5 of the Blue Jays' most valuable (but realistic) trade chips this offseason

Spencer Horwitz

Switching from a player with a weak bat but strong defensive abilities to the complete opposite, we move on to Spencer Horwitz. The 27-year-old was also tasked with taking on a new position at the game's highest level - second base - and didn't look comfortable there at basically any point. In Horwitz, the Blue Jays have a player that's very much limited to first base or designated hitter, but the presences of Guerrero and Springer make the fit an awkward one moving forward.

Horwitz, a 24th-round pick by the Blue Jays back in 2019, flew well under the national radar during this past season, but he had an outstanding showing. In 97 games, he hit 12 home runs with 40 RBI, posting a .790 OPS and 125 OPS+ that put him 25 percent above league-average. He is at or near the top in many AL rookie categories on offense but rather surprisingly didn't earn any votes at all in the AL ROTY race.

Now that Horwitz has come up to the big leagues and shown that he can swing it, he makes a ton of sense for virtually any teams in need of a first baseman or designated hitter. Crazier things have happened than having him play another year at second base, but if he gets traded, that wouldn't be the Blue Jays' problem anymore.

Horwitz, like Barger, is an obvious casualty-in-the-making of the Blue Jays' major logjam around the infield. His inability to take to second base smoothly makes him a defensively limited player and that lowers his value to the Blue Jays but not necessarily to other teams. He is a prime candidate to get everyday playing time somewhere, but the fit just isn't there in Toronto. They could keep him aboard if the trade offers really don't come close to what they're seeking, and they'd be able to make it work, but Horwitz has a ton of value and a not-so-obvious fit on this roster moving forward.