Kuzul

The five-player trade between the Houston Astros and Oakland Athletics involving Jed Lowrie and Chris Carter, who both went on to have highly productive seasons for their new teams in 2013, was the lone “blockbuster” trade from last February.

It doesn’t mean that we won’t have an eventful month ahead of us, with the potential for multiple impact trades to happen. Several big names have already been discussed in trades this winter and it wouldn’t be a big surprise to see a few of them head into spring training with a new team.

Here are four impact trades that could go down in February.

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When it comes to spring training, every fan is interested in getting an early look at baseball’s top prospects.

This year, all eyes will be on Byron Buxton, Prospect Pipeline’s No. 1-overall prospect for the 2014 season, who was invited to major league camp by the Minnesota Twins.

Without a game of experience above the High-A level, it’s extremely doubtful that the 20-year-old outfielder will make the Twins’ Opening Day roster. However, with five legitimate plus tools to his name and baseball skills that transcend his age, Buxton is poised to open eyes this spring and assert his proximity to the major leagues.

2013 in Review

Selected by the Twins with the second-overall pick in the 2012 draft, Buxton had a good (but not great) professional debut later that summer during which he showcased loud tools but also a lack of consistency—especially at the plate.

Splitting the season between the complex level Gulf Coast League and Rookie-level Elizabethton, Buxton batted .248/.344/.448 with 19 extra-base hits, 11 stolen bases and a 41-19 strikeout-to-walk rate in 189 plate appearances.

And then the 2013 season happened.

Buxton emerged as baseball’s top prospect last year in his full-season debut, posting a .944 OPS with 49 extra-base hits (12 home runs), 55 stolen bases in 74 attempts and an impressive 105-76 strikeout-to-walk rate in 574 plate appearances between both Class-A levels—as a 19-year-old nonetheless.

He opened the season on fire at Low-A Cedar Rapids, posting a .944 OPS, 33 extra-base hits (eight home runs), 32 stolen bases and a stellar 56-44 strikeout-to-walk rate in 321 plate appearances.

As a result of his overwhelming success, the Twins decided to promote Buxton to High-A Fort Myers for the second half of the regular season, where he continued to put up monster numbers in spite of the inherent challenges associated with playing in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League.

Overall, the then-teenager batted .326/.415/.472 with 16 extra-base hits, 23 stolen bases and a 49-32 strikeout-to-walk rate. Furthermore, Buxton’s final month of the regular season was arguably his best of the year, as he posted a .402/.523/.494 batting line with 16 steals and more walks (20) than strikeouts (16).

In the wake of his historically good full-season debut, the Twins sent Buxton to the prestigious Arizona Fall League to get him additional experience against advanced pitching. However, the toolsy outfielder was unable to maintain his torrid pace at the plate and showed signs of wearing down after playing in 125 games during the regular season. As a result, Buxton batted only .212/.288/.404 with two stolen bases and 15 strikeouts while playing in 12 games for the Glendale Desert Dogs.

To make matters worse, Buxton was shut down toward the end of the AFL with a minor left shoulder injury (bone bruise and tendinitis) that he suffered earlier in the fall, which explains a lot of the swings I saw in person during my week-plus stay in Arizona.

In each look, the explosiveness that I came to love this summer was dialed back, and he appeared slightly tentative at times during games—a telltale sign that he was fearful of swinging through a pitch and worsening an injury.

Thankfully, Buxton’s injury has fully healed over the last few months, according to Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, and isn’t expected to be an issue moving forward.

The Tools

Buxton is a rarity in that he’s a teenager with a realistic ceiling of a plus-plus hitter at maturity. While his off-the-charts bat speed and direct path to the ball will give him a chance to hit at the highest level, it’s the mature approach and pitch recognition that could make him one of the game’s top hitters in his prime.

The 20-year-old’s in-game power potential was widely questioned when the Twins drafted him in 2012. However, Buxton’s advanced approach and impressive bat speed allowed it to develop ahead of schedule last season, as he showcased plus raw power to all fields that should ultimately translate to 20-plus home runs annually at maturity. Beyond that, his wheels—which you’ll read more about momentarily—will make him an extra-base machine for the duration of his career and place him among the league leaders in total bases.

Buxton’s 80-grade speed, a product of his insanely good athleticism, is arguably his most impressive tool—which says a lot. In spite of his lack of experience, he’s already an excellent baserunner capable of taking an extra base with relative ease. His speed also caters to his present ability and future potential as a base stealer, and amazingly it plays up even more thanks to his high baseball IQ.

With all that’s already been said about Buxton’s speed and overall baseball aptitude, his projection as an elite defender in center field shouldn’t come as a surprise. Though he has the natural athleticism and speed to run down virtually everything, Buxton’s jumps and aggressive (but direct) routes are especially impressive for a player his age.

Spring Training: What to Expect

Buxton technically participated in his first major league spring training last year prior to his full-season debut, appearing in one game for the Twins before an inevitable re-assignment to minor league camp.

Yet, one game was all Buxton needed to make a strong impression, as the outfielder went 1-for-4 with three runs scored and a pair of stolen bases.

The 20-year-old should receive significant playing time this spring considering he’s already viewed as a potential late-season call-up. The Twins are eager to see how Buxton fares against major league-caliber pitching, and a strong showing against advanced competition could potentially improve his estimated time of arrival in The Show.

Even if Buxton struggles at the plate, his capacity to impact the game on all sides of the ball is impossible to overlook. Basically, the outfielder really can do no wrong this spring.

With five potentially plus tools and a feel for making in-game adjustments, Buxton has the ceiling of an MVP-caliber player in his prime. Assuming he begins the 2014 season at Double-A New Britain and stays healthy, Buxton has a legitimate chance to finish the year in the major leagues.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Alex Rodriguez finally learned his fate when arbitrator Fredric Horowitz dropped his suspension from 211 games to 162 games, first reported by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. In the process, it has given the New York Yankees salary relief for the 2014 season by wiping A-Rod’s money off of the books. 

Now is the time for the Yankees to release Rodriguez.

The Yankees are faced with the date of February 14. That’s the date when pitchers and catchers report to spring training. ESPN’s Jayson Stark says that it is unlikely that Rodriguez would attend spring training or be allowed on the major league fields by the Yankees.

At this point, A-Rod might want to come to camp and make the Yankees squirm. There doesn’t seem to be any love lost between the player and the entire organization. Even after losing his arbitration hearing, A-Rod has moved on to filing a lawsuit, detailed here by the AP’s Ronald Blum and Larry Neumeister, against the MLB and the player’s union.

It’s the last thing the Yankees and manager Joe Girardi need to deal with, answering questions and dealing with a huge media presence for a player who won’t even play one game for the Yankees this season. While New York could stash him at the minor league complex, it still seems like it would be a giant distraction and impact the ability of the Yankees prospects to conduct a normal spring routine.

New York needs to make a clean break and avoid the circus that would likely come to spring training this year or next. A-Rod’s suspension covers the regular season and the postseason, but he might still be allowed to work out with the team and go to spring training.

The Yankees need to take it a step further and spend the next two weeks trying to find a resolution to make the A-Rod headache go away. New York must make it clear to Rodriguez and his representatives that he will never wear pinstripes again. The Yankees might be able to broker a settlement with A-Rod’s camp, giving him a year to rehab and pick his next opportunity.

If the sides can’t come to an agreement, the Yankees must release A-Rod immediately. While New York will be frustrated by eating the remaining three years and $61 million left on his contract, this is still an ideal time to cut A-Rod loose and be done with him. 

A-Rod might have some right to claim that MLB and commissioner Bud Selig are out to get him, but he is unlikely to find anyone sympathetic to his cause. Nobody knows what the truth is, and no one believes that A-Rod is completely innocent here. A-Rod is not the victim here, he is simply part of the problem. 

The Yankees need to do the right thing and remove the headache. They saved millions when A-Rod’s suspension was upheld. Sure, eating the remaining $61 million will be difficult to swallow, but it would be worth it just to get A-Rod as far away from pinstripes as they can. Maybe they feel they can get some of that money back in court, but again, they have already recouped roughly $24 million. Whatever additional money just might not be worth it.

This figures to be a huge transitional year for New York. The organization will already be dealing with the defection of Robinson Cano as well as the retirements of Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte while welcoming newcomers like Masahiro Tanaka, Jacoby Ellsbury, Carlos Beltran and Brian McCann into the fold. 

The last thing the Yankees need is A-Rod bringing a black cloud over all of that and causing even more drama than he has already brought to the team. 

Rodriguez seems like he is only motivated at this point by money and his legacy. A-Rod will never get into the Hall of Fame. The suspension being upheld guarantees it. It is unlikely that A-Rod will even play in the majors again.

Barry Bonds was unable to find a job in the majors after leaving the San Francisco Giants, even though it would have required only a one-year deal on short money. Bonds was still a productive player and wasn’t coming off of a one-year suspension. 

Rodriguez should take a look at Bonds and realize that it’s over now. Would the Miami Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays or Houston Astros take a shot at him next year? I think it is doubtful that the interest in A-Rod would be enough for those franchises to add a player like Rodriguez to the team. He’ll basically be a 40-year-old designated hitter with bad hips and enough baggage to fill an entire clubhouse. 

It’s hard to see anyone interested in bringing that aboard. 

Information used from Bob Nightengale/USA Today Sports, Baseball Reference, Jayson Stark/ESPN, Ronald Blum and Larry Neumeister/AP

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

In baseball terms, “file and trial” is a way of describing teams willing to go through the arbitration-hearing process with their young, ascending talents. With salary numbers exchanged, the real fun begins for the players still without a final salary for the 2014 MLB season.

As the season approaches, the following players have one more hurdle to clear before workouts, exhibition games and preparation for the 2014 season can commence: a battle for salary against their employers.

Over the years, arbitration wars have turned ugly, souring the relationship between team, agent and player.

The following stars are all on the path to arbitration hearings. When the dust settles, salary will be determined for 2014, but an uncertain future could present itself along the way.

Statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference and FanGraphs, unless otherwise noted. All contract figures courtesy of Cot’s Baseball Contracts. Arbitration numbers and projections courtesy of MLB Trade Rumors.

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It’s no secret that the only hope that exists for the Chicago Cubs is in their farm system. Top to bottom, they’re one of the best in baseball; they were ranked No 4, according to Keith Law of ESPN Insider (subscription required).

Names like Kris Bryant, Javier Baez, Albert Almora and Jorge Soler have become commonplace in Chicago as optimistic fans look past this season and into 2015 and beyond. However, the entire farm system doesn’t consist of elite prospects who are sure to make an impact at the major league level. 

There are always players who burst onto the scene that nobody sees coming. Hopefully for the Cubs faithful, most of their top prospects will pan out. If they don’t, here are three players who could take over or be vital role players in years to come.

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Given how the market in Major League Baseball works today, prospects have become more valuable than ever. 

Teams are finding that it costs less to promote, say, a back-end starter who will only cost $500,000 in pre-arbitration years from the minors than to give $45-50 million to a mid-rotation pitcher like Ricky Nolasco or Matt Garza. 

Because of this new market inefficiency, teams are less likely than ever to trade prospects they have multiple years of control over.

The biggest prospect traded so far this offseason is Matt Davidson, who went from Arizona to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for closer Addison Reed. I like Davidson as a third baseman with above-average power and contact issues, but he’s not a star. 

It’s been hard sledding for teams trying to trade expensive veterans, even one as good as David Price, because teams don’t want to trade two or three top prospects and empty their farm system to end up in a situation like the one Toronto is in after going all-in last season. 

However, don’t be surprised to see the trade market pick up later in the year. I would bet that there will be a lot of movement around the July trade deadline. 

So assuming that trade winds do start swirling again, which prospects are most likely to find themselves on the move? Here are five names to watch. 

Note: All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference unless otherwise noted. 

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The Cleveland Indians‘ pitching and catching units underwent some substantial changes this offseason.

In the rotation, the team parted ways with starting pitchers Ubaldo Jimenez and Scott Kazmir. In the bullpen, it allowed Joe Smith to leave via free agency, and cutting closer Chris Perez opened up another spot.

The Indians added some pieces to fill these voids, including left-handed reliever Josh Outman and closer John Axford. In the rotation, they filled one of the spots with a former prospect in Danny Salazar.

The fifth spot in the rotation is the only one currently up for grabs, and if the team’s official depth chart is any indication, it’ll be filled by Carlos Carrasco.

The catching position features the same two players as last season—Carlos Santana and Yan Gomes—but they’ll switch roles in 2014. Gomes will get the everyday reps, leaving Santana to man multiple positions as the backup catcher.

With a lot of moves taking place in these units, there could be major consequences in the team’s performance this season. So, in this article, we’ll take a closer look at the 14 players who will make up these units while also giving some projections for their 2014 season.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and Fangraphs.com unless otherwise noted.

Indians depth chart courtesy of Clevelandindians.com. Inclusion of Josh Outman and Josh Tomlin came through predictions for spring training position battles.

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Chicks dig the long ball; at least that’s what the old commercial featuring Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine told us. 

Even though Major League Baseball has shifted toward a pitching and defense game, it’s still exciting to see a hitter step in the box and launch balls over the fence. After all, the best part of the All-Star festivities is the Home Run Derby. 

As we prepare for the start of spring training in February, there is a wave of hitting prospects coming through the minors who will be starring in a few of those Home Run Derby events and taking part in many All-Star games. 

Pitching is also plentiful in the minors right now, but the hitting talent that is on the way has the potential to bring offense back to the forefront. 

There are a lot more than 25 hitting prospects for fans to pay close attention to in 2014, but to avoid information overload, these are the players you should go out of your way to watch at least once this season. 

Some of these names will be very familiar, especially if you follow the minor leagues. Others are slowly moving up the prospect ladder, but all of them have the potential to be special with a bat in their hands. 

Here are the minor league hitters with the potential to change games when they step into the box or get on base.

All stats courtesy of MiLB.com unless otherwise noted. 

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Pitchers and catchers report in less than two weeks for the Atlanta Braves, marking the fast-approaching 2014 season.

This offers the first glimpse at how the players look after the offseason, although many of them will say “they are in the best shape of their lives.”

Still, fans and media get a chance to see how the players look and it generally adds to the excitement for the upcoming season.

The Braves didn’t overhaul their roster after winning the National League East in 2013.

Therefore, many of the scouting reports will be familiar to Braves fans, but there are some new faces on this year’s team.

Here’s a look at scouting reports and projections for pitchers and catchers for the Atlanta Braves’ 2014 season.

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The heavy lifting of the MLB offseason is done with spring training less than a month away. By mid-February, pitchers and catchers around the league will be in Arizona and Florida, respectively, getting tuned up with position players not far behind.

Looking at the remaining free agents, pitchers Ervin Santana and Ubaldo Jimenez figure to have the best chance of securing a contract worth at least $50 million. Otherwise, we’ve most likely seen the last of any blockbuster signings this offseason.

Here’s a ranking of the players who have signed deals of at least $50 million so far this offseason—an offseason that’s been marked by some big-spending baseball teams.

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