MLB trade deadline 2026: Ranking prospects who changed teams

MLB trade deadline season has arrived with contenders adding to their MLB rosters for the upcoming stretch run and rebuilding clubs landing young players with an eye to the future before 6 p.m. ET on Monday arrives.

By now, you can probably form your own opinion of the MLB veterans headed to new teams, but it's much more difficult to figure out what to make of the minor leaguers who have moved.

And that's why we're here to help. Here's our ranking of every notable prospect dealt this trade season (last year there were 97 of them!) sorted by tiers using my Future Value grades so you can see where they slot in an MLB top 100 list or your team's farm system ranking.

More:Trade deadline farm system reports for all 30 MLB teams

50 FV tier

1. Zyhir Hope, RF, Detroit Tigers

(Acquired from Dodgers in Tarik Skubal deal)

Hope was in the danger zone last year in terms of his in-zone contact (roughly 40-grade, projecting to roughly a .225 average at the big league level) and corrected that this year (around average in MLB, which hovers around .250), understandably at the cost of a little bit in other areas, like raw power and chase rate. His in-game and raw power, however, are still plus. He's a corner outfielder but runs well and has a plus arm. Hope is tracking toward a late 2027 debut with above-average everyday player and perennial 3-plus-win upside. But there's also some risk due to that hit/chase/power balance and the limitations of a corner outfield profile. He's bordering on the 55 FV group, around the middle of a top 100 prospects list.

2. Arjun Nimmala, SS, Los Angeles Angels

(Acquired from Blue Jays in Jose Soriano deal)

I wrote a feature about Nimmala leading up to him going in the first round in 2023, if you want to know about his unique background. He had 60- or 65-grade raw power projection last year and his exit velos have spiked again this year, while also making more contact.

He's an average runner and fine (but not great) defensive shortstop who is now answering some questions about his hit risk, but not lifting the ball enough to get to all of his power in games. There's a lot to like here if he can continue making strides. I give Hope a slight edge for the top spot, but they're within 10 spots of each other on a Top 100.

3. River Ryan, RHP, Detroit Tigers

(Acquired from Dodgers in Tarik Skubal deal)

Ryan will be 28 years old in a few weeks, which likely makes him the oldest real prospect in my decades doing this. He only has four big league appearances but over a year of service due to his various injuries. His strength is clear: Basically every pitch he throws is plus, and he's athletic enough to see big league starter command, too. Ryan has also been blocked a bit by the Dodgers' pitching depth but has been good in Triple-A this year. On the other hand, he's still almost 28, has been hurt a ton and still hasn't done it. If it works, the Tigers will have him under control through his age-31 season, when he'll turn 32 late in the 2030 season. He's a low 50 FV, almost 45+ FV, and in the 90-120 overall range.

4. Ramon Marquez, RHP, San Francisco Giants

(Acquired from Phillies in Luis Arraez/Caleb Kilian deal)

Marquez has a plus-plus changeup and he also throws a fastball that sits 94-96, hitting 98 mph, though its shape is just okay, so the changeup helps keep hitters honest. His cutter/slider hybrid is solid at 88-90 mph and Marquez's command should be enough to start.

Some evaluators are skeptical of right-handed pitchers whose changeups are ahead of their breaking balls, but that's overly nitpicking a potential No. 3/No. 4 starter. He's in the mix for the back of my top 100 prospect list, but feels like he's just outside of it for now. There's also a compelling case due to age/injuries to put Marquez ahead of River Ryan.

40+ FV tier

5. Jhomnardo Reyes, RF, Baltimore Orioles

(Acquired from Twins in Dean Kremer trade)

Reyes is an 18-year-old lefty-hitting right fielder who crushed the complex league and just got to Low-A. Think of him as a power-over-hit type who would go somewhere in the comp to second round in the draft (or get a seven-figure bonus at a later pick) as a high schooler, but with plenty of risk due to competition level, hittability questions and a lack of positional value.

6. Brady Smith, RHP, Detroit Tigers

(Acquired from Dodgers in Tarik Skubal deal)

Smith was a projection-type player taken in the third round of the 2023 draft, and then didn't get on the mound in pro ball until 2025 due to Tommy John surgery. He couldn't throw strikes at all in 2025, but now this year, he can. His stuff is above average -- he had a four-seam fastball, cutter, curveball and changeup (which flashes plus and is best of the bunch) last year, adding a sinker and slider to the mix this year. He's a solid athlete with a starter look. There's still some relief risk and it has been only part of one season of it clicking, but there's Top 100 upside if he can stay on this on-ramp.

40 FV tier

7. Gary Gill Hill, RHP, New York Mets

(Acquired from Rays in Freddy Peralta deal)

Gill Hill has above-average command of fringe-to-average stuff that hasn't quite taken off like some expected when he signed out of a New York high school in 2022. He's still only 21 years old for the rest of the season, has starter traits and is getting hitters out at Double-A, so there's at least big league inventory value here, with a chance for a bit more with development.

8. Jack Cebert, RHP, Washington Nationals

(Acquired from Yankees in Luis Garcia Jr. trade)

Cebert was a 23-year-old 15th-round pick out of Texas Tech in 2025; he was moved quickly, spending most of this year in Double-A with better numbers than he had in college. He has a solid-average mix of a fastball (distinct four-seam and sinker), a cutter and a sweeper, along with a new slow curveball. He is a late bloomer with backend starter upside and could be ready as soon as late 2027.

9. Jacob Cozart, C, Los Angeles Angels

(Acquired from Guardians in Jo Adell deal)

Cozart was a second-rounder in 2024 out of NC State in large part due to his defensive ability, with enough offered as a lefty hitter to project him as a possible big league starter. He hasn't hit quite as well as hoped and is now looking more like a good backup than a potential starter, but that's still not settled

10. Emilien Pitre, 2B, New York Mets

(Acquired from Rays in Freddy Peralta deal)

Pitre is a solid-average runner and defender at second base at 5-foot-11 with fringy raw power, so his profile is limited by how much he can hit. The good news is his on-base percentage is .438 this year, though he is a bit old for the levels he has been playing at. There's solid low-end starter potential here if he can keep hitting like this; I think he's an above-average hitter with an above-average approach and power for 8-12 homers.

11. Ben Grable, RHP, Washington Nationals

(Acquired from Yankees in Luis Garcia Jr. trade)

Like Cebert, Grable was a 23-year-old pick later in the 2025 draft from a Power 5 school (Indiana and the 11th round, in Grable's case). Grable throws 76% fastballs, averaging nearly 21 inches of vertical break on the pitch (15 to 16 inches is major league average, higher numbers mean more "lift," and the low 20s is about as high as you'll see); it sits 94 to 97 mph, hits 99 mph and draws great results, as you'd guess. Grable's slider is around average, and he has great feel for how to make what he does work. The question is whether he can continue starting with that much use of one unique pitch or if he'll be relegated to a relief role.

12. Alex Hoppe, RHP, Baltimore Orioles (Taylor Ward deal with SEA)

13. Angel Arredondo, SS, Los Angeles Angels (O'Hoppe/Silseth deal with TEX)

14. Boston Smith, C, Seattle Mariners (Luis Castillo deal with CHW)

15. Mason Adams, RHP, COL (Brenton Doyle deal with COL)

16. Angel Rivero, RHP, Los Angeles Angels(Jose Soriano deal with TOR)

17. Brett Bateman, CF, Toronto Blue Jays (Kevin Gausman deal with CHC)

18. Gabe Davis, RHP, New York Mets (Huascar Brazoban deal with CHW)

19. Aidan Smith, CF, New York Mets (Freddy Peralta deal with TB)

20. Lucas Braun, RHP, Kansas City Royals (Lane Thomas deal with ATL)

21. Ty Southisene, SS, Toronto Blue Jays (Kevin Gausman deal with CHC)

22. Yovanny Cruz, RHP, Washington Nationals (Luis Garcia deal with NYY)

23. Bruin Agbayani, SS, New York Mets (A.J. Minter deal with MIN)

24. Billy Amick, 3B, New York Mets(A.J. Minter deal with MIN

25. Carter Holton, LHP, Kansas City Royals (Lane Thomas deal with ATL)

25. Marty Gair, RHP, San Francisco Giants (Luis Arraez deal with PHI)

26. Harrison Kreiling, RHP, Baltimore Orioles (Taylor Ward deal with SEA)

27. Omar Alfonzo, C, New York Yankees (Camilo Doval deal with PIT)

28. Jojo Ingrassia, LHP, Detroit Tigers (Jahmai Jones deal with BOS)

29. Luke Gabrysh, RHP, New York Mets (Brooks Raley deal with PHI)

31. Marty Gair, RHP, San Francisco Giants (Luis Arraez deal with PHI)

32. Josh Stephan, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays (Josh Smith deal with TEX)

33. Zach Franklin, RHP, New York Mets (Huascar Brazoban deal with CHW)

34. John Spikerman, CF, New York Mets (Brooks Raley deal with PHI)

35. Zane Barnhart, RHP, Detroit Tigers (Jake Rogers deal with BAL)

36. Carlos Vielma, SS, Colorado Rockies (Brenton Doyle deal with Rockies)

37. Eddie Micheletti, LF, Los Angeles Angels (Jose Soriano deal with TOR)

38. Felix Doroteo, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates (Jose Urquidy deal with CHW)

39. Luis Cruz, LF, New York Yankees (Camilo Doval deal with PIT)