Blue Jays: Ranking The Top 10 Potential Trade Targets

#9-CF Drew Waters

This trade is a bit out there but I think it could work for both sides.  The Jays need a true centerfielder.  Randal Grichuk was serviceable there last year but long term, I don’t think he’s the answer.  True center fielders who can do it with both the glove and bat are super hard to come by and usually have to be developed within the organization.  The Blue Jays don’t have an outfielder within their top 15 prospects as their highest outfield prospect is Canadian Dasan Brown, but he’s still 3 or 4 years away from the big leagues and far from a sure thing.

Yes, George Springer is on the free agent market but Waters is ten years younger, will make around 25 million dollars less, and has the potential to be a much better defender than Springer with his 60 graded run, field, and arm tool according to MLB Pipeline. To me, he’s a better fit for this team.  The Jays will be hard-pressed to find a major league caliber center fielder to trade for.  I think it would be easier to find a top prospect who’s blocked at the major league level and that is exactly the case for Waters.  Waters has hit all throughout the minors, posting a slash line of .298, .354, and .461.  Atlanta is loaded in the outfield with guys like Ronald Acuna Jr. Cristian Pache and Ender Inciarte so there isn’t much space out there for a guy like Waters.

Even though he’s blocked, Atlanta won’t give him away for nothing, as he’s a top 30 prospect in all of baseball.  That’s why I think a prospect trade could work here.  Atlanta hasn’t found a solution at third since Josh Donaldson left last free agency.  Austin Riley has hit well at the big league level but has played horrid defence at third, and could be looking at a move to first base.  Because of this,  Atlanta could be in the market for a long term third baseman and the Jays may have that in Jordan Groshans, who like Waters, does not have a clear fit at the big league level as the Jays have a pretty full infield with guys like Vlad Jr, Bo Bichette and Cavan Biggio.

They also have a plethora of infield prospects, headlined by Austin Martin, so Groshans could be expendable because of this and could help fill a need at the big league level.  This could be a rare prospect trade but I think it could work as both teams are filling needs long term.

Potential Trade

TOR receives OF Drew Waters; ATL receives Jordan Groshans, RHP Adam Kloffenstein