club control for two seasons after this one, it is still quite possible that Washington will retain him. It might make more sense to trade him after the franchise is sold or simply in the offseason, when contending clubs would be more willing to part with players currently contributing to their major-league rosters. 

Here follows a list of the five best players almost certain to be traded in the coming days, and some relevant speculation about each of them. 

Let us start with a teammate of Soto’s. 

1. Josh Bell, 1B, Washington Nationals 

Bell has been traded once before, after the worst season of his career, the pandemic-shortened 2020. Pittsburgh parted with him then for a reliever and a low-level lottery ticket. 

Even though he will be a rental this time around, the Nationals should be able to negotiate significantly more because Bell is having a career year. Since May of last year, in fact, he has been one of baseball’s best hitters. This year, he has hit comparably to Soto himself, with a .305 average, 13 homers and a remarkably low strikeout rate for a power hitter.

Bell, who will be 30 next month, understands the likelihood that he will be traded. But he has found a repeatable formula for success over the past 14 months, and it does not involve fretting about his future.

“I feel like I’m at my best when I focus on the here and now,” he said this week. “In years prior, at least with the Pirates, it seemed like everyone was always on the cusp of being traded or extended. It’s really easy to lose focus in this game. It’s easy to look for things outside of the diamond to draw interest. But at this stage in my career, I know better than to do that. I’m here now. … We’ll see what happens next week.” 

Best fit: The Houston Astros would benefit from upgrading at first base, where the 38-year-old Yuli Gurriel is finally showing signs of age.

2. Willson Contreras, C, Chicago Cubs

Contreras has almost certainly played his last home game as a Cub. He knows it, and the fans at Wrigley know it, too. The only question now is who will trade for him.

At the deadline, catchers don’t usually have as many possible homes as other position players; it’s not as easy to shift incumbents to another position. But Contreras has a fair number of suitors, including, again, the Astros. 

Best fit: The New York Mets had success with their last Cub rental, Javier Baéz, and Contreras fills an obvious need on a team that is otherwise pretty playoff-ready — if Jacob deGrom is game-ready. It doesn’t hurt that Contreras is a rental, either, because the team has sunk long-term cash into catcher James McCann. 

3. Luis Castillo, RHP, Cincinnati Reds

Castillo is not a rental and, therefore, not as likely as the rest of the men on this list to be traded. But he is certainly pitching well enough to qualify as a sell-high candidate, and the Reds have demonstrated a continued desire to cut payroll. 

The two-time All-Star is due to earn more than $10 million through arbitration next season. Plenty of teams would be happy to pay him that amount; Cincinnati is not near the top of that list. The prospect haul Castillo would command could fuel the next good Reds team, whenever that will be.

Best fit: The New York Yankees have already acquired outfielder Andrew Benintendi. Castillo is the next logical step toward solidifying their club. They have the pitching depth; what they lack is top-end talent behind Gerrit Cole. Castillo is not a lock to fit that, but he’s as good a bet as anyone available.

4. David Robertson, RHP, Chicago Cubs

A remarkably consistent reliever until he signed with the Phillies before the 2019 season, Robertson has returned to his ways at age 37. He has lacked his typical command but is otherwise obtaining the elite results he did every year from 2011 through 2018. 

The Rays relied on him last postseason, and it’s very likely someone else will this October.

Best fit: Pretty much anyone could use a veteran reliever currently in form, but let’s say the New York Yankees, Robertson’s old team, for narrative’s sake. 

5. Brandon Drury, UTL, Cincinnati Reds

Drury is no household name, but as a versatile, impending free agent having a career year for a team going nowhere, he’s one of the most likely players to be traded. 

And he could certainly help a contending club. He might fit best as a platoon and/or bench bat for a team eyeing his success against left-handed pitching. 

Best fit: The Los Angeles Dodgers have a history of acquiring lefty mashers at the trade deadline. While Chris Taylor remains out, Drury makes plenty of sense. They’ve had success trading with the Reds, too.

More of the best players very likely to be traded: Tigers RHP Michael Fulmer, Tigers LHP Andrew Chafin, Pirates LHP Jose Quintana, Diamondbacks outfielder David Peralta, Reds outfielder Tyler Naquin

Pedro Moura is the national baseball writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the Dodgers for three seasons for The Athletic and, before that, the Angels and Dodgers for five seasons for the Orange County Register and L.A. Times. More previously, he covered his alma mater, USC, for ESPNLosAngeles.com. The son of Brazilian immigrants, he grew up in the Southern California suburbs. His first book, “How to Beat a Broken Game,” came out this spring. Follow him on Twitter @pedromoura.