The trades that built the Blue Jays roster: Where are they now?

The Toronto Blue Jays are sending three representatives to the upcoming MLB All-Star Game, and by Friday there could be a fourth.

Josh Donaldson, Edwin Encarnacion, Marco Estrada and Michael Saunders all share one common thread: They’ve joined the Toronto Blue Jays via trade, three of them since the 2014-15 offseason.

With the 2016 MLB Trade Deadline fast approaching at the end of July, it’s time to quickly pause and look back at the prominent trades that have helped shape the 2016 Toronto Blue Jays and their current prospect capital. With the benefit of some hindsight, especially when it comes to the young players prospects dealt away, the transactions of the past two seasons can be better framed as the Blue Jays enter another period of potential movement.

November 28th, 2014

Beginning with Donaldson’s move north, which has grown to become a “where were you when…?” moment among Blue Jays fans. Donaldson was coming off his second consecutive season of earning MVP votes in Oakland, hitting 29 home runs with 98 RBI and a WAR of 6.5 (he had a 7.6 WAR the year prior in 2013).

Barreto, the young Venezuelan infielder, was the prize chip going the other way and remains that. Baseball America ranked him as the number 36 prospect entering 2016 with MLB.com ranking him 23rd. MLB Pipeline ranks him as the number one prospect in Oakland’s organization.

Lawrie has already bounced from Oakland to the Chicago White Sox, making him awfully well-travelled for the age of 26. He gave Oakland a 0.6 WAR in 2015 but has done well to take a step forward with his on-base tool this season, earning a .322 OBP. Strikeouts remain a serious issue, however.

Nolin made six starts for Oakland last season, posting a 5.28 ERA. He was claimed off waivers by the Milwaukee Brewers in February, but has yet to pitch this season as he deals with elbow troubles. Graveman gave the A’s 115.2 innings last season as a starter and has continued on as a rotation piece in 2016. Through his first 37 starts with the club he owns a 4.27 ERA.

Barreto could very well go on to have a long, successful career, but as the prospect tasked with single-handedly carrying the balance of this trade, the Blue Jays can feel very comfortable with their reigning American League MVP.

Continue for a look at seven more roster-shaping deals…

Next: A full-circle trade and the Tulowitzki blockbuster